When nut butters separate

[Fat Guy]

There are a lot of advantages to natural peanut butter -- it tastes better, it's better for you, etc. -- but the big disadvantage is that it separates. In most cases, this just means that when you open a jar that has been on the shelf or in the cabinet you have to stir the contents a bit to re-incorporate the oil. This generally works, with a little effort, at room temperature.

Trouble is, I've just encountered a jar of peanut butter (Yum brand) that has separated so much I can't stir it back together. A tremendous amount of oil/liquid is sitting on top, and the peanut-solids part is so hard it can't be stirred. I've already tried the most obvious approaches: 90 seconds in the microwave, and warming the container in warm water. I transferred the entire contents to a bowl for better access but I can't make a go of it. Before I write off this jar of peanut butter, anybody have a clever solution?

[Mjx]

May be a long shot, but could you blend in a little liquid lecithin? I had a friend who routinely did this, and claimed wonderful success (I'm not big on peanut butter, so I never tried it, and can't personally vouch for the result).

[prasantrin]

Use your fancy schmancy stand mixer. Then you can solve two of your problems at once.

Or the fancy schmancy blendtec.

[weinoo]

There are a lot of advantages to natural peanut butter -- it tastes better, it's better for you, etc. -- but the big disadvantage is that it separates. In most cases, this just means that when you open a jar that has been on the shelf or in the cabinet you have to stir the contents a bit to re-incorporate the oil. This generally works, with a little effort, at room temperature.

I don't think it tastes better - I like Skippy.

[Panaderia Canadiense]

Pop it in the blender. If all else, fails, pop the sausage-grinder attachment onto your Kitchenaid and run it through that.

[mkayahara]

I realize that this may not help given that it's already separated, but I've experimented with stabilizing peanut butter with maltodextrin. It works fine, but it mutes the flavour, which may explain why the stabilized commercial brands have so much added sugar and salt.

[Fat Guy]

Has anybody actually tried the blender/mixer solution in this scenario? I don't mind giving it a go if it is likely to work, but if all it's going to do is whirl around a mass of nut solids in a pool of liquid I'm not eager to go down that path.

[Panaderia Canadiense]

I wouldn't have suggested the blender if it hadn't worked for me in the past.

[Fat Guy]

Trying it now.

[Cyberider]

When mine is totally separated, I turn the jar upaide down for a day. This usually homogenates it enough to easily finish the job with a utensil.

[Chris Hennes]

I use my food processor for this on a regular basis: I find it's more effective than the blender for this particular task.

[andiesenji]

Pour the oil into the blender and turn it on low speed

Add the solids gradually until it has been completely blended.

I have to do this routinely with home made macadamia butter which hardens like cement.

[Fat Guy]

The blender strategy worked, and I sort of backed into a method close to Andie's. My one issue with the method is the percentage product loss because it's so hard to get it all out of the blender pitcher.

[Chris Hennes]

Another point for the food processor... you will still lose a tablespoon or two, but I'd guess you lost more than that to the blender jar.

[Fat Guy]

That makes sense.

[TheNoodleIncident]

I'm wondering if the high speed of the blender (you have a blendtec, right?) is enough to keep it homogenized longer? How has it lasted? What about with the food processor?

[TheNoodleIncident]

Also, there are a few varieties of "no stir" natural peanut butter, if you like....

[Chris Hennes]

With the food processor, I mix it up then store it in the fridge: it stays homogenized in the fridge for the amount of time it takes me to go through the jar, at any rate (though I admit that's not really very long).

[Fat Guy]

How has it lasted?

Almost an hour so far...

[SylviaLovegren]

Once it's blended store it in the fridge to help keep the emulsion. Or move to the Pac NW where's its always cool enough to leave out.

[Kouign Aman]

Use the stick blender. Less lost product.

Or, dump off the oil, get the pnut butter out, roll it into balls, cover in powdered sugar and crushed pnuts and call it candy.

[Jenni]

Does your peanut butter have added oil? Because there are no-oil added ones that I guess might not separate as much.

[ensete]

use up the peanut butter clinging to the blender or processor to make some satay or cold sesame noodle sauce. that should get use of virtually all of it. depending on your estimating skills, you might need to add back more peanut butter to get the proportions right. now you have a sauce to keep in the fridge for a quick meal.

i prefer tahini, which also separates, but i am always using the processor anyway to make tarator sauce or baba ganoush.

[Fat Guy]

Does your peanut butter have added oil?

It claims not to.

[Fat Guy]

use up the peanut butter clinging to the blender or processor to make some satay or cold sesame noodle sauce.

Brilliant. If I ever get into this predicament again I'll do that.