Paula Deen Becky Polk’s Boiled Peanuts

Paula Deen Becky Polk's boiled peanuts are a salty, soft Southern snack made with fresh green peanuts, table salt and water, ready in 2 hours 5 minutes. This easy stovetop Southern comfort food fits game day, cookout and potluck spreads, and one big pot feeds 12 people.

Crack open a peanut after an hour of boiling, because soft is the only sign they are done. Pull them too early and you get crunchy, raw-tasting peanuts that no amount of salt can fix.

Paula's version needs just peanuts, salt and water, so everything depends on starting with fresh green peanuts in the shell. Leaving the shells on lets the salty water seep in slowly. Shutting off the heat to let them soak is how you fix a bland batch.

Paula Deen Becky Polk's Boiled Peanuts

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Course: AppetizerCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

12

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

2

hours 

Calories

200

kcal

Soft, salty peanuts that you crack open and eat straight from the shell. Boiling them in heavily salted water for about an hour turns them tender, and a longer soak makes them saltier.

Ingredients

• 2 to 3 lbs fresh green peanuts
  

• 1 1/2 cups (regular table salt) salt
  

Directions

• Cover the peanuts: Put 2 to 3 pounds of fresh green peanuts in a large pot with their shells on. Then cover them well with water so they stay under the surface while they cook.
• Add the salt: Stir in 1 1/2 cups of regular table salt until most of it dissolves in the water. It looks like a lot, but the shells keep the peanuts from tasting too salty.
• Boil the peanuts: Bring the pot to a boil and cook the peanuts for about an hour. Keep an eye on the water level while they bubble, since the peanuts should stay covered.
• Test for doneness: Pull one or two peanuts out of the pot and crack them open. When they are soft, they are done, but if they still have a slight crunch, keep boiling a bit longer.
• Soak for more salt: Taste a peanut once it is soft, and if it is not salty enough, turn off the heat. Leave the peanuts sitting in the salted water until they taste the way you like them.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, OXO stainless slotted spoon, OXO 5-quart stainless steel colander. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use raw peanuts from a bag instead of fresh green peanuts?

Green peanuts are the ones Paula calls for, and they cook up soft in about an hour. Dried raw peanuts are much harder and need to soak and boil far longer, so the timing here will not work for them.

How do I know when boiled peanuts are done?

Take one or two peanuts out of the pot and crack the shells open. A done peanut is soft all the way through, and one that still has a slight crunch needs more time in the pot.

What if my boiled peanuts aren't salty enough?

Turn off the heat and leave the peanuts sitting in the salted water. The longer they soak, the more salt they pick up, so taste one every so often until it is right.

Can I eat boiled peanuts warm or do they have to be cold?

Warm out of the pot is how a lot of folks like them, shell and all. They are also good after cooling down, and you can crack them open at room temperature whenever you want a snack.

Can I make these in a slow cooker or pressure cooker?

Either one can work as a hands-off way to get soft peanuts, but this recipe is written for a regular stovetop pot. If you switch, keep the same peanut-to-salt ratio and use the soft crack-and-taste test to know when they are ready.