Peanut butter - what am I doing wrong?

Apologies for a dumb question. I've never been much of a peanut butter fan. We never had it when I was growing up. But in the past few months I started buying it as part of my quest to get more protein into my diet despite the fact that I don't like to cook, am not much good at it and don't have time to clean up afterwards. And to my pleasant surprise, I've found pb&j sandwiches to be filling enough to help me cut back on calories and start losing the weight that I gained from too much candy and dessert last fall/early winter. (In fact they're so filling I can't imagine having one in the middle of a bike ride, but I digress.)

I've been buying a supermarket brand of natural peanut butter, the kind you have to stir and then store in the refrigerator. Here's my question -- when I first open a jar, it's ridiculously oily. I end up making a huge mess stirring the oil into it and the first sandwich I make has peanut butter oozing out the sides of the bread. Then it's okay for most of the jar. But each time I make a sandwich it gets a bit thicker and dryer, and by the time I reach the bottom of the jar it's very dry, hard to spread and not very appetizing.

So what am I doing wrong? I try to mix it thoroughly in the beginning. After that the oil doesn't separate any more so I don't stir it again. Is that the problem? Do you need to stir it every time? Or is this just not a good brand?

And is there a way to stir it when you first open the jar so you don't make a huge mess? I use a butter knife and try to stir up from the bottom rather than just going in circles.

(Yes I am over 50 and asking for help with pb&j sandwiches... :D)

Natural peanut butter does separate. I would stir it every time to make certain the oil is thoroughly combined with the nut butter.

If you can remember to do it, take the jar out of the refrigerator ahead of time and let the peanut butter warm up a bit. That may help.

A couple of jars ago, I made a mess during the initial stir. A lot of oil spilled out and the pb was fine without it. So last time, I poured out some oil into a small jar, and carefully mixed the remainder. I have used some of that "extra" oil for cooking, but I'm saving it in case the peanut butter gets too dry. I've been on a peanut butter kick lately.

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Originally Posted by IBrakeforPastry

If you can remember to do it, take the jar out of the refrigerator ahead of time and let the peanut butter warm up a bit. That may help.

A couple of jars ago, I made a mess during the initial stir. A lot of oil spilled out and the pb was fine without it. So last time, I poured out some oil into a small jar, and carefully mixed the remainder. I have used some of that "extra" oil for cooking, but I'm saving it in case the peanut butter gets too dry. I've been on a peanut butter kick lately.

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Ooh, thinking outside the box, or the jar as it were. I could do this. It's too late for the current jar that I just opened and mixed for the first time. So I will mix it every time I open it and hope that helps. But in the future I will pour some of the oil into a storage jar and add it back later.

Thanks!

I don't store mine in the refrigerator, and I do stir every time - it's easier to stir & spread when it's not cold. It's a little challenging to stir when you first open the jar. Usually I buy a new jar when I see the old one starting to run low, and then store the new jar upside-down for a few days before I open it. It starts moving the oil from the (real) top to the bottom. And when I stir, I really dig down to get the drier bits at the bottom redistributed.

I keep mine in the refrigerator once I open it since I worry about aflatoxin - realistically a jar probably doesn't last long enough around my house that that's a real worry, but better safe than sorry IMO.

It varies a lot from brand to brand, and sometimes even from batch to batch within a brand, just how much oil is in each batch. But yeah - taking it out of the fridge ahead of time, or just spooning whatever you plan to use onto your plate and letting that warm up before spreading - that helps. Or, since I have peanut butter in hot cereal much more often than I do on bread, I'll just nuke the cereal for 20-30 seconds after adding the PB, to warm it all back up.

The other thing I do to help mix a jar that's been on the store shelf long enough to separate, is as soon as I get it home, I put it upside down on the counter. Leave it there until the oil is at the other end (opposite the lid). If the jar is really old, I might do that a couple times each side before attempting to stir it. Stirring with a knife rather than a spoon is less messy IME - I can kind of stab the solid parts to break them up, and mix with more of a gentle churning motion than a circular one, at least until it starts to get smoother. But it sounds like you're already doing that.

I stab it with a knife, too, and let the oil seep into the crevices. Then stir, or it's more of a slicing motion, with the knife vertical.

