Loose Cockaboose to host 5th-annual event Saturday
For Beau Owens, this Saturday is going to start off a little bit earlier than most.
Up by 7 a.m., the chef will spend the wee hours of his morning hauling anywhere from 35 to 40 pounds of fresh, Carolina-grown peanuts to the Loose Cockaboose, where he’ll stake out the perfect spot to set up shop and get to boiling. After all, Owens is the reigning Palmetto Peanut Boil champion, and he’s more than ready to defend his title.
“Winning last year came as a complete surprise to me,” he jokes. “I literally made up the recipe for my Cajun peanuts in the grocery store that morning. I’m definitely more ready for this year.”
Owens, along with teammate Brad Miller, is just one of the competitors at Columbia’s own 2012 Palmetto Peanut Boil.
Now in its fifth year, the annual event has steadily grown into a local favorite, drawing novices and seasoned chefs from various corners of the state with the challenge to boil their best — and take home the coveted golden peanut trophy.
Proceeds from the Peanut Boil directly benefit the local Ronald McDonald House, which provides a caring environment and all the comforts of home for families dealing with the daily struggles of an ailing child. However, the event also celebrates the life of original founding member Brent Davis, who established the first Peanut Boil in 2008 with Jim Mishoe.
Although Davis passed away in a 2010 car accident, his legacy lives on in the spirit of competition and the art of the perfectly boiled peanut. Last year saw record numbers in attendance and funding raised at the boil, and Owens says they’re only looking up from here.
“What makes this such a unique event is that there really is no other boiled peanut competition in South Carolina,” he explains. “And since the boiled peanut is the official snack of our state, it just makes sense. Plus, it’s a great feeling knowing that you’re doing something good for charity.”
Although competition officially kicks off at 8 a.m., Owens says his team’s preparation begins the night before, when his partner heads out to Neeses, S.C., to handpick some of the finest peanuts fresh from the ground — hence their team name, “Fresh is Best.” Come the next morning, these hard-shelled morsels are tossed into the pot and left to soften into the succulent snack that has become a Southern favorite.
Taking anywhere from three to six hours, the peanuts are simmered in a combination of salt and their own juices, mixed in with the personal touches of each team. Although Owens refuses to reveal the secret behind his winning recipe, he says that even though getting started is easy, getting it right is a whole different nut to crack.
“It’s really all about getting the seasonings, flavors and tenderness just right,” he says. “All that stuff has got to be just spot on.”
All teams are expected to provide their own equipment and boil at least 5 pounds of peanuts before the doors open to the public at 1 p.m. Once the boiling has come to a halt, an official panel of judges sample the peanuts, awarding first, second and third place to the teams with the best flavor, texture and taste. But perhaps more important is the boil’s “popularity contest,” which places the public in charge of crowning the king of the goober peas.
The Palmetto Peanut Boil is also kid-friendly, with plenty of bounce castles, face painting and activities to keep the youngsters entertained as their parents mingle with the competitors, roaming from tent to tent and sampling the best the state has to offer.
With live music on deck throughout the day, patrons can rock out to some local tunes while snapping up their favorite flavor for only a few bucks a bag, knowing their money is going to an outstanding cause.
The Fifth Annual Palmetto Peanut Boil is held at the Loose Cockaboose, located at 936 South Stadium Road. Doors open at 1 p.m., with festivities continuing long after the event ends at 8 p.m. The price of admission is a $5 donation to the Ronald McDonald House.