Coastal South Carolina is home to some of the best seafood in the country, with plenty of places to enjoy it right on the water. If you’re planning a visit, classics like she-crab soup, fried flounder and the state’s most iconic dish, shrimp and grits, should be on your must-try list. But there’s another local delicacy that’s not fresh from the dock.
To the uninitiated, boiled peanuts sound like a bad joke. Why would you cook nuts in water until they are hot and soft? To that, I say, don’t knock ‘em ‘til you’ve tried ‘em. Boiled peanuts may be an acquired taste, but once you’ve tried a really good batch—tender but not mushy and properly seasoned—you might surprise yourself with how hard it is to stop eating them. Especially alongside a cold beer.
The official snack of South Carolina, boiled peanuts have migrated from roadside stands to restaurant menus. They’re available year-round, but are most common in the fall, when green (or “raw”) peanuts are in season. (Yes, peanuts have a season and they grow throughout the Lowcountry. Also, they’re legumes, not nuts.) The flavor comes from the cooking liquid, which should be heavily salted and can include add-ins such as hot sauce and spice blends like Old Bay. They are typically cooked and served in the shell for a messy but satisfying snack.
If you haven’t tried boiled peanuts, here’s how to eat them: gently crack a small opening in the shell, slurp any liquid inside, pry the shell open, then remove the peanuts and eat them. Toss the shell and repeat. Like eating a raw oyster for the first time, it might seem awkward at first, and then you’ll get the hang of it.