Boil green peanuts - advices

Content

To step
Tips
Warnings
Necessities

Unripe or green peanuts is a term to describe freshly harvested peanuts, straight from the farm, that have not been dried. You can get them at the grocery store, health food stores, and (if you're in the US) at farmers' markets, in season. This is something different from the well-known dried peanuts. They are uncooked and ready to cook after drying. Roasted peanuts are no longer raw, so you don't have to cook it again. Cooking green peanuts is a rural tradition in the Southeastern US where peanuts grow in small gardens and on large farms. They are also liked to be eaten in India, Nigeria, the Philippines, Indonesia, Taiwan, China, Australia and Vietnam. There are many variations depending on the spices used, but the standard method is the same for all, and cooking makes the peanuts healthier for you, because cooked peanuts contain more polyphenols (antioxidants) than roasted peanuts. Here are the steps for this fun project.

To step

Select the correct peanuts for cooking. Jumbo peanuts or Valencia peanuts are preferred by many, but you can also use most standard peanuts, as long as they are green peanuts. Do not try this recipe with roasted peanuts, as they will not soften no matter how long you cook them. In the south of the US, they are sold at farmers' markets and by roadside private individuals from early summer to late fall or first frost. You can eat dry / raw peanuts all year round, but you will have to soak them in water for 24 hours before cooking them.
Wash and select the peanuts, removing loose soil and sprouts, stems, weeds and leaves. You can put the peanuts in a large pan or bucket and use a garden hose to rinse the peanuts, and when the nuts are submerged, the loose dirt will float to the surface when you stir the peanuts.
Depending on the amount you are going to cook, take a large or a smaller pan for the stove.
Put the peanuts in the pan and put it 5 cm under water. Some will float to the surface, so the amount of water will not always be clear. Push the peanuts down with your (clean) hands and you will have a better view of how much water is in the pan.
Add salt to taste. This can be tricky, but a rule of thumb is to add 1/4 cup of salt for every 5 pounds of green peanuts. If you have older, tougher peanuts, you need more salt so that the nuts have a good chance to absorb the salt and to taste.
Add further herbs and spices to taste. In this recipe, we add chopped jalapeno peppers to the boiled peanuts hotter to make. You can also use garlic, fresh or powdered, chili powder and other strong spices.
Bring the contents to a boil. If you have a burner on propane gas, you light the burner and turn the heat high. On the stove, put the pan on high heat until the water comes to a good boil and then turn the heat down so that it continues to boil without getting too hot.
Stir the peanuts every 15-20 minutes, to make sure there is still enough water. A lid on the pan will reduce the amount of water that evaporates, but will increase the risk of the pan boiling over with peanuts.
After an hour you can remove some of the peanuts from the pan with a slotted spoon and taste them. Peanuts that have completely absorbed the water will sink to the bottom of the pan. When they have softened and the shell comes off the nut when it is opened, the peanuts are ready. Cooking can take up to 2-4 hours.
Test on salinity. If you prefer, you can add salt to the boiling water after which the peanuts can continue to cook for another 30 minutes. Remember that with the increase in the salt content in the water and the extra cooking time, the already cooked peanuts can quickly become too salty, so be careful with this.
Turn off the stove / burner when they are salty and tender enough to your taste. Drain the rest of the water, being careful not to burn yourself, and place the peanuts in a bowl to cool and enjoy. They are also very tasty before they have cooled down completely.
Place leftover peanuts in the fridge or freezer, in a resealable freezer bag, for later enjoyment. Remove some of the frozen peanuts from the bag when you feel like it and warm them up by putting them in the microwave for 2 minutes.

Tips

Green peanuts can be frozen so that you can cook them in the colder months, but they will not taste as good.
Use the greenest peanuts you can get that cook faster and are softer after cooking. Very green peanuts, known as pops, can be eaten whole (skin and all) provided they are properly cleaned before cooking, but do not overeat.
Invite friends, make a campfire and open some beers to make it a real tradition.
If you don't live in a region where you can easily get green peanuts, you can always order them online. They can be delivered fresh or frozen.

Warnings

Many people are allergic to peanuts and their derivatives, so be careful when eating them for the first time.
Boiling water is dangerous and can cause severe burns. Be careful and if the peanuts are cooked outside, keep an eye on them all the time.