Need Help Roasting Raw, Unshelled Peanuts

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larry_stewart

Master Chef
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Dec 25, 2006
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Hey all,

This is the first time in years I grew peanuts in the garden.
It was a very successful harvest.
I looked on line for instructions on how to roast peanuts.

Alton Brown suggested coating the peanuts with oil, sprinkle with salt, then roast at 350 F for about 1/2 hour.

Another basically has the same temp and time without the oil and salt.

I tried the Alton Brown method. after the 1/2 hour, they were not done enough. I put them in another 20 minutes. Some were done, others only 1/2 done.

Any suggestions or anyone have experience roasting raw peanuts.

Larry
 
My mother just uses microwave, puts the nuts as is for coupon minutes.


Sent from my iPad using Discuss Cooking
 
My mother always put them on a sheet pan in a single layer and roasted them.
Nothing but oven heat.
I wish I had asked or paid attention to the temp and how long she had them in the oven. I remember it being quite easy.
No oil, no salt. No nothing except the peanuts.
I do remember it taking a very short time. I would say less than 20 minutes.
 
Sorry hit send too quick. I do mine in the shell 350 for about 20 minutes depending on if the shell are moist or not. Out of the shell, I do not use oil, personal preference. 350 for about 10-15. Use your nose. When you smell them they are done. DONOT over cook.
 
350 at about 20 minutes seems to be the general rule.
Next time ill try without the oil.
I only did a handful, as I knew I didn't know what I was doing, and didn't want to ruin the whole harvest.
Its possible, due to our shorter growing season up here, maybe they weren't fully developed . I read somewhere that the non-fully developed ones would be smaller, and kinda shriveled .
 
I am wondering whether taking them out at the halfway stage and mixing them around, before returning them back, would ensure more even heating. It strikes me that, being quite small, the ones on the outer edges would brown faster than the central ones otherwise.

Certainly, when I toast macadamia nuts under a low grill, it becomes keenly necessary to juggle them around for them all to toast evenly.
 
Alton Brown is not always a good resource.
Especially when it comes to southern and Mexican foods.

It sounds like you oven-fried your peanuts rather than roasted them.
 
Hmmm....Alton Brown grew up in Georgia and still lives there - I would think he knows southern cooking, but I could be wrong.
 
Hm. As you said, Larry, your peanuts may have not been fully ripe and ready yet.
 
From the Peanut Growers Cooperative Marketing Association: Peanut Recipes ~ How to Roast and Store Raw Peanuts

Place raw peanuts, inshell OR shelled, one layer deep in a shallow baking pan. Roast in 350 F oven 15 to 20 minutes for shelled peanuts and 20 to 25 minutes for inshell peanuts. (Remove from heat just short of doneness desired as peanuts continue to cook as they cool.) **Season to taste.

This seems to be the standard, from the several sites I looked at.
 
Last edited:
Not roasting :)
The outer shell gets dry, hard and crispy. But when the peanut is cracked open to eat, it is still raw. Some are kinda the same consistency as if I were eating a fresh pea, others are a little mushier, and then there are the occasional few that are similar, but not exactly the same as a store bought peanut. Ive done the 350F 20 minutes with and with out oil. Some I left for a longer period of time, but the outer shell just got darker , the inside didn't change much at all.

I guess being a New Yorker, I should stick to Bagels and Pizza, and leave the peanuts for you guys in the south :)
 
Im getting closer.
I just did " Low and slow" method
325F for about 1 hour, shuffling them every 20 minutes.
Definitely roasted taste and peanut consistency.
I could probably reduce the time by 10 or 15 minutes.

Maybe I should get a thermometer for my oven even thought it is relatively new), just to see if tie thermostat is accurate
 
IF I had the patience to shell them first, I would.
But I don't.
I think Im just about there. Just have to reduce the time a bit. But this last time, they definitely tasted like peanuts with the right consistency , just a little over done.
(325F at 1 hour), I think Ill knock down to about 45 minutes
 
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