Making Peanut Butter

[Chris Hennes]

Recently I've made a couple of batches of Mafé. Since it was peanut season at the time, I bought some fresh raw peanuts at the produce market and started there, but it turns out I don't really have the first idea how to do it. What I wanted to do was start by making what was in essence a home made peanut butter. That meant I needed to roast, shell, and grind the nuts.

So, first off: do you roast them in the shell or out? What temp, for how long? How do you know when they are done?

Second, when making peanut butter, do you remove the inner (red) skin from the "nuts" or leave it on. Is there a trick for removing it? Something that doesn't involve doing each little legume by hand?

Finally, I was hoping I could just whiz them in the food processor until they formed a paste. The first time this worked fine, but on my second attempt they simply would not paste-ify. What's the trick?

[FoodMuse]

I can't answer your question, however when I was 6 or 7 I made peanut butter. I had learned to read the ingredient label. I remember thinking I can make that!

I put a handful of peanuts in a plastic baggie with salt, a little sugar and some peanut oil and whacked it the on the concrete floor of my basement woodworking area with his biggest hammer. It was actually pretty good.

I also made my own Thousand Island dressing by reading it's label. Ketchup, mayo, pickle juice and grated parm.

Grace

[gfron1]

So, first off: do you roast them in the shell or out? What temp, for how long? How do you know when they are done?

Second, when making peanut butter, do you remove the inner (red) skin from the "nuts" or leave it on. Is there a trick for removing it? Something that doesn't involve doing each little legume by hand?

Finally, I was hoping I could just whiz them in the food processor until they formed a paste. The first time this worked fine, but on my second attempt they simply would not paste-ify. What's the trick?

←

I recently made Peanut Butter using Alton Brown's recipe and method. I roasted shell on, coated in peanut oil and salt. It was done when they were nice and dark and very fragrant. I cooled them, shelled, and finally skinned them between towels. I did do this in a food processor with peanut oil (LeBlanc has been the best so far). The ratios on Alton's recipe gave a perfect consistency.

[Chris Hennes]

Ah, AB's recipe contains this very useful tip:

Remove the skin by rubbing the peanuts together in your hands held over a salad spinner, allowing the peanuts and skins to fall into the bowl. Once the skin has been loosened from all of the peanuts close the salad spinner and spin until all of the skin has been separated from the peanuts.

Brilliant. Separating the skins from the nuts was a huge pain the way I did it (manually).

[gfron1]

i actually had my intern do it, but after watching them go nut by nut, I suggested the old towel trick and it speeded things up dramatically.

[Chris Hennes]

I tried the towel thing on my second batch and the only thing it accomplished was making a big damned mess! And I think I'm still picking peanut skins out of the washing machine! I wonder if maybe I didn't roast the nuts enough? The skins really didn't seem to want to come loose.

Edited March 25, 2009 by Chris Hennes (log)

[andiesenji]

The towel thing works okay but I use the exfoliating gloves that can be found in the cosmetics area in most stores - I've found them at WalMart but usually buy the ones at Cost Plus because they sell three pair in a package very cheap.

I have found them very handy for cleaning hazelnuts and almonds as well as peanuts.

If you guys feel awkward shopping for something like this, ask a female friend to get them for you.

I've actually found a number of odd little jobs in the kitchen that they do nicely.

They make quick work of cleaning the little hair-like roots off of radishes, baby carrots, and other baby root veg and scrubbing fingerling potatoes without requiring the use of a knife.

[Chris Hennes]

Like these?

[Alex]

I take the lazy person's way out and make my pb from Planter's unsalted roasted nuts. I stock up when they're on sale, usually for $2.50 a large jar. I usually have to process them for several minutes before they turn into a proper paste, but sometimes I need to add a little flavorless oil (peanut, grapeseed, etc.). The mistake I made when I first started doing this was not waiting long enough for the proper texture to form.

[Chris Hennes]

Oh, no doubt that would be far easier! I simply had access to very, very fresh raw peanuts when they first came into season around here. The first batch I made was far and away the best-tasting peanut butter I had ever had. But it was a huge pain in the butt, and probably not worth the effort even to a hard-core peanut-butter eater like me. I'd like to try it again, but I want to figure out what the tricks are first.

