Bittered Bourbon Peanuts

Name: Bittered Bourbon Peanuts
Yield: 10
Cuisine: American

April 08, 2016

Sweet and crunchy with hints of oaky whiskey.

For Stef Ferrari, a road trip across Virginia led to the acquisition of a six-pound sack of local peanuts. After experimenting with peanut-washed bourbon, she was equally enticed by the peanuts left over from the recipe, which she transformed into these Bittered Bourbon Peanuts.

Ingredients

2 cups bourbon-soaked peanuts
½ cup muscovado sugar
½ cup cane sugar
¼ cup water
10 dashes of aromatic bitters
1 tsp. sea salt

Tools:baking sheet, silpat baking mat or parchment paper, medium nonreactive saucepan, airtight container, cheesecloth

Preparation

Make sure the peanuts have dried entirely before starting.

Line a baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper. In a medium nonreactive saucepan over medium heat, cook the peanuts, sugars and water, stirring frequently. Add the bitters and continue to stir until the nuts are toasted and coated in syrup. Remove from the heat and spread in one layer on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with the sea salt. Once cooled, break up any clumps, store in an airtight container, and snack aggressively.

Bourbon-soaked peanuts: Preheat an oven to 350 F degrees. Spread 2 cups of unsalted peanuts on a baking sheet and toast for about 5 minutes, or until fragrant. Combine the toasted peanuts with 3 cups of good bourbon in an airtight container and allow to steep for at least 4 days. Strain through a double layer of cheesecloth, then spread out the peanuts and allow them to dry completely. Reserve the peanut-infused bourbon for other delicious uses).