Spicy Boiled Peanuts

If you haven't had boiled peanuts you don't know what you're missing. They're a Southern thing, and you can find them at roadside stands all around the South, especially in the fall as you're driving to the mountains to enjoy the fall leaves.

Plain and simple, they're just green peanuts boiled in heavily salted water, but you'll also find hot, Cajun-style peanuts as well. They're my favorite.

My friend Rebecca made a big batch of spicy peanuts and asked me to tweek the recipe and the final result was divine. Just the right hit of spice on multiple levels.

There are fresh hot peppers in the mix, along with a vinegary kick from some hot sauce. I use a mix of peppers, including some habanero peppers, which are really, really hot. The long cook time takes off the heat, so these aren't overly spicy.

For the hot sauce, I used Texas Pete, which is fairly mild when it comes to hot sauces.

These need to simmer on the stove for a long time, five to six hours to be exact. Then, I cool them down and let them sit overnight in the cooking liquid to season them further.


Once they've sat overnight, I usually divide the batch of peanuts into two containers, top with the briney liquid and freeze. Boiled peanuts freeze really well. This way I've always got some on hand when game day arrives. I thaw them in the microwave and then reheat them in a saucepan on the stove.

The real trick is finding the green peanuts for the recipe. They're abundant in supermarkets in my area, but you can also buy them online. You want raw, green peanuts, and they're usually labeled that way.

If you've never had boiled peanuts, here's how you eat 'em: Break open the shell and enjoy the soft, flavorful peanuts inside. A lot of Southerners use their teeth to crack open the shells, sucking out the juices as they open the peanuts.


Spicy Boiled Peanuts

3 pounds raw green peanuts, washed
1/3 cup kosher or fine sea salt
1 cup hot sauce, such as Texas Pete
4 1/2-inch coins of fresh ginger (no need to peel)
1 tablespoons black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
2 habanjero peppers, sliced in half
2 jalapeno peppers, sliced in half

Place all ingredients in a pot. Cover with water and stir. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low or low and cook, partially covered, for 5-6 hours, adding water to keep all of the peanuts covered.

Makes a lot of peanuts!