You know it's summer...
when your counter has a watermelon and peanuts on it! Oh, yes! Summer isn't summer without watermelons and boiled peanuts. My mister brought both home this week. Well, he brought home green peanuts, which he promptly put in the boiler and babied for a couple of days. Then, since he thinks I'm Wonder Woman (I try to tell him I'm not, but he just won't believe me) he wanted me to can them.
*Disclaimer*
Now, if you've ever store bought boiled peanuts you hate them. Or at least you should, because they're gross. You CANNOT and I repeat CANNOT be a self-respecting southerner or want-to-be southerner if you eat boiled peanuts from a can from a grocery store shelf.
We canned bacon this week. I figured if I can can bacon and if peanuts (though they shouldn't be) can be bought preboiled in the store. Then, surely, I can can boiled peanuts that we make. So I did. If you want to can your own boiled peanuts here's how:
Let's start with the peanuts. You want green no salt added peanuts. You are going to add the salt. You'll need a pretty big stock pot to boil your peanuts in. Cover your peanuts with water and bring to low boil... you know, a simmer. We don't measure how much seasoning and salt we put in ours. You pretty much just season them to taste. Always use more than you think you need. All those seasonings have to penetrate a shell, after all! We use Tony's Cajun seasoning. Nice and spicy! Be careful with the salt though, too salty peanuts are enough to make you cuss! Mister likes to season his to his liking then let them boil for a full day, sometimes two. As you simmer your peanuts make sure you check the water level. You want them to be moving around, not all compacted and sitting on the bottom burning! So, that's the gist of boiling the peanuts... I was just the babysitter doing what mister told me, too. The next part is where I took over...
First, get a pot of water going. You'll need it to hot pack your peanuts. Then, ladle your peanuts into a jar. I used quarts. Because, pints... well, come on, who wants to eat just a pint of peanuts?!
Watch out for little empty shells/hulls whatever you call them. Pick those out, they're taking up valuable space for edibles!
And, if you see a little lone peanut bobbing around out of its hull, grab it and eat it. Those are little rewards for all your hard work to keep you going! Give your jars a little shake to make your peanuts settle.
Next, cover your peanuts with the hot water. Fill your jars up to one inch head space. You COULD use the brine from the peanuts... but peanut water that's been simmering for two days, well, it just looks gross. I prefer using clean water. Since the mister wanted a little of the brine I put one ladle of brine in each jar and then filled them with water. You can tell which one I experimented with here, can't you?
Once all that's done it's time to put your jars in the pressure canner! Make sure you fill your canner with two inches HOT water before putting the lid on. Cook your peanuts for 45 minutes on 10 pounds of pressure. Set your timer, go read a book, go clean the kitchen, play with your dog, whatever you can accomplish in 45 minutes, go do it! Just don't leave your house... 'cause that's a scary thing to do when the pressure cooker is doing it's thing.
In 45 minutes you'll have lovely jars of peanuts, like this!
Go ahead, try it! You won't be sorry! Just think, it could be Christmas and freezing outside and you could say to yourself, "Man, I wish I was eating boiled peanuts right now." And then answer yourself with, "HEY! Remember! This summer you canned some! There right there on the shelf!" Mmmmm...