The peanut is an important crop in the United States, particularly for the creation of peanut butter. The snacking peanut is primarily produced in the American South. Four types are available, and the largest of the lot -- the Virginia peanut -- is the most popular for snacking because of its size. The hallmarks for high-quality peanuts are essentially the same across all varieties. Ensuring nuts are high quality and fresh is important because oil-poor quality peanuts can be unhealthy or even toxic, and the flavor degrades quickly when it is improperly processed and stored.
Unshelled Peanut
Step 1
Examine the shell of the peanut. A smooth and unbroken shell indicates freshness and quality.
Step 2
Shake the peanut. It should not rattle when shaken. If it rattles, the peanut is not fresh.
Step 3
Smell the peanut. If it has a fresh, earthy scent, the peanut is fresh. An older peanut will have a stale, musty or even bitter aroma.
Shelled Peanut
Step 1
Examine the shelled peanut. If it has a smooth, creamy, beige color, the peanut's appearance indicates freshness and quality.
Step 2
Smell the peanut. If the scent is fresh and earthy, the peanut is probably fresh. An absence of scent, or a stale aroma, is common for old or improperly-stored peanuts.
Step 3
Taste the peanut. If the flesh is firm, crunchy and lightly sweet, the peanut is fresh and of high quality. A soft, bitter or rancid-tasting peanut indicates that it was stored past its prime or that the oil was exposed to oxygen and became rancid.
Tips and Warnings
- Store unshelled peanuts tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for six months. Shelled peanuts that are unopened and stored in a sealed jar or can will last one year, and those in opened canisters will remain fresh for three months in the refrigerator.
Things You'll Need
- Unshelled peanuts
- Shelled peanuts
References
- "Food Lover's Companion"; Sharon Tyler Herbst and Ron Herbst; 2007
- Bon Appetit: Peanuts
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