As that famous Georgia bumper sticker says, “It is time to Brake for Boiled Peanuts.”
Just-dug peanuts – green peanuts – are one of the first signs that summer is quietly giving way to fall on the farm. And every year in early fall, we boil these green peanuts in the shell with lots of salt. They soak overnight, and the salt seeps through the shells to the peanuts. You crack the shell with your teeth and the peanuts are soft inside. They are a treat, but not for the timid. Boiled peanuts have a very unique taste.
Boiled Peanuts – a Southern Delight
In late August or September, you can find these green peanuts at farm stands and in some grocery stores like Piggly Wiggly.
Ingredients
- 2-3 pounds raw green peanuts in the shell (this is about 12 cups peanuts with shells) The peanuts are not green, just raw
- 1/2-1 cup salt
- 3-4 quarts water or enough to cover the peanuts - add more water as they cook
Instructions
- "Green" peanuts are not green; they are just young, raw peanuts. These peanuts are usually dug by hand several weeks before the farmer moves through the field with the machines that dig the peanuts. Here in eastern North Carolina, these green peanuts are ready late August or early September.
- Wash the peanuts, still in the shells, several times until the water has no grit in it. Pick over and remove any bad peanuts and discard.
- Put the peanuts still in shells into a large cooking pot. Cover with water at least 2 inches above the peanuts. Add the salt and stir.
- Bring to a boil. Lower heat and boil slowly for 1-3 hours, depending on how mature or old the peanuts are. If the nuts are really young and pink, it will only take about 1 hour of cooking. If they are older, it can take up to 3 hours. You might also have to add water to keep the water level above the peanuts. Keep cooking until the peanuts are soft inside. Cooking time varies according to how old the peanuts are.
- After they are done, they will continue absorbing the salt. If the salt taste is like you want it, then remove the peanuts from the salty water. They will keep in the refrigerator for several days.
- Refrigerate or freeze after cooking.
- It is much easier if you eat the peanuts outside. You can just spit out the shells.
Nutrition
Raw, Uncooked “Green” Peanuts at Piggly Wiggly in Williamston, NC
I grew up eating boiled peanuts, especially at the Tobacco Market auctions where everybody had a bag in hand. It was just what you did. That’s why I was so surprised, later on, to learn that friends who didn’t grow up in the South had never even heard of boiled peanuts – and couldn’t bear to eat them once they did.
These same folks usually had no idea that peanuts grow in the ground, not on some imaginary peanut tree. We all have plenty to learn, but down here, boiled peanuts have been teaching us for generations.
Peanuts Drying in the Fields in eastern North Carolina
After they were dug these peanuts were stacked to dry. When they were dry the Peanut Picking machine came through the field and picked the peanuts, leaving the hay behind. Later another machine would come and bale the hay that we fed to our animals.
Quiet rentals for traveling nurses & professionals in eastern North Carolina 252-792-8787 or 252-799-8787
Looking for extended stay lodging in Eastern North Carolina? Big Mill Extended Stay offers quiet, fully furnished rentals ideal for traveling nurses, medical professionals, contractors, and guests relocating to the area. Our accommodations provide comfort, privacy, and Southern hospitality – perfect for short-term or long-term stays. We also have three RV rental spaces.
- Boiled Green Peanuts – Southern Style - October 8, 2026
- Sunnyside Oyster Bar in Eastern North Carolina - September 22, 2026
- Ride the Wind: Hang Gliding on the Outer Banks - August 14, 2026
