Columbus area food trailer has over 30 unusual flavors of boiled peanuts. We tried a few
A Southern staple for football Saturdays is the delicacy of boiled peanuts. My hometown of Dothan, Alabama, has long been home to the National Peanut Festival. So, I know a thing or two about peanuts.
In search of some good boiled peanuts in the Columbus area, I came across The Peanut Plug on Facebook and decided to give it a try. So, I went to where the mobile food trailer was set up Wednesday at America’s Freedom Fuels at 3815 Opelika Road in Phenix City.
All my life, I’ve had either the standard boiled peanuts seasoned with salt or the Cajun flavored variety. The Peanut Plug, operating since 2022 out of Salem, Alabama, has found a way to give this favorite its own flair.
Inspiration for The Peanut Plug
The Peanut Plug owner, Matthew Cato, told the Ledger-Enquirer he was inspired to start his unusual approach to boiled peanuts by his friends and family — and his love of a good challenge.
Cato created the dill pickle flavored peanuts after his wife became pregnant with their second child and she was craving “pickle flavored everything,” he said.
“I had a buddy one time that had a bunch of applecider, and he was like, ’I bet you can’t make an apple pie flavor,’ and I was like, ’Say less.’”
The Peanut Plus has more than 30 flavors of boiled peanuts. They include original, dill pickle, Cajun, salt & vinegar, jalapeno ranch, lemon pepper hot, sweet heat BBQ, and garlic butter backwoods.
Cato calls boiled peanuts “Southern caviar.” and The craziest flavor request he gotfor boiled peanuts, he said, was peanut butter.
The Peanut Plug is a family affair. Cato runs the business along with his wife, daughter and brother-in-law.
“I love it, you know, being able to work with family, have fun and spend time with my children,” Cato said.
Our review of The Peanut Plug
The boiled peanuts from The Peanut Plug were some of the best I’ve ever had.
I went with the dill pickle and Cajun flavors because I love spice and pickles. The problem: I couldn’t figure out which flavor I loved more. Both were phenomenal.
The dill pickle tasted like I was eating my favorite Golden Flake chip with a slight sweet note from the peanut. The peanuts were juicy and bursting with pickle flavor.
The Cajun was just the right amount of heat. I’d occasionally say, “Whew,” while eating them, but they weren’t hot enough to be in pain by the end of the bag.
Trust me when I say you’ll want to eat the whole bag in one sitting with a Coke (or ice-cold beer).
If you haven’t decided what to bring to a party for the upcoming Super Bowl, I’d definitely suggest a few bags of these peanuts.
This story was originally published February 6, 2025 at 2:10 PM.