Boiled Peanuts: What are they?

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Boiled peanuts, sometimes called peas or boilers, are a common snack in the southern United States and are often sold at roadside stands in this region. They are made by boiling unroasted peanuts in salted water for several hours without removing the shell. The boiling process makes the peanuts soft and salty. Traditionally, boiled peanuts are eaten while still warm and moist, and are paired with beer, sweet tea, or another cold drink. The snack is said to be best enjoyed outdoors to minimize the resulting mess produced by peanut shells and wet hands.

Recipes for boiling peanuts can vary by region and personal preference. While many peanut varieties can be boiled, Valencia and Virginia peanuts are now the most common varieties used. Peanuts used for boiling are often called raw or green, meaning they are not dried or roasted. In the boiling solution you can use coarse salt or table salt. Ham hocks, peppers, beer, and other seasons are sometimes added to boiling water for flavor.

The actual boiling process is relatively simple. The raw peanuts are placed in the boiling seasoned salt water and boiled until they are gone. This can be a fairly quick process if not many peanuts are being boiled, or extremely time consuming if a large batch is being prepared. Typically, it takes between four and seven hours. Boiling is usually done outdoors over a fire or propane burner, but peanuts can also be prepared at home in a slow cooker.

Several southern states are associated with these peanuts. They are very popular in Georgia, Northern Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and South Carolina. The product is so popular in South Carolina that it was made the official state snack in 2006. Other states, especially Virginia and North Carolina, also have significant boiled peanut traditions. It can be hard to find this snack in other states, but sometimes restaurants and stores that specialize in Southern cooking will boil the peanuts.

This method of preparing peanuts also exists outside the United States, although these foods are usually referred to by different names in other countries. In Vietnam, for example, boiled peanuts are called dau phong or cu lac and are similarly often found sold on the side of the road. Many countries, including India, Thailand and Nigeria have a version of boiled peanuts. Any country that has peanuts could prepare this food by boiling, and not always through Southern cooking lineage.

Boiled peanut season in the South is May through November, though they can be made out of season if the ingredients are available. During these months it is more common to see street vendors in the southern states. Canned boiled peanuts are available year round.

There is no official date for the origin of boiled peanuts in the South, but the snack is thought to have gained popularity during the Civil War. As this origin legend has it, Confederate soldiers salted and boiled peanuts over fires due to food shortages. Salt was scarce for these soldiers, so this is probably a myth, but it is true that soldiers prepared peanuts often during this time. The boil may simply be a result of the abundance of peanut crops in this area and the population’s desire for alternatives to roasting for food preparation.

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