Boiling 50 pounds of peanuts

by Bill Croft
(Dawsonville, Georgia)

Let's get over all the drama and complication about boiling peanuts. I've sold boiled peanuts in the north Georgia mountains for twenty five years. This area has the best boiled peanuts in the world. I can't help it, it's just a fact. My peanuts are the best. Again, I can't help it, it just a fact.

This recipe is for boiling fifty pounds of raw peanuts. Get yourself a 55 gallon, stainless steel, open top drum with a lid and a burner stand, with a high pressure burner and regulator. Place 50 pounds of raw, Valencia peanuts in the drum. There's no need to wash or soak them, it's a waste of time. Add five 1 pound round boxes of salt in the drum. Not sea salt or Kosher salt. Just good old salt. Grocery store salt is the cheapest. It can be free running or iodized, makes no difference. Add water until peanuts rise to six inches from the top. Not Spring water, purified water or holy water. Just good old water right out of the hose. Put the lid on.

Ignite burner and adjust flame. A good way to check the flame height is to look at it in the dark. The flame should barely lick the outside edges of the pot. Can't see this in the daylight. Stir the peanuts, every two hours, throughout the cook. A hand drywall mixer works well. After six hours, add water to bring the peanuts back up to six inches from the top. After twelve hours, turn them off. Let soak about twelve hours. Discard the few peanuts floating on top. You're done and they're perfect.

No drama! Try it and you'll see.

Comments for Boiling 50 pounds of peanuts

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Oct 05, 2014

Dried or green peanuts?
by: Bret

Bill,
Are you boiling dried, or green peanuts?

Oct 06, 2014

Green or dried?
by: Bill Croft

That recipe would be for dried peanuts. The green peanut recipe would be the same except for the cooking time, which would be about half the time or less, depending on how fresh the green peanuts are.

The reason I use dried peanuts is that the green aren't available year round. I like to have a consistent product, for my customers, instead of switching back and forth. Also, the green peanuts are more expensive because they're sold by weight. Since they're not dried, they weigh more and you get less in volume. The green peanuts, unless stored in a cooler, tend to mold. I buy multiple bags of the dried at once. They can be stored, without refrigeration, for the whole year if needed.

I, personally, like the green peanuts better, but they're not practical in a commercial situation. If you're cooking a small batch, on the stove, I would use the green peanuts. If you are cooking fifty pounds, or more, I would use the dried. Using my recipe, the dried are almost as good as the green. I admit the green are slightly better.

When the new crop of dried becomes available, usually in October, there's hardly any difference. As the year goes by, the dried become drier and drier, resulting in a difference between the two. The green are available for limited amount of time during the harvest, are hard to store, tend to mold and are more expensive because of the weight. The dried are easy to store, available year round, are less expensive and won't mold unless you let them get wet. For my situation, the choice is clear. Your situation may differ.

Bill Croft

Mar 11, 2015

55 gallon drum
by: Mary P

Hi Bill

Where could we find the 55 gallon drum you speak of, with the lid and the stand to cook 50 lbs. at one time?

Thanks!

Mar 13, 2015

Barrels and stands
by: Bill

Hi Mary,
There's a website called Bubbas Barrels. They're located in Knoxville. They have the 55 gallon stainless steel drums and the lids. They ship to your house. It's pretty expensive, for the setup, but it's a one time investment that pays for itself.

Cooking in quantities saves time and money. The barrel will last forever. The stand, and other accessories, can be purchased at websites called King Kookers or Bayou Classics. Bayou Classics has a nice square, stainless steel stand that includes the burner and an adjustable regulator.

It's fairly expensive, but again, the stand will last forever. I recommend buying the best equipment because you get what you pay for. You can get by cheaper, but I've never done that. If you have a commercial operation, you're going to have to have a fully equipped trailer. It makes everything a whole lot easier.

