Freshen stale peanuts

January 29, 2007 1:05 PM

Is it possible to freshen stale peanuts? How?

These are shelled, salted roasted, like Planter's Peanuts. I would think by heating them in the oven or in a large pan on top of the stove would help. Any ideas?

posted by gresp84 to food & drink (7 answers total)

Nope. Once peanuts are stale, the oil in them is rancid; there's no way to un-rancid oil.
posted by Specklet at 1:33 PM on January 29, 2007

Try heating them in the oven or in a large pan on top of the stove. That way, at least your stale peanuts will be hot.

Stale peanuts are stale not because of a partially reversible staling reaction like breads, but because the oil in them has started to go rancid. As far as I know there is no domestically feasible way to undo this.
posted by flabdablet at 1:35 PM on January 29, 2007

I had a stale bag recently and discovered that it's a lot less noticeable if you use them in a stir-fry. I recommend black bean sauce, peppers, zucchini, and whatever other veggies you enjoy.
posted by sindark at 1:40 PM on January 29, 2007

Mmmmmmmm. Aflatoxin.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 2:14 PM on January 29, 2007

If there were some therapeutic benefit to choking down rancid peanuts, I would think disguising their flavour was a good idea. But rancid oils are bad for you, and anyway, why would you want to cook with ingredients that don't taste good?

Peanuts are cheap. Compost your stale ones and get fresh peanuts.
posted by flabdablet at 2:14 PM on January 29, 2007 [1 favorite]

A little off-topic since these are salted, but...

I have found that if I have pecans or walnuts that are beginning to go stale/rancid, the effects can be reversed temporarily by washing them under hot water. Usually the oils on the surface are the first to go rancid. Hot water removes rancid oil, nut tastes good.

This solution would desaltify your nuts.
posted by Seamus at 2:14 PM on January 29, 2007

Mmmmmmmm. Aflatoxin.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium

Eponysterical.
posted by rolypolyman at 3:33 PM on January 29, 2007