Growing up we used to buy boiled peanuts from folks selling them on the side of the road. The peanuts would either be plain, or spicy, and served in a paper bag within a plastic bag to catch any stray juices. In my opinion, the best way to eat them was to first crack the softened shell with your teeth, suck all of the tasty juices out, then finally remove the meat from the shell to eat. The entire process took all of 10 seconds and only required one hand and your front teeth. I still eat them this way.
This recipe is pretty flexible, at the minimum the only ingredients required are raw peanuts, salt, and water. From there you can add whatever spices you desire, or even just use a spice blend- Old Bay, Cajun seasoning, or even something like a Berbere spice would be good. Just make sure you use raw peanuts, or green peanuts if you happen to be able to get the freshly dug peanuts during the season-previously roasted peanuts will not work. These will take between four to eight hours to cook, but if you soak the peanuts in cold water overnight the cooking time can be reduced.
Spicy Boiled Peanuts
yields 2 quarts
1 LB Peanuts, raw and shell-on
1/2 C Kosher Salt
2 TBSP Granulated Sugar
2 TBSP Garlic Powder
2 TBSP Onion Powder
1/4 C Paprika
1 TBSP Whole Black Peppercorns
1/4 C Hot Sauce, whichever is your favorite
4 EA Star Anise Pods
2 EA Bay Leaves
1 GAL Water
Combine all the ingredients in a large pot with a lid and bring to a boil.
After several hours periodically check for doneness. The peanuts should be creamy when finished. A good indicator is that the peanuts will start to sink instead of floating on top of the liquid. Add more water periodically, if needed.
Allow to cool in the cooking liquid. The boiled peanuts can be served either warm (my preference) or cool.