Boiled Peanuts for Fun and Profit

Having been born and raised in a family that goes back to the 1700's in Georgia and South Carolina I grew up with peanuts. Now I am sure that most if not all citizens of the United States are familiar with roasted peanuts. However, in my travels I have found out that most citizens are not familiar with boiled peanuts. This delicacy seems to be a southern thing.

If you did not grow up with them they may a bit of an acquired taste. But once you have tried them they are addictive. The following is the recipe my grandmother used and it has provided me with tasty morsels of delicious boiled peanuts for several decades. It is easy to follow but you should be willing to devote a full day to the boiling process in order to assure a consistant product.

Depending on where you live it may be possible to buy raw peanuts all year long in these days of overnight shipping. But in the southern United States the best time of year to get fresh raw peanuts in from August to November. The fresher the peanut the better the end product of boiled peanuts. The good news is that after they are boiled and cooled they can be placed in freezer bags and frozen for year round enjoyment.

First rinse the raw peanuts well then place them in a heavy duty pot. I still use the pot my grandmother used. Cover them with water until the ones on top are just floating. Add about one cup of salt for each pound of peanuts. Bring slowly to a boil and keep stirring until a rolling boil is achieved. Cut back on the heat until the water is just at or below boling. Cover and allow the pot to boil for at least 4 hours stirring them about every thirty minutes.

After four hours you will want to use a long spoon to pull out a few for taste testing. Some people like them firm and others like them softer. Do not worry if they do not taste very salty at this point. They absorb most of the salt at the end of the boiling process when the shell becomes softer. Be prepared to add more water during the boiling process as some of it will evaporate.

Depending on the type of peanut you are working with, their freshness factor and how soft you like your peanuts this can take up to eight hours. My boiling season starts with the football season so I usually start them in the morning and then check on them during the afternoon ball game. When they are just right I pour them into a giant colander to drain and cool. I start eating them as soon as I can because that is when they are the best.

If you like hot or cajun style peanuts you can add cajun spices or the peppers of your choice. I generally use the crab boil bags I use for boiled shrimp. This is one area of boiled peanuts that you can let your creative juices flow. Create your own family recipe.Just be sure you mark the hot ones when you put them in your freezer.

Many times in my life when I have had the need to make a few extra dollars I have set up my own boiled peanut roadside stand. I would prepare by freezing as many pounds as I needed of both plain and cajun. Then all I needed was my propane open cooker. I would pick a likely spot near an attraction or flea market and set up my lawn chair and an umbrella. The sign should be easily readable but definitely hand lettered. I would sell a quart size cup or bag for $3.00 and I usually sold out before the day was over. I hope you have as much fun and enjoyable eating your boiled peanuts as I have.