Roadside Boiled Peanuts
Front Porch Gatherings & Holiday Spreads
Off the shoulder of a two-lane highway, steaming in a Styrofoam cup, salty brine dripping down your wrist before the shell snaps, you taste where the West African technique of boiling tough legumes met the southern peanut crop. Stovetop boils take all day, but an electric pressure cooker yields the same tender, starchy give in a fraction of the time, making a Tuesday night batch of soft, briny peanuts a weekday reality. Keep a roll of paper towels on the table and throw the empty shells right into the yard.
Before you start
Soak the peanuts overnight.
Place the raw dried peanuts in a large bowl, cover them completely with cool water, and let them soak for at least 8 hours to rehydrate the shells and significantly reduce cooking time.
Ingredients
- raw dried peanuts in the shell2 lb
- kosher salt1/2 cup
- water10 cup
Method
- 01
Rinse the peanuts and load the pressure cooker.
Drain the soaked peanuts and rinse them well to remove any residual dirt, then transfer them to an electric pressure cooker insert along with the salt and water, stirring until the salt dissolves.
- 02
Submerge the peanuts entirely.
Peanuts float, and if they sit above the water line, they will not cook evenly or absorb the salt. Place an inverted steamer basket, a heavy heat-safe plate, or a trivet directly on top of the peanuts to force them down into the brine.
- 03
Cook on high pressure for 80 minutes.
Secure the lid, set the valve to sealing, and program the machine for 80 minutes on high pressure.
- 04
Allow the pressure to release naturally for 30 minutes.
Do not rush this step. As the liquid cools, the peanuts pull the salty brine deep inside their shells, transforming them from bland legumes into the real deal.
- 05
Test for tenderness and serve warm.
Carefully open the lid, fish out a peanut, blow on it to cool, and taste. The nut inside should be soft and tender, much like a cooked chickpea; if it is still crunchy, pressure cook for another 15 minutes before serving with a second empty bowl for the discarded shells.
Notes
Eat them like a local.
Never shell boiled peanuts with your fingers. Place the entire intact shell to your lips, gently crack it open along the seam with your teeth, slurp out the warm, salty juice, and eat the soft nut before discarding the shell.
Add spices for a Cajun variation.
To replicate the spicy peanuts sold at Southern gas stations, add 2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning, 1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes, and 1 tablespoon of liquid crab boil to the water before sealing.
Adjust the method if using fresh green peanuts.
If you live in the South and can source freshly dug 'green' peanuts, skip the overnight soak entirely and reduce the pressure cooking time to 45 minutes.
From Cook Southern Food.