I manufacture the trailers. The trailers are completely equipped with everything you need to cook and serve boiled peanuts. It can also be used for pork skins and anything else that boils or fries. I have two or four pot models available. There's further information, in the vendors section, on this site. If you're interested, you can contact me at wccroft@gmail.com. I provide a complete info package and I'm always available, after the purchase, for any further questions you may have.

Bill

Oct 11, 2017

Boiling point..
by: Joe

Hey..Mr Bill the question I have is, I have a 100 gallon stainless steel pot I boiled Peanuts for the first time and I don't think I boiled them long enough...so with a pot that size do I boil them like on the recipe the same ..I wait for your response..thank you I just want to make and sell good boil peanuts..

Oct 15, 2017

Large pot cooking
by: Anonymous

Hi Joe,
My recipes are based on either using a 27 1/2 gal pot or a 55 gallon pot. I cook 50# in a 55 gal pot. If you have a 100 gal pot, you'd have to adjust. It would depend on how many pounds you want to cook. You can cook 100# in that pot. For 50#, I'd only use half the pot. For 25# I'd use a fourth. As for the cooking time, peanuts have to be at a rolling boil for at least ten hours. They need to be stirred every couple of hours.
They should be done, depending on the consistency you want.
Bill

Mar 06, 2018

Getting to the point
by: Anonymous

Mr Bill
I appreciate your comments and experience..learned a lot from reading yours...I do have a question! Is there a reason you use the Valencia Peanuts over the Georgia Runners / Virginia Jumbo's? I believe the Valencia is sweeter! Is it this reason or it the size/price? Thanx and waiting to hear from you.....

Mar 08, 2018

Valencia or Jumbo?
by: Bill

I prefer Valencia over Jumbo because they are preferred by customers in my area. They also provide a few more servings, per 50# bag, than the the Jumbos. No, self respecting, North Georgia peanut man would even consider using Jumbo peanuts. North Georgia, by the way, sets the bar for the boiled peanut industry. We have the best in the world! I can't help it, it's just a fact of life! Having said all that, it may not be the same in your area. If you're in North Carolina or Virginia, your customers would probably prefer Jumbos, because that's what they're used to. They just don't realize what they're missing. I've had trailer customers, of mine, introduce Valencias into these Jumbo areas and do very well. I provide an information package, with the trailers, which includes everything you need to know to get started in a very profitable, fun cash business. I'm available, after your purchase, for any questions you may have for as long as I'm needed.
Bill

May 24, 2020

Shells still hard
by: Anonymous

Hi
For the first time I'm trying to make boiled peanuts. I live in RI. I went to North Carolina a couple years ago and it was the first time I had them. I ate them every single day while there! ❤
I'm using an instant pot and I have turned it back on numerous times because the shells are still hard. Any advice?
Thanks Debi

Oct 12, 2021

#PeanutPlug
by: Nortonz Nutz

Roger Norton is my dad.
Email or contact me please. NortonzNutz@gmail.com

Oct 14, 2021

Crockpot nuts
by: Bill

Hi Debi,
It’s difficult to achieve that rolling boil required to boil peanuts in a slow cooker, although it will eventually work. Turning them on and off will ruin the consistency of the nuts. My advice would be to turn them on and just leave them on until they’re soft. It could take days, but they will eventually get done. Keep your water level up and continuously cook. It’ll be worth the wait.
Bill

Oct 14, 2021

Nortonz Nutz
by: Bill

Hi Nortonz Nutz,
Your dad was a great peanutman, slinging a good product for thirty years. Apparently, the nut doesn’t fall far from the tree. Anyone in marvelous Marble Hill, Georgia, stop by and get some good peanuts, done right. I appreciate you keeping the tradition alive. Git ‘er Dun!
Bill

Jul 15, 2024

25 lbs of Raw peanuts
by: Eddie P.

This is my fist time cooking peanuts. We have 25lb bag and would like to know measurements for salt and what types of seasonings.

Thank you

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