Boiled Peanuts
intro
Salty, tender, slow-simmered boiled peanuts are a beloved cross-cultural snack, perfect for casual warm-weather gatherings and relaxed snacking.
Ingredients
Steps
Clean the raw peanuts
Place 1000g raw in-shell peanuts in a large colander, rinse thoroughly under cold running water for 2 minutes, rubbing shells gently to remove all surface dirt and farm debris. Discard any peanuts with cracked, moldy shells or that float to the top of a water test, as these are spoiled or empty.
Make the boiling brine
Pour 2400ml cold water into a large 8-quart stockpot, add 75g kosher salt, 4 lightly crushed garlic cloves, and 2 whole star anise. Stir over medium heat for 1 minute until salt is fully dissolved, then bring the brine to a rolling boil.
Add peanuts to pot
Carefully pour all cleaned peanuts into the boiling brine, stir once to submerge as many as possible. Place a small heat-safe ceramic plate on top of the peanuts to weigh them down so they stay fully under the brine surface during cooking, preventing unevenly cooked nuts.
Slow-simmer until tender
Reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle, steady simmer (no hard rolling boil). Cover the pot partially with its lid, leaving a 1-inch gap to prevent boil-over, and cook for 1 hour 45 minutes. Stir the peanuts every 30 minutes to ensure even cooking across the batch.
Check peanut texture
After 1 hour 45 minutes of simmering, use a slotted spoon to remove 2-3 peanuts from the pot. Let them cool for 1 minute, then crack open the shells: the peanut kernels should be soft, fully tender with no crunchy raw center, and infused with light salty flavor. If still crunchy, simmer for an additional 15 minutes and retest.
Soak for deeper flavor
Once peanuts reach desired tenderness, turn off the stovetop heat, cover the pot fully with its lid, and let the peanuts rest in the warm brine for 30 minutes to deepen their salty, savory flavor. For extra briny peanuts, extend the soak time to up to 1 hour.
Drain and serve peanuts
After soaking, pour the entire pot contents into a large colander to drain off all excess brine. Serve peanuts warm, or let them cool to room temperature before transferring to an airtight container to store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Tips
2.For a zesty Southern U.S. style variation, add 1 tablespoon (10 grams) of Cajun seasoning and 2 dried bay leaves to the brine; for a more aromatic Cantonese version, add 1 thin slice of ginger and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of light soy sauce.
3.Never boil peanuts at a hard, rolling boil for the full cook time: this will split shells prematurely, cause peanuts to absorb too much water, and result in a mushy, waterlogged texture instead of a firm-tender bite.
OMG these are EXACTLY the boiled peanuts I grew up eating at Georgia roadside stands! I was worried I’d never get the flavor right living out west now, but this recipe is perfect. My whole family devoured a whole batch during our movie night last weekend. SO good, I’m making a double batch for our neighborhood potluck next week!
Super easy recipe, even I didn’t mess it up! I used raw peanuts I grabbed from the farmers market, let them boil the full 2.5 hours and they came out perfectly salty and tender. Great snack to keep in the fridge for meal prep this week, way cheaper than buying the pre-made ones at the grocery store.
I didn’t want to hover over the stove so I dumped everything in my Crockpot on low for 6 hours instead, game changer! Tasted just as good, no stirring required. My roommates are already begging me to make them again for our game watch this Saturday.
Wait a second, no cajun seasoning? I’ve always made mine with a heavy hit of cajun spice, is the plain savory version really worth making? I don’t want to waste a pound of peanuts if it’s bland!
Made these as a pre-game snack for our backyard BBQ last weekend and they were the first thing gone! Everyone was asking for the recipe, I felt like a total pro. Pro tip: let them soak in the brine for an extra 30 minutes after you turn the heat off for even more flavor.
Was looking for a cheap, plant-based snack to pack for my day hikes and these are perfect! They’re salty, filling, don’t get squished in my pack, and the recipe is so straightforward I don’t have to measure anything fancy. Already made two batches this month.
My kids loved it! I was worried the salt level would be too high for them so I cut the added salt by half and it was just right. They ate them as an after school snack three days in a row, I can’t keep up with how fast these disappear.
Wait, do you have to use raw green peanuts? I only have raw dried peanuts in my pantry right now, will those work? I don’t feel like running to the store just for peanuts lol
Brought these to our church potluck last Sunday and I swear three people asked me if I bought them from that famous peanut stand off the highway! The slow boil really lets all the flavor sink in, I don’t think I’ll ever make boiled peanuts any other way.
These are a meal prep game changer! I portion them out into little snack bags on Sunday and grab one on my way to work every day. They keep for a week in the fridge no problem, and the flavor actually gets better after a couple days. Way better than chips or candy bars for a midday pick me up.
Good base recipe, but I felt like it was missing a little something for my taste. Next time I’m adding some smoked paprika and a couple jalapeños to the boil to give it a little heat and smokiness. Texture was spot on though, cook time was exactly right!
Made these on our camp stove last weekend while we were camping at the state park! They were the perfect camp snack, we just set the pot on low while we went for a hike and came back to perfectly cooked peanuts. Can’t beat an easy, no-fuss snack when you’re out in the woods.
I was intimidated to make boiled peanuts because I thought it was super complicated, but this is so easy! You literally just dump everything in a pot, let it boil, and that’s it. No fancy skills required, even I couldn’t mess it up (and I burn toast half the time).
Made these for the Bills watch party last week and they were a huge hit! Way better than the usual pretzels and chips we usually have. The only thing I did different was add a can of beer to the boil water, gave it such a great malty depth. 10/10 will make again for every game this season.
So happy to find a nut snack my son can eat! He’s not allergic to peanuts but he’s allergic to tree nuts, so most pre-packaged snack mixes are cross-contaminated. Making these at home means I know exactly what’s in them, and he thinks they’re the coolest snack ever to bring to school.
Wait, is the 2.5 hour cook time for high altitude? I live in Denver and everything takes longer to boil up here, I don’t want to end up with crunchy peanuts when I’m expecting that soft, squishy boiled peanut texture.
I’ve been making boiled peanuts for 40 years and I have to say, this seasoning blend is better than my old go-to recipe! The little bit of onion powder and bay leaf makes such a difference, I never thought to add those before. My grandkids went crazy for them when they visited last weekend.
Wait this is such an affordable snack! A 2lb bag of raw peanuts was like $3 at my grocery store, and that made enough snacks for me and my roommate for almost a whole week. Way cheaper than buying individual snack packs, and way tastier too. 10/10 for anyone trying to cut down on their grocery bill.
Pro tip from my mistake: don’t let your dog sniff the peanuts while they’re cooling on the counter. My golden retriever stole a whole handful while I was answering the door and spent 20 minutes cracking shells all over my living room rug. 10/10 recipe, 0/10 for my ability to guard snacks from my pup.