Deep-fried peanuts are a snack food

Snack food

A snack is a portion of food oftentimes smaller than that of a regular meal, that is generally eaten between meals. Snacks come in a variety of forms including packaged and processed foods and items made from fresh ingredients at home....

 created by deep frying

Deep frying

Deep frying is a cooking method in which food is submerged in hot oil or fat. This is normally performed with a deep fryer or chip pan; industrially, a pressure fryer or vacuum fryer may be used....

 peanut

Peanut

The peanut, or groundnut , is a species in the legume or "bean" family , so it is not a nut. The peanut was probably first cultivated in the valleys of Peru. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing tall...

s in an oil. The resulting product is a snack food that can be eaten in its entirety, both shell and nut. The deep-frying process does not change the flavor or texture of the nutmeats, but changes the texture and flavor of the shells -- especially if seasonings are used -- to make them more palatable.

Shell & All

The phrase Shell & All is commonly used to market deep fried peanuts, for example with Uncle Bud's Deep Fried Peanuts and Mike's Peanuts