How to Make The Perfect Bar Snack at Home
Like a wink and a smile, bars and peanuts just go together. Some bars serve them in their shells, encouraging you to litter the floor beneath your stool, while others serve basic bowls of dry-roasted. At Seattle’s Damn the Weather, the peanuts are fried until they brown and blister, then tossed while still warm in an equal parts mixture of salt and sugar, which sticks to the nuts like a dusting of snow.
SWEET-AND-SALTY PEANUTS
Makes 1½ cups, serves 4 to 6
Canola oil, for frying
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon Sugar
1 ½ cups Raw (unroasted, unsalted) peanuts
Heat a 2-inch depth of oil until it registers 325 degrees on a deep-frying thermometer. While the oil heats, combine the salt and sugar in a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle and grind to a fine powder, then transfer the powder to a medium bowl. Line a plate with paper towels and set nearby.
When the oil is hot, add the peanuts and fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oil with a spider or slotted spoon and let drain for a minute on the prepared plate. Transfer the peanuts (while still warm) to the salt-sugar mixture and toss to coat. Serve warm.
