Caution: Hot Peanuts Go Great with Beer!

Frequently, I see articles stating that beer may be a better pairing with food than wine. More often than not, the writer is a beer afficianado, so I always question the source. With hot, spicy foods, however, the recommended wine of choice typically is a Riesling or a Gewuertztraminer. What? Huh?

Beer, without question, is way better as a complement to hot stuff. Think about beer and a bowl of chile. Beer and Thai food. Beer and a spicy pizza topped with a generous sprinkling of cayenne pepper flakes. Oh, yeah.

With that introduction, maybe we can turn the table and state that hot foods need to be paired with beer. I could almost hear the beer begging for the hot peanuts that Tony Sheriff shared at the latest Displaced Brewery Fanatics club meeting. These nuggets of goodness totally enhanced the beer-tasting that evening, and they made a repeat performance when the club brewed beers on National Homebrewers Day.

To those who clicked over to this page to read a recipe for your next batch of beer, I apologize. However, if you try these peanuts, you will thank me for another easy excuse to run to the fridge and grab a homebrew.

Here is the basic recipe:
Heat 2 tablespoons of peanut oil (or vegetable oil) in a large skillet on medium.
Add 2 cups of raw peanuts, shelled and skinned, plus 10 cloves of garlic.
Cook, stirring constantly for 4-5 minutes.
Reduce to medium-low, then add 2-3 teaspoons of chile powder with 2 teaspoons of salt.
Cook for 1-2 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
Transfer to a tray to coo completely.
Remove and discard garlic, if you prefer.

Along with the recipe come some notes. Use unrefined peanut oil for enhanced peanut character. For chile powder, you can use cayenne pepper, or try piquin or arbol. Ask Tony if he has a preference.

The recipe is based on something from Diane Kennedy's The Essential Cuisines of Mexico (Clarkson Potter, 2000), and was taken from an article by Denise Schulman in an issue of Saveur. Schulman suggests that you sip tequila with these peanuts (tequila is like beer, isn't it?), and then suck on lime wedges.

I prefer beer, so give me a brew with a high level of alcohol. The heat from the pepper is soluble in alcohol but not in water. So, go for a Scotch Ale or German Dopplebock with lots of malty character. If you like the hot sensation, try an IPA or something hoppy, since the tartness will intensify the sensation and the higher alcohol level will wash away the heat. A little.

One more thing. What happens when you drink beer? Correct, you have to frequent the commode. While you're there, just be careful how you handle things. Remember, you may have traces of hot peppers on your hands.