Boiled peanuts

3 pounds freshly dug green peanuts in their shells;

Kosher salt, as needed.

Place the peanuts in a large stockpot. Add enough cold water to cover the peanuts by 1 inch. Add 1 tablespoon of salt for each quart of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the peanuts are as tender as you like, 1 to 21⁄2 hours. The fresher the peanuts, the more quickly they will cook.
Remove the pot from the heat and let the peanuts cool in the cooking liquid for 15 to 30 minutes. Taste a peanut for salt. The longer they sit in the cooking liquid, the saltier they will be. Drain well and serve warm or at room temperature.