"Peter Aitken" writes:
>
>>"Alex Rast" wrote:
>>>(Peter Aitken) wrote :
>> >
>> >I have raw shelled peanuts with the red skins still on them. Any ideas
>how
>> >to get the skins off easily?
>> >
>>
>> If they're truly raw, the skins should be white to pale pink. If that's
>the
>> case, then treat them like a fava bean: blanch in boiling water and the
>> skins will slip off no problem. If, OTOH, you're going to roast them, you
>> don't need to do this, as below.
>>
>> If they're actually roasted, so the skins are red and papery rather than
>> white/pink and spongy, then it's even easier. Simply squeeze the peanut
>> between your fingers so that the nut squirts out, leaving the skin behind.
>> It's dead simple and fast. A few skins may be a bit more persistent - you
>> can rub these off. Take care of the easy cases first and then go back to
>> rub the few skins that clung tenaciously.
>> --
>
>The peanuts I bought were labeled "raw" but had red skins, so I am a bit
>confused. Anyway I roasted them in the oven, put them in a large glass jar,
>shook violently to loosen the skins, then went outside and blew the loose
>skins away. Didn;t get all of them but enough for my purpose.
http://www.aboutpeanuts.com/every.html
Types of Peanuts
Although peanuts come in many varieties, there are four basic market types:
Runner, Virginia, Spanish and Valencia. Each of the peanut types is distinctive
in size, flavor, and nutritional composition.
Runner
Runners have become the dominant type due to the introduction in the early
1970's of a new runner variety, the Florunner, which was responsible for a
spectacular increase in peanut yields. Runners have rapidly gained wide
acceptance because of the attractive, uniform kernel size. Fifty-four percent
of the runners grown are used for peanut butter. Runners are grown mainly in
Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Texas and Oklahoma.
Virginia
Virginias have the largest kernels and account for most of the peanuts roasted
and processed in-the-shell. When shelled, the larger kernels are sold as snack
peanuts. Virginias are grown mainly in southeastern Virginia and northeastern
North Carolina.
Spanish
Spanish-type peanuts have smaller kernels covered with a reddish-brown skin.
They are used predominantly in peanut candies, with significant quantities used
for snack nuts and peanut butter. They have a higher oil content than the other
types of peanuts which is advantageous when crushing for oil. They are
primarily grown in Oklahoma and Texas.
Valencia
Valencias usually have three or more small kernels to a pod and are covered in
a bright-red skin. They are very sweet peanuts and are usually roasted and sold
in-the-shell. They are also excellent for fresh use as boiled peanuts. New
Mexico is the primary producer of Valencia peanuts.
Within each four basic types of peanuts, there are several "varieties" for seed
and production purposes. Each variety contains distinct characteristics which
allows a producer to select the peanut that is best suited for its region and
market.
Peanut Grading, Shelling and Blanching
At the shelling company buying station, peanuts are sampled and graded by the
Federal-State Inspection Service to determine their value. The inspectors
establish the meat content, size of pods, kernel size, moisture content,
damaged kernels and foreign material. The results of the inspection determine
the overall quality and value of each load.
After the peanuts are purchased by the sheller, they are placed in dry storage
for eventual sale to processors and manufacturers. At the shelling plant,
peanuts are taken from storage and cleaned; dirt, rocks, bits of vines and
other debris are removed. If they are to be sold in their shells, the peanuts
may also pass through a machine that cuts off any remaining stems on the
shells. (About 10% of the peanut crop is sold as in-shell peanuts - usually the
Virginia and Valencia types.) To sort for size, the peanuts travel over sizing
screens that permit the smaller pods to fall through.
Peanuts to be shelled are placed in slotted drums containing screens of
different sizes. Rotating peanuts rub against each other until the shells are
opened and the kernels fall out. The kernels are sized on screens that permit
the smaller kernels to fall through. The shelled peanuts are cleaned again to
remove foreign materials. This is done with density separators, electronic
color sorters and by visual inspection to ensure that only the best peanuts
reach the market. The peanut kernels are then sized, graded and bagged for
market.
From the sheller, peanuts are cleaned again and "blanched" before they are used
in most peanut foods. Blanching is simply the removal of the reddish skin
covering the kernels. In whole-nut or split-nut dry blanching, the kernels
travel through warm air for a period of time to loosen the skins. Then the
kernels go through a blanching machine where large rollers rub the surfaces of
the kernels until the skins fall off. These kernels are checked with electronic
color sorters to ensure that blanching is complete.
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