Georgia-Style Boiled Peanuts

From tailgates to cookouts to days at the beach or the lake, boiled peanuts are the snack of choice for many Southerners. Popping the tender, salty nuts right out of their softened shells and into your mouth can be absolutely addictive. And nothing tastes better with a cooler of cold beer. If you've never made boiled peanuts at home, you'll be shocked by how easy it can be, especially if your use your slow cooker. All it takes is raw peanuts in the shell, salt, water, and lots of time. That's where the slow cooker comes in. Instead of having to check on a pot of boiling water on your stovetop, the slow cooker makes boiling peanuts almost completely hands-off. If you're new to boiled peanuts, they are made with raw (air-dried) or green (freshly-dug) peanuts, not ones that have already been roasted. The long cooking process makes them tender through and through, from the shells to the nuts inside. You can flavor boiled peanuts so many different ways—experiment with Indian, Cajun, or Mexican spice blends—but you can also stick to just salt. To make Crock-Pot boiled peanuts, simply combine all of the ingredients in your slow cooker, cover it with the lid, and cook on high for 18 hours, or until soft. Yes, 18 hours. You read that correctly. Boiled peanuts will keep in the refrigerator up to two weeks. Store them in ziplock plastic bags if you have leftovers. They're so good, you probably won't!