Screaming Hot Peanuts Recipes

ALMOST-FAMOUS HONEY-ROASTED PEANUTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 ̊ F. Lightly coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
• Combine the sugar, honey, 3 tablespoons water, the vanilla and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt in a large heavy-bottomed pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the sugar dissolves. Add the peanuts and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture begins simmering, about 1 minute. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the sugar mixture dries out and clings to the nuts, 2 to 4 more minutes. Pour onto the prepared baking sheet and spread in an even layer.
• Bake the nuts until the sugar coating begins melting, about 10 minutes. Stir, then continue baking until the nuts are golden brown and glazed in spots, 2 to 4 more minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and stir the nuts to distribute the caramel. Let cool on the baking sheet. Store, covered, at room temperature for up to 1 week.

SWEET & SPICY PEANUTS

Steps:

• Place peanuts in a greased 1-1/2-qt. slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the sugars, water, butter, chili sauce and chili powder. Pour over peanuts. Cover and cook on high for 1-1/2 hours, stirring once., Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in an airtight container.

HOT AND SPICY PEANUTS

Steps:

• In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Stir in the peanuts, chili powder, and red pepper.
• Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until peanuts are warm. Drain well on paper towels.
• Sprinkle garlic salt over peanuts and toss to combine. Cool completely.
• May be stored in a tightly covered container at room temperature.

HONEY ROASTED PEANUTS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix white sugar with salt until blended, and set aside. Stir the honey, brown sugar, and water together in a large pan over medium-low heat until the mixture boils and the sugar crystals have dissolved. Cook the syrup until thickened and bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the peanuts, remove from heat, and mix in the butter. Place the peanuts into a deep bowl, sprinkle with white sugar-salt mixture, and shake the dish to coat with sugar mixture and prevent the peanuts from sticking together. Let cool.

ROASTED AND SALTED PEANUTS IN THE SHELL

Steps:

• Heat the water to boiling. I use our electric water boiler which holds 7 cups, so need to do it in two batches. In a large, 5-6 quart, heat safe container, dissolve the salt in the water. Add the peanuts, stirring so that everyone is submerged and coated with the brine. Take a plate or pie pan and set it on top of the floating peanuts to make sure they stay that way. Stir them once every hour over the next 5 hours.
• After 5-6 hours, pour off the water using a colander or strainer and rinse slightly. You'll be amazed at how much dirt has come off of them, but they are a natural product grown in the soil. And in my case, the produce market is somewhat "open air" and the bins are not covered, so the birds like to sort through them for loose nuts. You'll want to get the dirt off, but if you over rinse, you'll also remove too much of the salt.
• On two half-sheet pans, it might take more if you have smaller cooking sheets, place a baking cooling rack in side. I use ones that have both the vertical and horizontal wires. Divide the peanuts between the racks and allow them to dry. Depending on the relative humidity of the house, this could take the better part of 2-3 days. Stir occasionally. You might be able to speed this up with a food dehydrator or placing them in front of a fan.
• When the nuts are dry, remove the baking racks from the pans. Put the racks in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring at the 15 minute mark. Check them at 25 and again at 30, depending on how roasted you like them. I have a smallish oven, so do them on two racks, and also switch racks at the 15 minute mark. The nuts roast best when they are in a single layer.
• If you want to roast them without salt, you must still wash the nuts, but as they are not soaked in the brine, they will take less time to dry out.
• If you wanted to make "hot" or spicy nuts, some liquid hot sauce into the brine would work, but I've not had that request, so can't tell you how much to use.
• This amount of brine could actually handle another pound of peanuts, but 2 pounds is about all we can eat in a reasonable amount of time.
• Also, 1/3 cup of peanuts, out of the shell is considered 1 serving. I have no idea how many peanuts in the shell would give you 1/3 cup!