Question about natural peanut butter

[*********]

Natural peanut butter is new to me. I grew up on the other stuff, with all the additives. Honestly, I didn't know it wasn't good for you. But, I've been putting a lot of effort into a healthier lifestyle for myself and my family.

 

I just bought our fist jar of the natural stuff, and I see that it needs to be refrigerated. Um, cold peanut butter doesn't spread well. :D I understand that the refrigeration is to keep it from spoiling. But, what if I put some of the peanut butter in a smaller container, and left it in the cupboard. I'm thinking a small enough amount that it would be used within a week. Has anyone done this? How long is safe for keeping natural peanut butter at room temp?

 

Also, I saw that there was also organic peanut butter, but it had more additives than the natural peanutbutter (which just has peanuts and salt). Anyone care to share their preference? Anyone know where I can find natural, organic peanut butter that doesn't cost an arm and a leg?

 

Thanks!

Edited June 7, 2009 by bethanyniez
added a question

[Snickerdoodle]

I don't refrigerate our natural pb. We usually eat it up in a week or so, sometimes two.

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

I have stirred it well to incorporate the natural oils and then refrigerated it. I warmed it up by zapping for 20 seconds or so in microwave when I wanted to use it:) The peanut butter I purchase comes in glass jars. I avoid zapping things in microwave that are in plastic containers.

 

 

My 2 cents:)

[joannqn]

I don't refrigerate our natural peanut butter either.

 

Since you are new to natural peanut butter, here's a tip for easy stirring. I use a hand mixer with one beater, push the beater to the bottom of the peanut butter, and then turn it on while holding the jar. It mixes it up really well. If you don't mix it well enough, the bottom of the jar will end up super dry...you'll have to add some oil to it in order to use it.

[elw_miller]

We get Zimmerman's natural PB--only peanuts and salt YUM! We get the 32 oz tubs. We only refrigerate them to keep the PB from separating--and that only seems to be a big problem in the summer. During the cooler times of the year giving it a good stir before using it keeps the bottom from going "dry".

[kokotg]

We get the Costco brand, and I've found that it's actually much easier to deal with when it's refrigerated. It gets too runny if I leave it in the cabinet. That said, I haven't had any problems with spoilage leaving it in the cabinet for a week or two.

[claire+3]

We used to only buy Smucker's brand natural. It was by far the best tasting. Just peanuts and salt. But recently we tried Aldi's brand of natural and it is just as good as Smucker's! (And much cheaper).

 

I let it sit on the counter for a few minutes to warm up and then spread. You just get used to it after a while.

 

Now Jif tastes like plastic to me.

 

claire

[Miss Peregrine]

I store it upside down. When I open a new jar the oil is on the bottom making it much easier to stir. It stays spreadable if you incorporate all the oil.

 

I store it right side up after it is opened/stirred.:)

[Tap]

If you are only talking about a week or two, it will be fine. You will get used to handling it cold. I usually put out the bread put a glob of cold pb on the bread and put the pb away. I then do the jam, get the drink, come back to the sandwich and the pb is already to spread. It only takes a couple of minutes to get spreadable.

 

When we are going through a lot of pb, I don't bother to refrigerate it. We get the small Adams jars and can easily go through them in a week, 2 at the most.

[wulfbourne]

I the organic I buy still only has two ingredients, organic peanuts and sea salt. It's also the store brand which is a plus :) I make sure I stir it really well and then I store it in the fridge. It spreads great, just like regular peanut butter stored on a shelf. I think the oils help, but you have to stir it good. When I leave it out it gets way to runny for my taste.

[Matryoshka]

We get the Costco brand, and I've found that it's actually much easier to deal with when it's refrigerated. It gets too runny if I leave it in the cabinet. That said, I haven't had any problems with spoilage leaving it in the cabinet for a week or two.

 

:iagree: I always refrigerate it, and if I don't it separates back out and has to be stirred again every time. I have had no problems spreading it cold. Of course, it could depend on the kind of bread you have - I can't even spread the high-fructose/hydrogenated fat stuff on white sandwich bread without making a hole!

 

On whole-grain bread I haven't had any problem spreading natural peanut butter right out of the fridge. I even sometimes pour off a bit of the oil before stirring. But if I put it in the fridge I only ever have to stir it the one time.

