Canning boiled peanuts

[freemotion]

Here is what I learned about canning boiled peanuts. Being a New Englander, I had to do a lot of research. You Southerners know this stuff from birth, it seems!

You need to buy dried, raw, in-shell peanuts for this. Apparently the best boiled peanuts are the fresh, green ones. These do not ship well, they will get moldy. So the next best thing for us Northerners is to buy fully ripe but dried peanuts.

I changed the instructions I got online to suit the way I do things. I added a lot of details to my notebook so that I would remember from year to year, and not have to re-learn the tricks and tips each time. So here they are.

You will need:

1 box (25#) of raw, dried, in-shell jumbo peanuts (Bertie County Peanuts is what I use)

Kosher salt, or canning salt, or sea salt

About 4 dozen quart canning jars and a pressure canner.

Fresh whey, optional

Soak the peanuts in water and a big glug of whey overnight, 12-24 hours. I do 24 hours since they are a legume and thus have more phytates. A five gallon pail filled about 2/3 with peanuts will fill about 14 jars. Put a dinner plate on top of the peanuts and have the bucket lid or a weight nearby, then start adding the water and whey. Hold the plate down, since the peanuts will float and overflow the bucket. Fill as close to the top as you can, then press the lid on.

The next day, prepare your canner and your jars and put 3 gallons of filtered water on to boil, and when you are ready to fill the jars, scoop out enough peanuts to fill a big collander and rinse the peanuts thoroughly with hot water. Put 2 tsp (1 dessertspoon) of salt in each jar and fill with peanuts. Shake the jars every couple of handfuls to settle the peanuts, and pack the last few in one by one to fill all available space. Then fill with boiling water up to the first ridge on the canning jars....half inch of head space. Let them bubble for a couple of minutes and then top up the jar again with water. I find that my metal cup measure with a handle works best for this step.

Process as usual for 45 minutes at 10 lbs pressure.

A couple more of my notes....Peanuts will get moldy if allowed to float in the pre-soak.

Allow for about 2.5 cups water per jar when boiling the water.

There may be some leftover soaked peanuts....boil these in brine for immediate use or for freezing. Use a crockpot overnight on low (8-12 hours) or simmer on the stove for 2-4 hours. It really depends on how old the peanuts are, kind of like cooking beans.

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Mmmmm, one of my favorites. Never dawned on me to ferment or can them! I can get fresh by the bagful here in MS, there is a guy sitting on the side of the road in his pickup just about every day selling watermelons, pecans & peanuts.

 

[big brown horse]

Gosh, I love boiled peanuts!!!

 

[freemotion]

They are SOOOO good! I gorge on them when we go to Florida. But I can do up my own for a fraction of the price of the roadside stands, even with the price of shipping! It comes out to about a dollar a jar, maybe a little less.

 

[big brown horse]

Guess what we had for breakfast?! Fermented, boiled peanuts and kefir with a swirl of raw honey. We were all in heaven!

I made a big mistake tho, I didn't realize the peanuts had to be raw-dried. I used organic "lightly roasted" whole peanuts from a local roaster. They still turned out yummy but maybe not as healthy as starting with them raw.

I made a small batch in the crock pot and didn't can them. (Don't have any canning supplies yet.)

 

[Blackbird]

That must be a LOT of peanuts.

Have any of you ever tried growing peanuts?

My mom and I did a couple years ago, it was a lot of fun. I think we got a whole 15 pods (is that the correct term?). We roasted them with honey and salt, and ate some raw. yummy!

 

[FarmerDenise]

I keep meaning to try and grow them. But it is so hard to get SO to try anything new. I have to work on him all year and then I get to try one or maybe two new things. This year it was purple beans and yin yang beans. I managed to stick two pieces of yams in the ground and they are growing, so I snuck that one by him.

Last year I grew pop corn. Then I had to get him to try it. Once he did he was hooked. So we have a big row of popcorn, three different kinds. He insists on growing corn in rows instead of blocks.

 

[freemotion]

Our summers are too short here, normally, so I just don't want to risk the garden space.

FD, how is it that your SO has never had peanuts??? And just had popcorn for the first time last year???? Yikes! Did I read that right?

It took me almost 15 years, and finally I said to dh, "You balk at every new project, yet they are all successful, you end up liking the results, and I never waste money....I save it. Even my failures aren't really big failures....so just enjoy the ride right from the beginning this time!" He has been pretty supportive ever since....mostly. He even thought I was getting pigs this fall! He asked me when I would get them....I told him spring, no piggies over the winter, thank-you-very-much.

 

[rebecca100]

I already have my peanut "seeds" for next year. I just can't wait to grow them!

 

[noobiechickenlady]

It took me almost 15 years, and finally I said to dh, "You balk at every new project, yet they are all successful, you end up liking the results, and I never waste money....I save it. Even my failures aren't really big failures....so just enjoy the ride right from the beginning this time!"

Thank you Free, I am so going to use that! I've debated/battled/whined to no end over some of my projects over the years. I'm gonna have to add though, that I've been supportive of his projects as well, like the speed reading program... Don't lets go there though

We usually buy a big big bag (maybe 50lb??) and cook a huge pot of them overnight on the stove in salty water. We'll eat on them for a few days (til they're gone) and then make some more. Definately going to ferment some this time, they always upset my tummy if I eat too many.