Southern Boiled Peanuts Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why put vinegar in boiled peanuts? ›

Made from sugar, fermented apples, and yeast, the vinegar adds a sweet, tangy flavor to the peanuts. The acid provides balance to the savory spices that have already been added, transforming the peanuts into a well-rounded, flavorful snack with depth.

But most agree that the practice of boiling peanuts originated in Africa and was introduced to American Southern culture by slaves, as the South is where the peanut crop flourished. Boiling was a clever and delicious way to enjoy the fresh-harvested or “green” peanuts that were not yet dry enough to roast.

Use a large dinner plate to help submerge the floating peanuts. Soak peanuts 8 hours or overnight. (This step saves a little time boiling, but if you don't have the luxury of soaking time, you can skip it.)

Historians speculate that the Southern tradition of blending shelled, salted peanuts and co*ke may have originated in the 1920s, when farmers or other manual laborers wanted to enjoy a snack that wouldn't require touching their food.

Aluminum pots blacken when boiling peanuts. Over time this darkening may transfer to the boiled peanuts. Iodized salt. I've never experienced this myself, but some people say that iodized salt causes blackening of boiled peanuts.

The peanut was known throughout the South as a goober pea. The word goober comes from the Congo name for peanuts – nguba.

A Peanut By Any Other Name Would Be As Unappreciated

"The ground pea of the South, or as it is sometimes called, the gouber or pindar pea," said one patent application in 1848. "The earthnut, groundnut, goober, pindar or peanut" is how the Department of Agriculture phrased it.

Once the peanuts have boiled for three hours (one hour for green peanuts), sample them to check their texture and salinity. Remove a peanut, and when it is cool enough to handle, crack open its shell and taste the kernel, slurping some brine with it. If the peanut crunches, it should be cooked further.

Add salt, then water to cover. Bring water to a boil. Let peanuts boil in water for 3 hours. Test peanuts; add more salt to taste if needed and continue cooking until they reach the softness/consistency you desire.

Can you overcook Boiled Peanuts? Unfortunately, you can definitely overcook boiled peanuts. Overcooked boiled peanuts tend to turn out mushy, so be sure to follow the instructions carefully and not cook them longer than recommended in your instant pot.

What kind of peanuts are best for boiling? ›

The most flavorful peanuts for boiling are the Valencia type.

Boiled peanuts can get slimy if they're overcooked or sit in the brine for too long.

You need but three ingredients to make boiled peanuts. (1) Green peanuts, (2) Tap water, and (3) Salt. Don't use any fancy pants, imported Basque hand-crushed, sun-dried sel de mer. Use Morton's Iodized.

Nutritious and packed with antioxidants, boiled peanuts are an excellent source of energy. “A half cup of boiled peanuts contains approximately 286 calories with no cholesterol. Vitamins E and B, which are crucial for the growth and development of muscles and organs, are also present in boiled peanuts.

Boiled peanuts that are overcooked or left out for too long can become slimy. Make sure to cook until tender (not mushy), and refrigerate any leftovers after serving.

Roasting between 90 and 150 °C for 30 to 120 min reduced AF concentrations in peanuts and pistachio by 57–90 and 93%, respectively [42,43].

Time is an essential factor when boiling peanuts. Boiling time softens the peanuts, and soaking time increases the juicy flavor inside the shells. The amount of time required to boil peanuts depends on the raw peanuts' maturity, size, kernel moisture content, and your taste.

Dried peanuts will require a longer soaking time before cooking, so leave them to soak for at least 8 hours or overnight. Soaking the peanuts ensures that they will soften more easily when they are cooked, giving them their delicious texture.