Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Fresh Green Peanuts Get Them While You Can
Peanuts are currently being harvested and if you are lucky enough to be able to snag some fresh green peanuts, you are lucky. Did you know that North Carolina farmers, produce approximately 102,666 planted acres of peanuts, which equals about 441 million pounds? ranks fifth in the United States in peanut production? North Carolina peanut farmers produce 8% of the nation’s supply. The majority of NC peanuts are consumed out-of-hand as cocktail peanuts, instead of processed into peanut butter or other candies. Peanuts are super high in protein and Vitamin B. We often take peanuts for granted and being a major crop in the North Carolina picture of agriculture.
Peanuts are packed with more than just flavor—they’re one of the most balanced and nutrient-dense foods available. A single one-ounce serving (roughly 28 peanuts) offers a powerful blend of macronutrients and essential vitamins that contribute to long-term health. Unlike processed snacks that are heavy in sugars and empty calories, peanuts offer sustained energy and meaningful nutritional support. One ounce or approximately ¼ cup of peanuts contains 161 calories and 7.3 grams of protein. Their unique profile makes them a key part of many heart-healthy, protein-rich, and plant-based diets.
If you happened to never have tasted boiled peanuts, now is your chance. This damp salty snack is a staple at fall football games and other events. The basic salty boiled peanut is my personal favorite, but you can change them up by adding sweet and salty spices to your recipe.
Southern Boiled Peanuts
(This recipe is borrowed from The Lee Brothers Southern Cookbook, but is a pretty common way to cook this treat, I have shared this before but it’s just a good one)
1 1/2 cups salt, divided, plus more to taste
2 pounds raw peanuts in the shell
Dissolve 1/2 cup salt in 2 gallons water in a 3-gallon stockpot; add peanuts. (Weigh down peanuts, if desired, with a large plate or lid to ensure they're fully submerged.) Soak 8 hours or overnight. *
Drain water; refill pot with 2 gallons water and remaining 1 cup salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, 5 to 8 hours or until peanuts are tender, adding water as needed to keep peanuts covered; stir occasionally. (South Carolina-style peanuts are very soft, but some cooks prefer them al dente.) When the peanuts have boiled 3 hours, check for texture and saltiness. If the peanuts are not salty enough, add salt in 1/4-cup increments, turn off heat, and let soak 1 hour. Check peanuts for seasoning every hour.
Remove from heat, and cool 1 hour.
Drain and eat immediately or store (in the shell) in a sealed container in the refrigerator or freezer. Boiled peanuts will keep 7 days in the refrigerator, several months in the freezer.
*The soaking step is not essential, but it reduces the cooking time by a couple of hours and helps ensure that the peanuts cook more thoroughly and uniformly. The salt in the soaking liquid keeps yeasts and molds from developing overnight.
Crockpot Boiled Peanuts
1 ½ pounds raw peanuts, in shell, preferred green
¾ to 1 cup kosher salt
Combine peanuts, salt and 14 cups of water in a tall, oval 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 18 hours or until peanuts are soft. Drain peanuts before serving or storing. Store in zip-top plastic bags, refrigerate for up to 2 weeks, or freeze.
Cilantro Peanut Chutney
¼ cup raw peanuts
1 small red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves
2 green chilis, seeded and chopped
2 cups fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup fresh mint leaves
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
Juice of ½ lime
5 tablespoons water
In a small skillet over low heat, dry roast the peanuts until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. (If you do not have fresh peanuts, you can use purchased dry roasted nuts.
Dump the roasted peanuts into a blender or food processor, add all of the remaining ingredients, blend until smooth, about 90 seconds.
Store the chutney in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.
Boiled Peanut Salad
(A healthy high protein Indian-style salad)
1 cup raw peanuts, shelled
1 medium seedless cucumber
1 medium tomato, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves, chopped
Juice of one lemon
½ teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon of Chaat Masala *, optional, see note
Salt to taste
Boil the peanuts, if using a stovetop pot add enough water to the peanuts, bring to a boil and cook for 25-30 minutes or until done. Be sure to get them done and not mushy.
To make the salad, add all of the ingredients and toss well until all of the ingredients are mixed. Best when set aside for about 15 minutes for the flavor to mix, then serve.
**Chaat Masala can be purchased or homemade, there are many recipes available and all have quite a few ingredients.
Serves 4, each serving contains; Calories 226, Fat 18 g., Carbohydrates 9g., Fiber 5g., Protein 10g.
Easy Roasted Peanuts
2 cups raw peanuts
1 teaspoon salt
Place raw peanuts, in the shell or shelled, one layer deep in a shallow baking pan. Sprinkle salt over the nuts.
Roast in a 350-degree oven, 15-20 minutes for shelled and 20 to 25 minutes for in shell peanuts.
Peanuts will continue to cook as they cool, so remove them just short of your desired doneness.
Once completely cooled, store in airtight containers or baggies.
Candied Peanuts
2 cups of raw or unsalted roasted peanuts
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
Sprinkle of sea salt
Optional, ground cinnamon or chili powder
In a wide heavy duty skillet, mis the peanuts with the sugar and water. Cook the ingredients over moderate heat, stirring almost non-stop, until the liquid begins to crystallize. It will take a few minutes.
Keep stirring until the sugar gets sandy and dry around the peanuts.
Lower the heat and keep going, scraping up any syrup collecting in the bottom of the pan and the stir the peanuts in it, coating them as much as possible. As you go, tilt the pan, removing it from the heat occasionally to regulate and control the heat and the syrup, also to coat the nuts with the liquid as it darkens without burning the peanuts or the syrup. This is a tad tricky, it the mixture starts to smoke remove from the heat but continue to coat the nuts with the syrup.
Just before the peanuts are done, sprinkle them with a flurry of flakey salt, and the cinnamon and chili powder if desired. Stir them a few more times, then pour gently onto a baking sheet or marble countertop.
Let the peanuts cool completely, breaking up any clumps as they cool. Store in an airtight container. The peanuts will stay fresh for up to a week.
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