Boiled Peanuts

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword boiled-peanuts-recipe, southern-boiled-peanuts

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 3

Cooling Time 30

Total Time 3 35

Servings servings

Calories 431kcal

Ingredients

2 lbs raw peanuts in the shell (OR 3lbs green peanuts)
1 1/2 cups kosher salt divided use
water

Instructions

Sort through the raw peanuts and remove any empty shells, broken pieces or peanuts with blemishes. Rinse the remaining peanuts in cold water.
Add raw peanuts to a large bowl and sprinkle with 1/2 cup salt. Cover with enough cold water leaving at least 1-inch headspace. Stir to combine then let sit at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight. You can place a plate on top to weigh down the peanuts and keep them submerged in the salt water. (Green peanuts don't need to be soaked.)
Stovetop Instructions: Drain the peanuts and rinse under cold water. Add them to a 6-quart or larger boiling pot or dutch oven.
Sprinkle the reserved 1 cup of salt over the top of the peanuts and then pour water over the peanuts using enough water to fully cover. Stir to combine.
Bring peanuts to a boil then lower the heat to medium-low and let the peanuts simmer. Cover and allow the raw peanuts to boil for 3 hours checking to add more water intermittently, as needed. Check raw peanuts at 3 hours.
(Green Peanuts: Check at 1 hour then continue to cook checking every 30 minutes for doneness. Green peanuts generally take 2-3 hours total.)
Test At 3 Hours: Remove one peanut from the pot and let it cool just enough to handle and remove the shell. Taste and check the texture, if the peanut is still crunchy continue to boil for another 1-2 hours or until they're soft, but not mushy. Check every 30 minutes as the time could vary slightly depending on how vigorously the peanuts boil.
Tips: When testing the peanuts for doneness you can adjust the amount of salt. After tasting, if the peanuts need more salt, add in 1/4 cup increments, adding more each time you test for doneness. If the peanuts taste more salty than desired, replace some of the water with unsalted fresh water and continue to boil.
Once done allow the peanuts to cool in the water for 1 hour then drain well and serve. (Or chill and then enjoy.)
Crockpot Instructions: Sort through the raw peanuts and remove any empty shells, broken pieces or peanuts with blemishes. Rinse the remaining peanuts in cold water.
Add peanuts to a 6 quart or similar size slow cooker. Cover with water and add 1 cup salt. (No soaking required.)
Lock lid in place and cook on High for 18-24 hours. Once done allow the peanuts to cool in the water for 1 hour then drain well and serve.

Notes

Variations: You can season boiled peanuts with all kinds of different spices to change the flavor profile. You can add paprika, cayenne pepper, cajun seasoning or creole seasoning, old bay seasoning or barbecue seasoning to the cooking liquid. You could add onion powder, granulated garlic or garlic powder. Create your own flavor blend and adjust the amounts according to your personal preference.

For spice you can also add crushed red pepper flakes, chopped jalapeños, chipotle chiles or any other chiles that you enjoy for a spicy kick. Just stir into the cooking liquid for the flavor to infuse while they boil.

Storage and Leftovers: Boiled peanuts can be stored in an airtight container chilled in the refrigerator for up to one week. Make a point to drain them well to remove any excess water before storing.

Freezer: I don't recommend freezing Southern Boiled Peanuts.

Nutrition