If I don't use all the extra oil, I like to kid myself into thinking how many calories I saved ;)

'Grandpa Witmer's Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Mixer‬' ftw! The lid cleans the stirring rod as you pull it out of the jar too. Make sure you get the right size lid for the peanut butter jar size you buy.
....and use the zen moment while stirring to think peaceful thoughts :)

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Originally Posted by rebeccaC

'Grandpa Witmer's Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Mixer‬' ftw! The lid cleans the stirring rod as you pull it out of the jar too. Make sure you get the right size lid for the jar size you buy.
....and use the zen moment while stirring to think peaceful thoughts :)

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Oh wow! http://witmerproducts.com/pbutter.html

I've read that natural nut butters respond better to an up-and-down motion than stirring. I noticed they have two versions of this tool, one of which provides that motion. It's really hard to duplicate that motion without a special tool so I can't really say if it's better. I've tried to mimic it but haven't had much luck.

Have you a good food processor? Nut butter is easy to make, and cheaper, if you've the inclination. I had to stop making pecan butter as it's like crack to me (all nut butters, really), but it does allow the ability to try different things.

I've been thinking of getting a food processor. Amazingly, I've never owned one (it looks like a hassle to clean). What "peanut butter specific" features should I look for?

Well I'm lazy and buy my peanut butter. But the same principles apply to chickpeas (which is about all I use my food processor for). You want a powerful motor, since you'll be putting a lot of stress on it, way more than chopping herbs and vegetables would. A heavy base is nice so it doesn't skitter all over your counter. I don't know of any food processor that all the removable parts aren't dishwasher safe - the only part that's a hassle to clean is up inside the blade assembly where it fits over the drive shaft. The little brush that Camelbak sells to clean water bottle drink tubes is handy for that (the rigid plastic brush, not the flexible brush for drink tubes on wearable reservoirs). Also, like any kitchen appliance, if it has a flexible plastic cover so you can wipe right over the controls, rather than buttons that go through the case where crud accumulates, that's a plus.

But what I was wondering is, is anyone else having an increasingly hard time finding peanut butter in glass jars? I'm not zero-tolerance when it comes to plastic packaging, but anything that's either high in acid or high in oil, I much prefer to buy in glass. Especially foods with a long shelf life that can sit around for months absorbing plasticizers.

Oakleaf hits the important parts - the more powerful the better. The motor on mine is good, but not quite powerful enough so that what I actually get is extremely finely ground nuts that are almost butter - but it serves my purposes just fine. I like doing it this way so that I can choose the nuts and any other ingredients - but it isn't for everyone.

I hadn't noticed that Oakleaf. Do you have a local Trader Joes or Whole Foods? Both of them have most their nut butters in glass jars, at least around here.

I don't think I need a food processor. I'll just buy my peanut butter.

The jar I have now is glass, but it's local, from the farmers market.

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Originally Posted by IBrakeforPastry

I don't think I need a food processor. I'll just buy my peanut butter.

The jar I have now is glass, but it's local, from the farmers market.

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I only make mine because I can't have peanuts (which are legumes, not nuts), and it allows me to make nut butter out of my preferred nut - usually pecans. Pecan butter made from roasted nuts is just incredible :cool:

I buy my nut butters (almond, sunflower, and cashew) all in glass jars, at the natural foods grocery. Expensive, but worth it. Every time I've tried buying this stuff at my grocery store (which is quite good, overall), the taste sucks, or I find some hidden horrible ingredient.
I don't refrigerate, because they just turn into hard rocks. I haven't died yet (been doing this for years). You scared me, Oakleaf.

The peanut butter I've been buying is the Harris Teeter store brand. The ingredients are roasted peanuts and salt. It is in a plastic jar. I can't say if it tastes better or worse than other brands because I've rarely eaten peanut butter before recently.

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Originally Posted by Catrin

I've read that natural nut butters respond better to an up-and-down motion than stirring. I noticed they have two versions of this tool, one of which provides that motion.

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For a really thick consistency with separated oil the plunger type works best for mixing. For the majority of natural peanut butters the crank one works really well.

I buy Adams Peanut Butter in our regular grocery store. Not too expensive. Just peanuts and salt and comes in glass jars.

I'd never heard of aflatoxin before, OakLeaf, and your comment made me curious enough to look it up. At least in the US there have been no reported cases in humans and only sporadic cases in animals (per the FDA), so I'm not too worried and I'll go on keeping my PB at room temp for now. Our PB gets consumed pretty quickly anyway.

Rebecca - thanks for the great tip on the peanut butter hand mixers! My knife has served me well so far, but that gadget looks tempting!

Who knew that peanut butter would be the subject of such a lively and interesting discussion!

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Originally Posted by BikeDutchess

At least in the US there have been no reported cases in humans and only sporadic cases in animals (per the FDA), so I'm not too worried and I'll go on keeping my PB at room temp for now. Our PB gets consumed pretty quickly anyway.

