Boiled peanuts are a popular Southern snack made from freshly harvested raw peanuts boiled for hours in salty water. It was during the slave trading years of the 17th and 18th centuries that the peanut first came to the American South, causing many people to assume that the peanut originated in Africa. However, it actually came from Brazil and Peru.
It is unclear why Southerners started boiling peanuts, but it's believed to have been a practice since at least the Civil War. When rations of bread and meat ran low, peanuts proved to be an important nutritional source for Confederate soldiers, who boiled them over an open fire.
Recipe Servings: 12
Prep Time
5 minutes
+ 8 hours resting
+ 8 hours resting
Cook Time
5 hours
Total Time
13 hours 5 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal
Ingredients
Directions
- Dissolve ½ cup salt in two gallons of water in a three-gallon pot and then add the peanuts. If desired, weigh down the peanuts with a large plate to ensure they're fully submerged.
- Soak for at least 8 hours or overnight.
- Drain the water and refill the pot with two gallons of water and the remaining cup of salt.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer covered for 5–8 hours or until the peanuts are tender. Add water as needed to keep the peanuts covered. Stir occasionally.
- Check the saltiness of the peanuts after 3 hours of boiling and if needed add more salt in ¼-cup increments. After adding salt, turn off the heat and let the peanuts soak for 60 minutes before returning to a simmer.
- Remove the peanuts from the heat and let them cool in the water for 60 minutes.
- Drain the water and eat the peanuts immediately or store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer. Boiled peanuts will keep for seven days in the refrigerator or several months in the freezer.
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