Boiled peanuts are a sought after snack the world over, but in America they are referred to as the ‘caviar of the South’. You’ll see them being sold at sports events, gas stations, fairs and festivals, and at roadside stands.
Pressure cookers shorten peanut boiling time
Boiled peanuts have always been a Southern staple, going way back to the colonial era. Even during the Civil War, soldiers boiled or roasted peanuts. Long ago, people got impatient with waiting around so long for peanuts to boil and preferred just to buy them.
But pressure cookers have shortened the boiling time drastically. The first boiled peanut recipe was published in 1899, and today there are many boiled peanut recipes. How exactly do you boil peanuts, and can they be boiled in a pressure cooker?
Yes, they can certainly be boiled in a pressure cooker. In fact, there is precious little that a pressure cooker can’t handle. Peanuts do well in a pressure cooker, even when left with their shells on.
Soaking them overnight is always a good idea, but even if you skip this step, the pressure cooker will boil your peanuts to the texture you like. In just an hour and a half, your peanuts will be ready.
If you’re wondering how to boil peanuts in a pressure cooker as opposed to roasting them, modern-day pressure cookers are easy and safe to use but you need to know how they work.
How DOES a pressure cooker work?
- Cooking with a pressure cooker requires you to add both liquid and food (in this case, peanuts) into the pot. You can use these pressure cookers to steam, brown, stew, roast, and boil food.
- You close your pressure cooker and ensure that the valve is in the correct position. You select your pressure setting and turn the heat to high. You have to wait for the pressure to build up inside the pot, and the food is timed. If for any reason you want to stop cooking, you can reduce the pressure and open the lid.
- Before you boil your peanuts, as suggested, a good idea is to let them soak overnight, as it softens the peanuts and allows for less boiling. Boiling peanuts in a pressure cooker is, in any case, going to shorten boiling time. As the steam builds up in the cooker, pressure increases and the boiling point of water exceeds 212°F. This high boiling water softens the peanuts which allows them to absorb flavoring.
How to Boil Peanuts in Pressure Cooker?
- First things first, buy raw peanuts. You want dried peanuts in the shell that haven’t been roasted or salted. You should find these raw peanuts in your grocery store or at a farmer’s market.
- You can get both raw and green peanuts. Green peanuts are raw and freshly harvested. They are still green and moist. Raw peanuts are those that have not been dried. Experts in boiled peanuts will tell you that raw peanuts are easier to obtain than green peanuts.
- Quite a few grocery stores, particularly in the South, do carry green peanuts, but when they’re in season, you’ll always find them at roadside stalls and farmers markets.
- Wash your peanuts in cool water. Peanuts grow under the ground, so they will be dirty with soil. It’s recommended to shell your peanuts. Some people eat peanut shells, but this isn’t recommended, and in fact, according to the Peanut Institute, there is no nutritional value in the shells.
- Place the peanuts in the cooker. A pound of peanuts will be sufficient for a family of four, and that’s also more or less what the pressure cooker can accommodate.
- Pour water in so that all the peanuts are covered. Usually, this amounts to about 4 or 5 cups of water.
- Then you can add your salt. You can add about 3 tablespoons of salt. Sea salt is always a wise choice as it is lower in sodium than regular salt. Some people add a bit of turmeric to add a pop of golden color. Others like to add some vinegar, saying it adds an extraordinary flavor. You can add any seasoning you like. Stir the salt in, and then put the cooker’s lid on. You can expect a pound of peanuts to take 45 minutes, although sometimes it can be 65 minutes. Of course, if you fancy your peanuts really soft, you can set the timer for 75 to 90 minutes.
- Turn the cooker to high pressure at 15 psi. In America, the standard rating for a pressure cooker is 15 psi or less, and most recipes take this 15 psi measurement as standard for cooking times.
- Once the pressure cooker has cooled down, you can open it and drain the peanuts in a colander. You can then place your peanuts on dry paper towels so that all moisture is absorbed.
Can the boiled peanuts be reheated later on?
Yes, if you refrigerated your boiled peanuts, you could reheat them. Just place them in your pressure cooker, but this time you only need to set the cook time for 3 minutes. The peanuts will be hot again. You can also reheat them in the microwave.
Place them in a glass, microwave-safe dish, cover the bowl with a paper towel, and microwave for about half a minute. It is literally the quickest way to boil peanuts in a pressure cooker. It’s basically a case of adding just three ingredients – water, salt, and peanuts.
Do some research if a sweet flavoring interests you more because an idea is to sweeten your boiled peanuts with brown sugar and honey.
Boiled peanuts – a quick and easy snack in a pressure cooker
For many decades, boiled peanuts have been a household name for thousands of snack lovers. The simple recipe, which is so easy to follow in a pressure cooker, is inspiring even the most inexperienced cooks. They’re launching out and making their own delicious, favorite, snack.