How to Shorten Cooking Time when Boiling Dried Peanuts?

Is there a way to cook or soak dry peanuts to cut the cooking time down and to make them taste good?

Comments for How to Shorten Cooking Time when Boiling Dried Peanuts?

Jan 27, 2012

Boiling Dried Peanuts Quicker
by: Bret

It does take a long time to boil dried peanuts. Many of us have searched for ways to reduce their cooking time.

Boiling dried peanuts is a lot like boiling dried beans, except peanuts are typically boiled in their shells.

I use 2 methods to cut boiling time for dried peanuts. I boil dried peanuts without salt (add salt after they soften), and I use a pressure cooker.

I boil my dried peanuts in a pressure cooker at 15 lbs pressure for about 50 minutes, and then remove the pot from the burner to cool and depressurize. When the pressure reaches zero, and the lid's safety lock releases I open the pressure cooker and add my salt and any other spices. I then continue to boil the peanuts in the open pot until they soften to my liking.

By using a pressure cooker you can reduce dried peanut boiling time by many hours.

Many cooks believe that salt slows the boiling of dried beans, so their recipes call for adding salt after the beans begin to soften.

I add salt to my boiled peanuts when they are about 3/4 as soft as I want them. After they soften completely, I let the peanuts soak in the cooling salt water for several hours to fully absorb the flavor.

What about presoaking? Presoaking dried beans cuts boiling time because the beans absorb water well. Dried peanuts in the shell do not absorb water as easily as dried beans. I've tried presoaking dried peanuts overnight and find that the water does not penetrate the shell. In my opinion, presoaking dried peanuts (in the shell) does not reduce the boiling time required to soften the peanuts.

It is likely that shelling the peanuts before soaking them would allow the peanuts to absorb water. I do believe that dried peanuts boil faster when they are boiled without a shell.

If your water is hard, full of minerals, this will increase the time required to soften dried peanuts or dried beans.

Feb 19, 2012

Cooking Dried Peanuts
by: Bootleg Dave

Bret covered it in a "Nut Shell" Lol! I like the heat and soak method.

Aug 30, 2012

Use Lemon Juice
by: Papa Tom

I use about 1 cup of lemon juice with water when soaking 5 lbs dry raw peanuts. I have found that if I soak them with a weighted lid (to keep them submerged) for approximately 12 hours overnight, it cuts my cook time in half! Good Luck

Mar 09, 2013

Adding lemon while soaking dried peanuts
by: Bret

Papa Tom,

That is fascinating. I need to try this. 1 cup of lemon juice per how much water?

Dec 04, 2016

Reduce cooking time
by: Anonymous

I live at a high altitude and it is taking more than 24 hours to boil 5 lbs of peanuts and I have to find a way to reduce boiling time! Has anyone tried baking soda in soaking or maybe the first boil?

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