Rebecca - thanks for the great tip on the peanut butter hand mixers! My knife has served me well so far, but that gadget looks tempting!

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you're welcome :)

and yes....U.S.D.A. labs have done rigorous testing for aflatoxin in peanut crops for a few decades now. If someone is actually worried about it apiaceous vegetables would help reduce a perceived problem….and they are good for us in any case. Peanut butter and celery ftw! If there was a problem we would have seen problems with liver cancer in U.S. kids who are adults now and probably ate/eat the most peanut butter of any of us. I also like the Ralph Waldo Emerson quote “Moderation in all things, especially moderation.” :)

Personally I usually use almond butter because it has a better fatty acid profile than peanut butter.

Oh good, mine's coming out of the refrigerator. I just remember reading the "refrigerate after opening" label and never questioned why.

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Originally Posted by IBrakeforPastry

Oh good, mine's coming out of the refrigerator. I just remember reading the "refrigerate after opening" label and never questioned why.

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refrigeration is about the oil separation especially in all natural peanut butter and the possibility of the oil going rancid. That takes awhile. It's not about aflatoxins. I don't refrigerate mine but i finish a jar within a month when i have it around. If I wasn't finishing it within a month or so or lived in a hot or humid area I personally would refrigerate it after opening.

Lots of things to respond to! I never mix it without a mess so when I get down to the dry bits I give it to my dogs (we use PB and little bits of bread to feed them pills, make little bedtime treats, etc.). They don't care that its icky.

I also make my own nutbutters with my food processor. It's really really easy. I love pecan butter. The batches are so small that they never last long enough to separate.

I'm a sucker for neat kitchen contraptions. I've never seen the Witmer Peanut Butter Stirrer -- maybe I need to get one!

Yeah, I said to begin with that aflatoxin probably wasn't a realistic concern, just old habits die hard after years of not buying PB in bulk out of the five-gallon pail that used to sit unrefrigerated in the store. It's not like I'm storing my crop in an unrefrigerated bin until next year's crop comes in - which is why it's so widespread in some parts of the world.

As far as glass vs plastic jars - actually, right now the supermarket is the only place I can get PB in glass, locally. We have a couple of natural food stores where I buy most of my staples, but neither one of them has PB in glass. And for some reason the supermarket is kind of hiding theirs - they started carrying a new brand called Sweet Ella's, but they put it one shelf over from the rest of their nut butters. :confused: Also, just because it's at the natural food store doesn't mean it doesn't have additives. The one store has four or five brands of PB, but only one of them is additive free (and I'm not even counting salt, which I prefer unsalted PB but isn't a deal-breaker for me, the way palm oils, sugar, or some of the other "natural" additives are).

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Originally Posted by ny biker

Oh wow! http://witmerproducts.com/pbutter.html

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That's the coolest thing I've seen this month!! I love Smucker's Natural PB, but the stirring thing can be a pain. We also store ours upside down until ready to unseal, as OakLeaf recommended.

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Originally Posted by Aromig

(we use PB and little bits of bread to feed them pills, make little bedtime treats, etc.). They don't care that its icky.

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When I was really young I use to feed my golden retriever pieces of a breakfast sandwich made of French toast with an almond butter and banana center…..cuz he loved it…and me :).....Thanks for making me think of that!!

I make almond butter….yeah easy! just takes me time/patience and some side scraping. I learned to heat the almonds a bit just before to help release the oil which saves a little time and food processor work.

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Originally Posted by rebeccaC

When I was really young I use to feed my golden retriever pieces of a breakfast sandwich made of French toast with an almond butter and banana center…..cuz he loved it…and me :).....Thanks for making me think of that!!

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One of our dogs is a golden retriever. I can guarantee that she would love French toast with almond butter and banana because she LOVES any people food she can get (and chicken food, and cat food, and well, really anything not nailed down) :-) luckily I think she's active enough that she's not getting fat like some goldens can do (she's about five years old now).

My dogs figured out how to suck the peanut butter off the pill and spit the pill out anyway :cool:

I'm late to the party here but I was at Fresh Thyme grocery the other day and they actually have peanut butter, almond and cashew butter they grind themselves with not additives other than oil.

I've been able to reduce the mess of stirring by turning the jar upside down in the pantry for a few days before I open it.

Not sure if I mentioned this already, but when there's only a little left in the jar and it's dried out, my friend suggested warming it up (jar and all) in the microwave to soften it.