How to Make Homemade Peanut Butter

Recently gluten-free and once a baker by profession, my mission is to adapt old favorite recipes to make this lifestyle change tastier!

Healthy, Homemade Peanut Butter

Peanut butter and peanuts count for over 67% of nut consumption in the U.S. But how and why did peanuts become so popular? Dr. George Washington Carver gave the humble legume a helping hand. After doing his own research, he encouraged farmers to rotate their crops from growing cotton, which depletes the soil of nitrogen, to growing peanuts which introduce nitrogen back into the soil.

My family never really used to like peanut butter, although it was sold in England. The thought of it on jelly sandwiches was a weird idea to us. It wasn't until we lived with some American friends who used to make their own peanut butter for breakfast that we started developing a liking for this very American ingredient.

The good thing about making your own peanut butter is that you know what's in it and how fresh it is. This will keep refrigerated for at least a month, but it is so easy to make, so you can just make smaller batches if you want to have really fresh peanut butter.

What Is a Peanut?

Despite it's name, the peanut is actually a legume that grows underground, unlike other nuts such as almonds, walnuts, and hazlenuts that grow on trees.

What Is the Difference Between Peanut Butter and Peanut Spread?

By law in the U.S, peanut butter must be 90% nuts and the other 10% will be salt, sweetener and emulsifier. Any product that does not comply with the 90/10% rule is labeled as spread.

Ingredients

• 1 kg roasted peanuts
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 4 tsp White sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp Mortons table salt

Ingredients needed: peanuts, sugar, salt, oil. Place all your peanuts in the food processor

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How to Make Your Own Healthy Peanut Butter

1. In a food processor, add about 1 kg of roasted peanuts. Keep about a 1/2 cup peanuts to one side. Switch on the food processer.
2. After about 2 minutes, you are ready to add the oil little by little. Depending on how much oil the nuts contain you may not need all the oil.
3. Add sugar and salt while still mixing. Stop the machine and taste. Add more salt or sugar to your personal taste.
4. If the mix looks too wet or if you like a more texture, add the extra 1/2 cup nuts and "pulse" your machine until the desired texture is obtained.

Health Benefits

Peanuts contain resveratrol, an antioxidant that has a protective function against cancer, heart disease, degenerative nerve disease, Alzheimer's, and viral/fungal infections.

Facts About the History of the Peanut

• In 1895, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, the breakfast cereal man, was a physician who wanted to get people eating more plant protein and patented the process for making peanut butter. He then used it in his Battle Creek Sanitarium, a health food retreat in Michigan.
• The world's largest peanut butter factory turns out some 250,000 jars a day.
• In 1941, a week to celebrate peanuts was established. In 1974, the month of March was designated the national peanut month in the U.S.
• Goobers, goober peas, pindars, earth nuts, monkey nuts, and grass nuts are other names used for peanuts.
• Two famous peanut farmers became President of the United States, Jimmy Carter and Thomas Jefferson.
• Six of the top 10 candy bars in the U.S. contain peanuts or peanut butter.
• Peanuts can be made into imitation milk, cheese, and ice cream. Cheese made from peanuts is superior to that of its dairy friend, except in calcium.
• The average American consumes around 6 pounds of peanut butter a year.

Rate This Recipe

Source

• Nutrition Facts and Analysis for Peanut Butter, Smooth Style, With Salt
  

Comments

lemonkerdz (author) from LIMA, PERU on January 19, 2014:

Only a few days left to get your peanuts before National Peanut Butter day 24th Jan.

lemonkerdz (author) from LIMA, PERU on January 24, 2013:

The time has arrived: HAPPY NATIONAL PEANUT BUTTER DAY!

lemonkerdz (author) from LIMA, PERU on January 09, 2013:

Hi Peggy W, yes there really is a thing for National peanut butter day, maybe it needs promoting a bit more since it is not as well known as christmas or easter, but there you have it. Education is a wonderful thing.

Thanks for coming by and voting up.

Peggy Woods from Houston, Texas on January 09, 2013:

I learned something from reading this hub and to start off, I did not realize that there was a National Peanut Butter day. Ground Hog Day...check! St. Patrick's Day...check! Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and many more...check! Thanks for educating me about National Peanut Butter day. :)) Up and useful votes.

lemonkerdz (author) from LIMA, PERU on January 01, 2013:

Thanks for voting up Prasetio as you know the simple things in life are most often the best. This is no exeption, easy to make inexpensive but amazing.

prasetio30 from malang-indonesia on January 01, 2013:

Wow...I love the recipe. It looks delicious. Thanks for writing and share with us. Voted up,

Prasetio

lemonkerdz (author) from LIMA, PERU on December 31, 2012:

azahorik, go for it, make your own at least once. It is so easy and i find it so much better than store bought. Thanks for your visit, please come by again.

Amanda Zahorik from Philadelphia, PA on December 30, 2012:

I've often thought of doing this instead of getting store bought, but never gotten around to it. Very informative, and you've inspired me to give homemade peanut butter a try. I like the little factoids, too. :)

Vespa Woolf from Peru, South America on December 30, 2012:

Yeah, we'll soon be eating lots of peanut butter! At least it's full of antioxidants. : )

lemonkerdz (author) from LIMA, PERU on December 30, 2012:

Thanks for comenting vespawoolf, we are sat eating it right now. Great to have a healthy snack for the evening. Get ready for the 24/1/13

Vespa Woolf from Peru, South America on December 30, 2012:

We love homemade peanut butter. You're so right--when it's made at home, we know that it's fresh. Thanks for these easy-to-follow instructions. I think I'll go make a batch right now!