In early autumn it is time to harvest the peanuts from your own garden. How to tell when the fruit is ripe, how to harvest it, and how best to store or process it.

This is how the peanut is harvested

  • dig up the plant
  • Pre-dry peanut plant
  • peel fruit
  • Let it dry further
  • store or prepare

When is the time to harvest peanuts?

When the plant begins to turn yellow, the peanuts are ripe underground.

If the location and weather conditions are good, you can expect a harvest of 30 to 50 fruits per peanut plant.

Dig up the peanuts with the plant

Loosen the soil around the plant with a digging fork. Gently lift them up a bit.

Pull the peanut plant with the fruit hanging out of the ground so that the peanuts stick to it.

use peanuts

Peanuts are not just tasty snacks. They give Asian dishes the finishing touch. You can simply cook fresh peanuts. You can keep them in the freezer for six months.

drying peanuts

If you want to store peanuts for a long time, you need to dry them well. The remaining water content must not be higher than five percent.

Hang the plants in an airy place to dry for about two weeks.

Only when the plant has dried well, pull off the peanuts and let them dry for another two weeks.

Roast peanuts

To roast the peanuts, set the oven to around 180 to 200 degrees. Place the peeled fruit, with or without the skin, on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Shelled nuts need to go in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes. Unshelled peanuts take five to ten minutes longer.

The peanuts really develop their aroma when they are roasted. If you want to make salted peanuts, roll them in coarse sea salt while they are still warm.

tips and tricks

Make sure that you store dried peanuts in a dry, airy and not too warm place. Otherwise there is a risk that the dangerous Aspergillus flavus mold will develop. Infested peanuts are harmful to health and no longer suitable for consumption.

ce

Category:

Vegetable garden