This week, the farmers market was looking a little forlorn as summer moves into fall. The tomatoes and beans are fading, but the winter squash and pumpkins aren’t quite in yet. But I did find a nice treat at one of the stalls. Raw peanuts. Nice, big fat ones just waiting to be boiled up. A big ol’ batch of goobers.
Boiled Peanuts are a love-or-hate kind of thing. They are not crunchy like roasted peanuts, but soft and wet. Some people just can’t get into the texture, and the fact that sometimes a little juice might squirt out when you open them up. Generally, you find someone selling boiled peanuts on the side of the road, or at a country gas station. I myself had never considered boiling my own peanuts until I overheard a conversation about boiling them in the slow-cooker. So I had to try. It works, it’s easy, and it’s a great treat when I find raw peanuts. Pull out a brown paper bag of goobers at a party, and a conversation about the merits or drawbacks is sure to ensue. I like my goobers with plenty of Creole seasoning and salt, but you could use just salt or any flavor combo you like.
Boiled Peanuts
I find raw peanuts, also called green peanuts, sometimes at farmers markets, but most often at Asian grocery stores. They are peanuts in the shell that have not been roasted. You can make as many peanuts as you want.
1 pound raw peanuts
5 cups water
2 Tablespoons Creole seasoning (I like Tony Chachere’s)
2 Tablespoons salt
Place the peanuts and the water in a slow cooker and stir in the seasonings. Cook on low for 10 hours, turn off the slow cooker and leave the peanuts in the seasoned water for another 10 – 12 hours. Drain the peanuts and enjoy!
Boiled peanuts will keep covered for up to three days, but the drained peanuts can be frozen for up to two months. Reheat the peanuts in salted water to thaw.
Oh, you’re making me cry. I loooove boiled peanuts–my husband and I stopped whenever we saw a sign when we roadtripped through NC years ago–but they’re not exactly common in NYC. A neighborhood restaurant used to do them instead of a bread basket, got the raw ones shipped from the Lee Brothers in giant quantities, but they closed a couple years ago. Send me some, willya?
Debbie – look for raw peanuts at places that specialize in Asian produce. That’s where I usually find them.
Growing up in NC for me,meant eating boiled peanuts in the summer.Now if I dont get at least one batch to cook the summer isnt complete.I have never tried the cajan seasoning,but I will..sounds delish!
I haven’t had boiled peanuts in years! But I like how, as in Chinese cooking, they emphasize peanuts’ actual legume qualities. Thanks for reminding me of this treat, Perre.
Growing peanuts this year in our garden, for kicks and giggles. Had my first boiled peanuts a few weeks back at the Charleston SC Farmers Market. Man they were good! Thanks for sharing this recipe, I may try it down in the fall if our homegrown peanuts do any good!