Peanut butter - what am I doing wrong?

[OakLeaf]

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.

[IBrakeforPastry]

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

[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 peanut butter jar size you buy.
....and use the zen moment while stirring to think peaceful thoughts

[ny biker]

'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

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

[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. 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.

[IBrakeforPastry]

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?

[OakLeaf]

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.

[rebeccaC]

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.

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.

[zoom-zoom]

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

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.