How to Crush Peanuts

Bulruuk

Editor

posted on 7 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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Crushed peanuts are great for baking and cooking, and they’re easy to prepare at home. One of the quickest ways to crush peanuts is with a food processor, but you're still in luck if you don't own one. If you’re willing to put in more time and elbow grease, you can crush peanuts by hand using a rolling pin. Whichever method you use, it's important to avoid over-crushing the peanuts so you don't end up accidentally making peanut butter.

Steps

Using a Food Processor

Shell some peanuts and put them in a freezer for several hours. Make sure they’re cold so they have an easier time getting crushed in the food processor.

Pour 1 cup (.2 liters) of the cold peanuts into a food processor. Crush one cup of peanuts at a time to avoid unevenly-sized pieces.

Put the lid on the food processor and hold down the pulse button. Only hold down the pulse button for a few seconds; the goal is to crush the nuts in short bursts, not all at once. After a few seconds of pulsing, release the pulse button and let the peanuts rest for 2 - 3 seconds.

Alternate between pulsing and resting until the peanuts are crushed. Pulse the peanuts for longer for more finely crushed pieces. Avoid over processing the peanuts or they will release their natural oils and become too oily.

Empty the crushed peanuts into a dish and repeat with more peanuts. Continue crushing 1 cup (.2 liters) of peanuts at a time until you’ve crushed your desired amount.

Crushing Peanuts by Hand

Fill a small plastic bag with 1 cup (.2 liters) of unshelled peanuts. Make sure the bag isn’t overflowing with peanuts or they might fall out as you’re crushing them. Twist or zip the bag closed.

Place the bag on a cutting board and gently beat it with a rolling pin. Hold the rolling pin like a hammer and continue to beat the bag until the peanuts inside have flattened into one single layer.

Use both hands to roll the rolling pin over the bag of peanuts. Press down on the rolling pin as you roll it across the bag to help crush up the nuts.

Dump the peanuts out of the bag and onto the cutting board. Use your hand to spread the peanuts out in a single, concentrated layer at the center of the board.

Use the rolling pin to press down on the peanuts and crush them. Carry the rolling pin across the layer of peanuts, stopping and pressing down on each row until you feel the peanuts crush underneath. Lift and press the rolling pin, don't roll it. Continue doing this until you’re satisfied with how crushed the peanuts are.