Whether you consider boiled peanuts a delicacy or cannot abide them, the Caviar of the South is ubiquitous at roadside stalls and gas stations from Georgia to Louisiana. They’re the official snack of the Palmetto State and are a staple in South Carolinian kitchens. However, every fan agrees that boiled peanuts should not be slimy.
Your boiled peanuts are slimy because you cooked them too long. Freshly harvested raw peanuts only require an hour and a half or two of boiling time before they’re tender and ready to eat. Leaving the boiled peanuts to soak for too long afterward will make them slimy and over-salted.
If you want to avoid slimy boiled nuts, you’ll need to consider other factors. I’ll discuss the quality and type of peanuts with the most delectable results. I’ll also explain how to boil and store your freshly prepared snack to enjoy all year round.
What Peanuts Are Best For Boiling?
You can get your hands on boiled peanuts made by other people, or you could make your own. However, the results won’t be good if you start with unsuitable peanuts. Choosing the best peanuts for boiling is easy.
If you’re not lucky enough to harvest them from your garden, you can go to your local market or grocery store from September to November and purchase them. I recommend buying peanuts in person to ensure their quality.
Spoiled peanuts will become mushy boiled peanuts and could make you sick. Avoid peanuts that have dark spots. These marks could be a sign of mold or oxidization. You can also take a sniff, and if you detect a strong smell, the peanuts are rotten, and they weren’t stored in the refrigerator.
Green Peanuts
Green peanuts make the best boiled nuts, so keep an eye out for some at your local grocery store. They’re called green as they’re raw and straight from the ground. They’ll make the best boiled goobers because of their high moisture content, which prevents them from becoming slimy, mushy, or soggy when you cook them.
Dehydrated Peanuts
If green peanuts aren’t available, you can use dehydrated nuts. Dehydrated nuts are the second-best option since they have very little moisture, protecting them from becoming overwatered and slimy.
Still, they’ll require a longer boiling time than fresh nuts, but they will give you similar results.
Shell or No Shell
You can boil dry peanuts in their shells, just like green ones, or you can remove the shells. However, remember that half the fun is in cracking the nuts open and sucking out the juice, as you can see in this video by Beth from the Urban Homesteading Channel:
Best Peanut Varieties for Boiling
According to this paper by Clemson Extension, the best varieties for making your boiled snack are Virginia and Valencia types of peanuts.
- Virginia peanuts. Virginia peanuts are great for boiling, but you can also roast them. They’re the largest peanut variety and have a great flavor.
- Valencia peanuts. The Valencia variety is the best for boiling because of its multi-kernel pods. Each pod can contain between three and five peas. These peanuts are generally smaller in size than the Virginia type.
How To Boil Peanuts
Although George Washington Carver came up with 105 ways to prepare peanuts for human consumption, you have fewer options when it comes to boiling. You can use a regular old pot or a slow cooker.
How To Make Boiled Peanuts in a Pot
- Wash the peanuts thoroughly. This step is crucial if you’ve got fresh-out-the-dirt peanuts.
- Place the clean peanuts in the pot and add water. You need enough water to float the peanuts, but don’t fill the pot to the brim.
- Add salt to the pot. You need about half a cup of salt per gallon (4.5L) of water.
- Bring to the boil. Stir the peanuts occasionally, tasting a few nuts throughout the cooking process until they have the consistency you desire.
- Turn off the heat and let the peanuts cool. The longer the goobers soak in the brine, the saltier they will be.
- Drain and let cool. Don’t leave the peanuts at room temperature for more than an hour, or they will become slimy.
To avoid leaving a boiling pot unattended, I recommend the slow cooker method. The GreenLife Ceramic Slow Cooker from Amazon.com is an excellent choice because it’s lightweight, simple to use, and you can also use the removable pot on the stove.
How To Make Boiled Peanuts in a Slow Cooker
- Wash the peanuts thoroughly. As Kayla explains in her video for Cajun boiled peanuts, “you don’t want all that dirt in the crockpot.”
- Place the clean peanuts in the pot and add water. You need enough water to float the peanuts, but don’t fill the pot to the brim.
- Add salt to the pot. You need about half a cup of salt per gallon (4.5L) of water.
- Switch on the pot and set the timer for 90 minutes. Check the peanuts regularly for your preferred consistency.
- Turn off the pot. The longer the goobers soak in the brine, the saltier they’ll be.
- Drain and let cool. Don’t leave the peanuts at room temperature for more than an hour, or they’ll become slimy.
How Do You Store Your Boiled Peanuts?
If you don’t store your boiled peanuts correctly, they’ll spoil and develop mold because of their moisture content. Place the nuts in sealed, airtight containers or bags and refrigerate them away before they go slimy.
If you boil a large batch, you can also freeze them to enjoy until the next harvest season. In the refrigerator, good-quality freshly boiled peanuts will last up to 10 days. They’ll last up to a year in the freezer. Simply let them thaw before snacking on them.
Conclusion
Boiled peanuts are slimy because they may have been past their expiration date at the time of cooking. You might also have boiled the green goobers for too long. They may have soaked in the brine for too long after you cooked them.
Leaving boiled peanuts at room temperature for more than an hour will also spoil them—store uneaten goobers in the refrigerator. You can reheat already boiled peanuts, and you can let them thaw if they’re frozen.