[andiesenji]

Like these?

←

Yep. Those are the ones I use.

I work with them out on the deck, over a wire colander, then toss them in the colander. It is almost always windy here in the desert so the chaff blows away. Something I learned from watching a Natl.Geographic special showing peasants winnowing grain. Sometimes the old ways really do work!

I do seem to recall that you do "occasionally" have winds in OK!

Edited March 26, 2009 by andiesenji (log)

[Lilija]

Where are you folks finding raw peanuts? I have been looking around forever, because I want to make boiled peanuts, and roast my own, etc, and every time I think I've found them, they're always ALWAYS roasted.

Is it a regional thing, or am I looking for nuts in all the wrong places?

[Chris Hennes]

I don't think I've ever seen them when I lived up North, but here in Oklahoma they are apparently in season in January, when they can be bought at the produce market by the zillions.

[Lilija]

Drat. Thanks, though. At least I know it's a little more regional.

[rooftop1000]

I have seen them at Reading Terminal Market in Philly...might want to check the thread there...or ask Rlibkind to check for them

tracey

[Mr Wozencroft]

Regarding peanut oil, the stuff I find at my local supermarket doesnt taste of much of anything at all. Which makes it fine for stir frys or deepfrying but when I want the taste of peanuts prominent in the oil I head down to the local chinese or korean market. They sell some amazing peanut oils that have a great flavour. I use them for making a sichuan chilli oil but I'm thinking they would be a superb addition to your peanut butter.

[baroness]

Regarding peanut oil, the stuff I find at my local supermarket doesnt taste of much of anything at all. Which makes it fine for stir frys or deepfrying but when I want the taste of peanuts prominent in the oil I head down to the local chinese or korean market. They sell some amazing peanut oils that have a great flavour. I use them for making a sichuan chilli oil but I'm thinking they would be a superb addition to your peanut butter.

←

I agree; the 'Lion and Globe' brand peanut oil from Hong Kong is very fragrant.

[BRM]

I make cashew and almond butters quite often. Not as much peanut because I prefer the taste of the others. I don't roast my own but I do warm the nuts in the oven for a few minutes before beginning the process. If the mix won't pastify in the food processor I just add a little canola oil. Not too much though. About a tablespoon at a time (I do batches of about a pound of nuts) and let the mixture go. Generally I find the best thing to do is be patient, It will start to liquefy after a while. I process mine until the slurry goes around continuously in the food processor but there is a lump that is sort of a 'loose' ball. I also find the the final product is much better if I take the time to put it through a seive but that can be a messy process. I reprocess the stuff that won't go through to increase yields. I get about a pint from each 1 pound batch.

[John S.]

Recently I've made a couple of batches of Mafé. Since it was peanut season at the time, I bought some fresh raw peanuts at the produce market and started there, but it turns out I don't really have the first idea how to do it. What I wanted to do was start by making what was in essence a home made peanut butter. That meant I needed to roast, shell, and grind the nuts.

Chris, are there any health food stores around? One close to me lets you buy their roasted peanuts and grind them in the store. I never had luck with my VitaMix 5000, since it has a protection circuit that shuts the blender off when the motor temp reaches a preset point. It's just too thick. Therefore I think the only way to make peanut butter without adding even one ingredient, is to use a grinding machine.

One Costco pb has no ingredients but roasted, shelled peanuts. The natural oil rises to the top, so you just mix it up real well when it's warm, then in the fridge for safe keeping. All nut butters need refrigerated against mold if they don't have preservatives.

Those are the only 2 options I know. But either of them gives you pure peanut butter with a taste to match.

John S.

[Lisa Shock]

I buy cleaned peanuts to make my peanut butter, so I can't help with the papery stuff, but, I will mention that I use an immersion blender to make mine and it has always worked very well.

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Pumpkin seed butter | Pistachio butter | Almond butter

Edited March 19, 2014 by buyindiankitchen (log)