...is a treat down south and it's the time of year when green peanuts are readily available and I got my hands on about 15 lbs. Into the sink for a triple rinse before cooking. These are what we call Virginia jumbos or white skinned peanuts. I prefer the red skinned Valencias, but they're harder to find around me as most farmers I know plant the jumbos...
I have many different recipes for boiling them to include Cajun spicy with Zatarain's crab boil and cayenne pepper to raise the heat, a salt and vinegar taste with white vinegar, plain with just salt, but my favorite way, and the one that I get the most comments about, is with ham hocks and salt. Get a pot of water and a smoked ham hock boiling, add salt to taste...
After a few minutes, put the peanuts in, put the lid on, and return to a boil...
Boil until desired tenderness, for me that's anywhere from 4 to 6 hours, turn off the heat, and let them sit in the pot until desired saltiness and juiciness are reached. Add water as needed while boiling. Peanuts will absorb most of their saltiness during this resting time so I taste the water to be sure the salt content is to my liking. The peanuts won't get any saltier than the water they're in. Drain in a colander and eat, but keep the ham hock, I like snacking on the meat part. Most of the time the ham hock cooks all to pieces as you can see some of the meat in this picture...
This is actually about half of what I cooked. I give some away, we eat some, and I freeze some in quart Ziploc bags. I reheat them in a microwave right out of the freezer and I believe that they taste just as good as when they come out of the pot.
I have many different recipes for boiling them to include Cajun spicy with Zatarain's crab boil and cayenne pepper to raise the heat, a salt and vinegar taste with white vinegar, plain with just salt, but my favorite way, and the one that I get the most comments about, is with ham hocks and salt. Get a pot of water and a smoked ham hock boiling, add salt to taste...
After a few minutes, put the peanuts in, put the lid on, and return to a boil...
Boil until desired tenderness, for me that's anywhere from 4 to 6 hours, turn off the heat, and let them sit in the pot until desired saltiness and juiciness are reached. Add water as needed while boiling. Peanuts will absorb most of their saltiness during this resting time so I taste the water to be sure the salt content is to my liking. The peanuts won't get any saltier than the water they're in. Drain in a colander and eat, but keep the ham hock, I like snacking on the meat part. Most of the time the ham hock cooks all to pieces as you can see some of the meat in this picture...
This is actually about half of what I cooked. I give some away, we eat some, and I freeze some in quart Ziploc bags. I reheat them in a microwave right out of the freezer and I believe that they taste just as good as when they come out of the pot.
I know Of Boiled Peanut but have never had them or saw Raw Nuts to make them. Must be available as Fresh Roasted Peanut can be had off Street Vendor Carts, in cities...JJ
