Peanut Butter, Make Your Own! (vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free)

After making my own almond milk I knew I was ready to start tackling some other DIY food processing.  It turns out that making your own peanut butter is an even easier prospect.  And actually all nut butters (cashew, almond, ect) that have a high price on the shelf can be made a lot cheaper at home.

I like the variety of peanut butter out there these days and there are some really good organic and "natural" versions that have parsed down their ingredients and are now a healthier, less processed product.   However, I like everything I make at home better and this peanut butter was no exception.  I bought some discounted roasted, unsalted peanuts in bulk from my local food co-op for this recipe.  You can also roast some unroasted peanuts yourself but never one to balk at a good deal I skipped this step.  Buying in bulk is the best way to get more bang for your buck here.

While I was making the peanut butter and tasting it I realized that I like a little more salt that is called for in most of the recipes I found. Add salt about half a teaspoon at a time, tasting as you go so that you are getting the level of saltiness you want.  I settled on 3 teaspoons for my personal stash.

Use a vegetable oil that doesn't have a flavor of its own, like soy bean oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, flax seed oil, or try the nut oil of the nut butter you are making.   I used a super-market brand vegetable oil.  When I looked to see what kind of veggies it was made of the only ingredient listed was soy beans.  The flavor was completely neutral and therefore perfect for addition to the peanuts, letting them do the talking.  Next time I will probably try organic coconut oil.  You can try skipping the vegetable oil but I found it less spreadable without.  If you like a thicker butter use less oil, a thinner butter use more.  You can add a teaspoon of honey or other sweeteners to the mix if you like a sweeter peanut butter.  Also try my recipe for Honey Flax Peanut Butter.



The Basics:
In a food processor mix roasted peanuts, vegetable oil and salt until smooth.


Recipe:
4 c. roasted unsalted nuts
2 tbs. vegetable oil
1 1/2 to 2 1/2 tsp. kosher salt


Method:
1. Add peanuts, half the vegetable oil, and half the salt to the food processor and mix until smooth.
2. Taste and add oil and salt to preferred taste and consistency.

Assembling the Mess:
1. Pour the mixture straight into a jar with an air-tight lid and store it in the refrigerator for a longer shelf life (5-6 months).
2. I use it in cookies, ice cream, sandwiches and sometimes just a big lovin' spoonful by itself is something special.

ENJOY!