Tuesday, March 22, 2011

I will never BUY peanut butter ever again....

...because making it so much better! (and cheaper)

After trying all natural peanut butter a few years ago, I wasn't too keen on the taste. However, the taste has grown on me slowly, and after trying some Smucker's Natural Peanut Butter, I was totally converted to all natural peanut butter. The price though, was kinda a sore point. Fortunately with a powerful food processor, you can make it at home for a MUCH cheaper price! $2.99 to be exact. Regina @ Chiu On This mentioned to me that she makes her own.

The ingredients are really simple:
16 oz jar of Raw UNSALTED Roasted Peanuts
1/4 tsp of salt (yep, very little needed!)
1 tsp honey (totally optional! I like it with and without depending on my mood)

So I like a more roasted flavor in my peanut butter, so I roasted mine for 10 mins @ 350 degrees, or until you smell the peanuts wafting out of the oven. Roasting them further is optional as they are already roasted when you buy them.

I HIGHLY recommend SILPAT silicon pads.


Pull out your trusty food processor. Make sure it has a STRONG motor.
When grinding, the peanuts go through a bunch of phases of consistency. Its amazing how the oils are so locked into the peanuts that they finally "come out" only at the last minute. Its funny how they turn from dust into liquid.
This is the "dust" phase, as I call it

Turns into a ball as the oils are starting to show up

I start adding the honey and salt at this point, so that it absorbs into the oils that are starting to show
Like butter, which has a sharp melting temperature, peanut butter has a sharp "not peanut butter yet" to "ok, its now peanut butter." That "right" consistency is very stubborn. You are grinding and grinding, the motor is getting hot, yet its still not smooth enough. Suddenly you blink, and it "turns" into peanut butter!

All done! Well, sorta. Still one more step.
I like chunky peanut butter. So I reserved maybe a half cup of peanuts to chop then fold into the batch.


CHOPPED!

All done!
I eat a LOT of peanut butter. I also like to eat a lot more all natural (most of the time). When I learned what is in commercial smooth peanut butter by reading on the label, I learned it has things such as molasses, high fructose corn syrup, palm oil, added peanut oil, various forms of hydrogenated oils. GROSS! No wonder its so smooth and lasts forever! Its added with all of this junk!

I recommend keeping your home made peanut butter in the fridge so the natural fats don't go rancid. It also keeps the oils from going too nuts (haha, that was an accidental pun!). The oils WILL separate, so just remix with a spoon every time you pull it out.

Enjoy!

22 comments:

  1. OK I want to do this!! I wonder how it would work with Almonds? I am an Almond butter fiend...

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  2. I was almost afraid to click on this post Jon! But glad I did because that looks fantastic!

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  3. That easy??? Too bad I used up the last of my peanuts in trail mix. I'll have to put more on the list.

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  4. Wow, its that easy!!! How long do you think the shlef life is on the homemade version?

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  5. We go through peanut butter by the tub. Frank LOVES peanut butter, we open the jar and he comes sprinting over... alright, done. Buying peanuts today to make peanut butter with :)

    THANK YOU for this post :) And yes, I noticed you stuck a Stick in it LOL.

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  6. Costco's Organic Natural PB is a good alternative.
    I like to buy organic when the price is right. Peanuts happen to be one of those things I can't get a clear answer on regarding just how much pesticides are used on them. If you google this subject you will see what I mean. Some people claim it's one of the more heavily treated crops, others say it's nothing to worry about.

    It looks like you've got a serious food processor there. What's the brand / model?

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  7. Matty O noticed the stick. I noticed the margarita recipe in the background.

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  8. here's what my kitchen would look like if i tried to do this:

    emily takes out bag of nuts: spills all over.
    emily sweeps nuts off floor and sticks on pan (10 second rule obviously applies)
    emily tries roasting nuts and they burn in the over, turning into a blackened nut mess.
    emily still tries to make peanut butter, thinking the honey will take away the taste of burning.
    emily fails.
    emily calls jon and instructs him to bring 12 gallons of fresh pb to lake placid or risk having his tires popped overnight.

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  9. Our peanut butter never lasts long enough for anything to go rancid :D

    We love Adam's all natural PB, but we do make our own as well - super easy, super cheap! I never thought about adding honey to it. NOW I know the secret!!

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  10. Sounds yummy! Love the idea of roasting it! Mmmm...

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  11. I used Aimee's recipe for Almond Milk and that is gold as well.

    No reason to spend money on this stuff anymore.

    Great job on the PB. Add some melted chocolate at the end and stir in and you will have some great choco-pb. Do it with all nuts as well.

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  12. looks like a lot of work....but worth it! Ive been on the sunbutter lately might have to take another run at natural pb

    D

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  13. I do this too! You can also try it w/ Almonds. Get raw. Roast them for 10 mins at 350 then do the same thing.. salt if you want, honey if you want.. but it might be sweet enough wo. LOVE almond butter.

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  14. ps.. saves on jars too. Environmentally friendly too! :) Do you have any glass jars left from your natural pb that you can refill?

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  15. mmm. i wish i could have nuts.

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  16. I've been meaning to do this, but I have a tiny processor, so I don't think it could handle it. BTW, what are you using to stir your peanut butter in the last picture? It looks like a paint stir stick... :)

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  17. My problem is I would be sitting there eating it off the spatula. Looks awesome!

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  18. Trust me, he WAS eating off the spatula! lol. The food processor we have is by cuisinart. It was about $60. Just go slow with it, cause I have a strong feeling Jon's going to burn the moter out in a few months. lol.

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  19. Man, I'm sorry I misled you. I don't make it myself! There is a machine at the health food store that has fresh peanuts in it, you turn it on and it grinds it fresh right there into a container. It's pretty cheap, but I'm sure yours tastes better. Also, Trader Joe's sells natural salted and unsalted for $1.79!

    I'm too lazy to make my own.

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