 

My family likes Teddy brand natural. I really like the Maranatha brand organic, but they prefer the Teddy (which is natural but not organic).

[Quiver0f10]

We never put our natural PNBT in the fridge either.

[Bess]

we do not refrigerate ours.

[sparrow]

....and we make it ourselves! We put 2lbs. dry roasted peanuts (no salt) in the food processor with 2 tsps. honey. That's it! We store it in a ziploc container in the pantry. The consistency is thinner than you're probably used to, but it spreads well. I honestly couldn't tell you how long it's good for, since it never lasts that long around here :).

[Shannon C]

Maranatha makes a non stir natural peanut butter. I think it depends on the brand on whether you should refrigerate or not. I am very phobic of food borne illnesses so I err on the side of caution! If there are no preservatives, I'd refrigerate if you don't go through it within a few days.

[wildflower]

I love the smuckers, but it separates so quickly. I use the one beater in the mixer trick too- be sure to wear an apron if you are as lucky as me in the mixer department, seems to be the only thing I wear in the kitchen (PB not the apron! LOL)

I buy the arrowhead mills creamy valencia- peanuts, nothing else (I would like a bit of salt in it myself).

it spreads nicely even straight form the fridge,

[skaterbabs]

Whole Foods has a creamy natural peanut butter that spreads well even when cold and is not expensive. Kroger does too, but in a much smaller jar.

 

Storing it upside down works very well.

[amygabrielle]

We LOVE Brad's organic pb. Brad's jelly is awesome too- no sugar. ;)

[pmurphy]

I second the Costo reccomendation. It is organic and has only peanuts and salt and for some reason it stays spreadable even in the refrigerator. Our second favorite is Maranatha brand. You have to be careful with the "spreadable" kinds, they usually have sugar and other things added.

 

Tricia

[Quad Shot Academy]

:iagree: I always refrigerate it, and if I don't it separates back out and has to be stirred again every time. I even sometimes pour off a bit of the oil before stirring. But if I put it in the fridge I only ever have to stir it the one time.

 

:iagree: What is with that? It actually creeps me out and makes me wonder just what kind of genetically engineered peanut they are using :ack2:

[Matryoshka]

:iagree: What is with that? It actually creeps me out and makes me wonder just what kind of genetically engineered peanut they are using :ack2:

 

It's just because at lower temperatures the fat in the natural peanut oil stays more solid - at room temperature it becomes liquid and separates from the peanut solids. Same reason you can put the chicken soup in the fridge overnight and the fat hardens on the top.

 

This is why they used hydrogenated (artificially hardened) non-peanut fat in the non-natural kind - the fat stays hard at higher temperatures and won't separate on the shelf. The engineering is not in the natural stuff. :001_smile: Now, why they need to add corn syrup is a complete mystery to me.

[Ravin]

It takes me months to get through a container of pb, since I'm the only one who eats it, so I definitely refrigerate it. Stir it thoroughly, so that it's well mixed and consisted, then refrigerate, and it will separate very little and remain soft enough to still spread. If it's not mixed well, you wind up with too-thick solid stuff at the bottom of the jar.

[AmyP]

Another family who doesn't refrigerate natural PB either, but at our house PB is a food group...

[Quad Shot Academy]

It's just because at lower temperatures the fat in the natural peanut oil stays more solid - at room temperature it becomes liquid and separates from the peanut solids.

 

I don't know . . . I have had lots of natural PB and they are all so hard to spread, that you can't spread them right out of the fridge. I drain the oil of the Kirkland brand and it is still like soup at room temperature.

[Orthodox6]

I mentally pictured this procedure -- and "saw" only a peanut butter volcano spewing sticky "lava" over all sides of the jar onto the counter and all over my hands. :eek:

 

My tamer method is to insert a table knife, on one side of the jar, to the bottom of the jpeanut butter and "cut through" across to the other side of the jar. Slowly remove knife, rotate the jar slightly, repeat the process until all is mixed.

 

I never refrigerate peanut butter.

 

I don't refrigerate our natural peanut butter either.

 

Since you are new to natural peanut butter, here's a tip for easy stirring. I use a hand mixer with one beater, push the beater to the bottom of the peanut butter, and then turn it on while holding the jar. It mixes it up really well. If you don't mix it well enough, the bottom of the jar will end up super dry...you'll have to add some oil to it in order to use it.