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Sunday, July 3, 2011

Powdered Peanut Butter

Did you know that peanut butter does not have a long shelf life? I didn't. Duh. You would think the fact that it's practically swimming in oils would have clued me in but no. I bought a whole years worth before I realized I had a problem.

It really is a tragedy. Peanut butter is beautiful on so many levels. First it's a good protein source, it's also a great thickener, it's delicious, and in a pinch it really will satisfy a sweet tooth if you have nothing else. But alas, I have to move on to peanut butter plan B.

So I purchase some powdered peanut butter. Not my idea of fun, but then neither is living without peanut butter. I found a company that seemed very excited about their product AND they would let me purchase just a small trial package - BONUS! I love that some companies are doing that now. No more buying a #10 can of something just to try it and find you hate it.
However, if you are ready to take the plunge and get a whole jar of it, you can also find it at Amazon, which is very convenient because I pretty much shop there weekly......


Anyway, they actually have different flavors of peanut butter, one of which is CHOCOLATE peanut butter. Seriously. I would never kid about chocolate for food storage. Of course I bought a trial package of that too.

So here is the run down. Instructions say it is 2 parts PB powder to one part water. I tried that and the flavor was actually really good, however the consistency was a bit off. So next I tried half/half water and oil with the PB powder. That made the consistency better, but now the flavor was off.

In the end I decided that it is better with just the water. I can live with a slightly different consistency. Plus I'm imagining 1,000 beautiful uses for chocolate peanut butter in food storage :)

The shelf life of powdered peanut butter is not fabulous, just 12 months, but that is probably because there are no preservatives in it. The only ingredients are roasted peanuts, sugar, and salt. It's a solid alternative to regular peanut butter but it will have to be rotated regularly.

11 comments:

  1. So you lost me dear friend. How long does regular peanut butter last for you on the shelf? For me, it's good for at least a year. If the powdered stuff only lasts a year, then I'm not sure why I'd bother?

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  2. Yep mine lasts almost a year as well. It's not much advantage, other than it takes up less space.

    Haven't heard from you for awhile, how are you?

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  3. some of the jif that i have has an even longer shelf life than a year....ive got like 16 jars in my food storage {granted we go through 1 1/2-2 or so jars a month} maybe if youre buying a more organic natural peanut butter it has a shorter shelf life?

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  4. Kelly - I haven't looked into it much but it also probably depends on how much oil your particular brand has. I am storing Skippy right now and it does pretty well but we keep it rotated. 6 kids = massive peanut butter consumption :)

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  5. Peanut butter powder lasts for 12 months AFTER you open the can, sealed it's listed stable for up to 10 years if stored properly (cool, dark, dry).

    I keep my open can of PB powder sealed with a tight lid, and it hasn't gone rancid on me yet (about 16 months). I find the powder way easier to use in baking, and end up adding it in with the flours in lots more recipes than just peanut butter cookies... PB banana bread anyone?! Makes a nearly instant Phad Thai peanut sauce too, for those who like Asian food.

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  6. That is GREAT news on the powdered peanut butter! A storage life of 10 years would definitely make it worth it to store.

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  7. Peanut butter will store for a longer period of time if it is in a glass jar rather than a plastic container. The natural/organic peanut butters are more likely to be sold in glass jars.

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  8. When you tried to use 1/2 water and 1/2 oil did you use peanut oil or just veggie oil?

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  9. I love peanut butter powder. It tastes more like fresh roasted peanuts and at 1.5 g fat and 45 calories compared to 180 calories and 16 g of fat for regular "natural" peanut butter, it is a great alternative while dieting. However,in a ration base situation the higher fat and calories may be welcome. One of my favorite things to do with PB2 is to make it a little runny and pour it over whole grain pancakes with real maple syrup. It is delicious. Do not use oil, it would ruin it and it is not necessary.

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  10. Once the powdered peanut butter is made with water, can the made peanut butter be stored or not? Refrigerated or not?

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