Physical Description
Dry Roasted Peanuts are unshelled nuts. Marinated with flavor. then dry roasted to a specific temperature.
Colors: lightly brown and coated with rough textures
Tasting Notes
Flavors: Sweet, Salty, Lightly Salted and Plain
Mouthfeel: Crispy, Crunchy at the same time, Nutty, Earthy
Food complements: Ice creams, Chocolates and salads, Cookies, Poultry, Chilis, Tropical fruits
Wine complements: Red wine, Cabernet savignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, White wine
Beverage complements: Milk, Coffee, Hot chocolate
Substitutes: Roasted almonds, Roasted soy nuts, Pumpkin seeds
Selecting and Buying
Seasonality: january, february, march, april, may, june, july, august, september, opctober, november, december
Peak: july, august, september
Choosing: Learn about saturated fats. Saturated fats are the unhealthy fats found in foods. When reading labels, look for saturated fats that are 3 or less grams per serving. Dry roasted peanuts usually have 2 grams of saturated fats per serving, making them a healthy choice for a snack.
Learn about monosodium glutamate. Monosodium glutamate is a sodium salt added to foods as a flavor enhancement. Some people experience headaches from ingesting msg. The best choice is to avoid food with this additive.
Read labels to learn about salt. Salt is a popular additive to enhance the flavor of snack foods as well as prepared foods. Look at the ingredients in potato chips, crackers, and even soups. You will find that salt or sodium is plentiful. Look for dry roasted peanuts that are low in salt.
Buying: Check out Planter's peanuts. Planter's lightly salted dry roasted peanuts have 2 grams of saturated fat per serving and 95 milligrams of salt per serving. Regular dry roasted peanuts usually contain close to 200 milligrams per serving. If you must limit your salt intake, consider unsalted peanuts.
Look at the ingredients. The ingredients in Planter's lightly salted dry roasted peanuts are few. Peanuts, sea salt, maltdextrin, constarch, and corn syrup solids. Compare this list with some store brands, and you will be surprised at how many ingredients are listed.
Preparation and Use
Cleaning: Not usually necessary unless the nuts are still in the shell. If they are in the shell, just crack them and eat.
Conserving and Storing
Throw away peanuts that are rancid or moldy. These may contain Aflatoxin, which is a fungus that grows on various legumes and grains. This toxin can cause serious illness in humans, and is linked to cancer in animals.
Package the peanuts in freezer-safe containers for long-term storage. When frozen, they will last indefinitely. To avoid freezer-burn you may want to wrap the peanuts in plastic before you place them in the freezer container.
When frozen, they will last at least six months
Social/Political
Peanut can be toxic to those with severe nut allergies. Peanuts are so fragrant that even their aroma can cause an allergic reaction to those suffering from nut allergies.
History: Old fashioned home cooked roasted peanuts are still prepared by same recipes used for over 100 years. To be roasted in the shell, peanuts are cooked at medium heat for about 15 minutes. They may be plain roasted or seasoned. The most popular are salted in-the-shell, however the new cajun flavor is getting accolades from consumers as well. To season peanuts in the shell - prior to roasting,- the peanuts are washed and then the seasonings, which are dissolved in water, are forced through the shells by a pressure process. When dried during the roasting process, the seasonings remain inside the shells.
Most often, snack peanuts are shelled, blanched, roasted and salted, (although Spanish peanuts are usually roasted with their skins on.) Peanuts may be roasted in oil or by a dry-roasting process. Peanuts are oil-roasted in continuous cookers that take a steady stream of peanuts through hot oil for about five minutes. After draining, the kernels may be salted.
Dry-roasted peanuts are cooked in a large oven by dry, hot forced air after which spicy seasonings are applied. The roasted peanuts are then packed in containers ranging in size from bags holding a handful, to large cans and jars. Frequently, peanuts are mixed with other nuts and dried fruits for "health-food" snacks.