Real Peanut Butter

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Ditto for me... The Tescos and Big Cs I shop in BKK pretty much have been out of stock of bagged raw peanuts and kidney beans (for frijoles and chili) for the past several weeks since the onset of the floods.

Haven't seen those stocks returning as yet... But I saw the shortages coming and have been stocking up on those kinds of things any time I find them available on the shelves...anywhere.

[vincentinparis]

There is still a local brand of natural peanut butter other than Mission sold at Villa and Central I think, but I forget the name. It's sold in small jars. Not cheap but by weight certainly cheaper (and not as good) as the all natural imported American organic peanuts stuff.

The brand is Healthy Mate. B65 for a 200g jar at Gourmet Market, a bit more at Central. It comes sweetened or unsweetened, and they also do an almond butter, among other products.

[JSixpack]

I do in fact make my own all the time. A bag of raw peanuts at tesco cost 32 baht. A food blender starts it but will never make peanut butter. Place the grind in a cok and start pounding - do nothing but pound until the oils come out and you will get peanut butter, real peanut butter - it takes some work. PS add nothing - nothing at all - it is not needed. I can't have the sugar and they all seem to add that and lots of other junk in the store brands. Now you need some oatmeal blender waffles to put it on.

2 cups of rolled oats - McCormicks at tesco 42 baht has about 4 cups in a bag

1 1/2 cup of water to start

1 tea of vanilla

1 large or 2 small banana

1/4 tea of salt

Put everything in the blender and start pulsing it and adding another 1/2 cup water a little at a time to get it as thin or thick as you like the batter - your good to go.

keep in mind that banana and peanut butter are good on whole wheat toast too.

Valuable post, with the follow-up where you mention roasting the peanuts in a skillet. I don't have an oven and hadn't thought about a skillet.

I suddenly remembered it today because yesterday I was exploring the renovated Tops Supermarket on Pattaya Klang. I'd wandered into the dangerous peanut butter section when suddenly a jar of Canaan natural peanut butter leaped off the shelf and into my basket despite my protestations over its extortionate price (B186 as I recall).

But, hell, it'd just been too long and at that moment I had no choice but to bite the bullet.

Now The Great Peanuts Shortage at Tesco and at Big C seems pretty much over except for the usual sporadic recurrences. I got a blender, skillet, and cok (!). When I finish this jar of Canaan, I'm gonna try making my own.

I wonder how the roasted redskin peanuts, typically served as a bar snack, would do for this. These are sold in big bags at Best, for example. Would seem too salty off the bat but could be washed I suppose. Perhaps unsalted are sold as well . . . .

[lizardtongue]

My wife makes ours, we brought a peanut butter maker $60 (just found the same thing at $30 on line, the bastards!! ) here is the link http://www.yourstoreonline.net/peanut_butter_maker/id980123/product.html?affiliate=&scomp=

Or you can make it in a blender this may help you?

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Peanut-Butter

Good luck!

[JSixpack]

My wife makes ours, we brought a peanut butter maker $60 (just found the same thing at $30 on line, the bastards!! ) here is the link http://www.yourstore...filiate=&scomp=

That's kinda neat, but is 120V only, would need a voltage transformer in Thailand.

Or you can make it in a blender this may help you?

http://www.wikihow.c...e-Peanut-Butter

Yep, that's the idea, though that example is using a food processor, not a blender.

[kkerry]

Not a big peanut butter consumer myself but I do keep a jar of Healthy Mate creamy unsweetened on hand, for the price it's not bad at all.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Here's my recipe at home...

500g bag of skinless peanuts from Big C or Tesco. Spread out in a baking tray.

Roast in the oven at about 170C for about 45 minutes until the peanuts are lightly browned.

After cooling a bit, dump the peanuts into my Black & Decker electric food processor unit, and blend and shake the unit for about 5 minutes until the peanuts are gradually broken down first into a nut meal and ultimately into a nut butter.

No oil, salt or other ingredients added. Refrigerate and use within a reasonable time to maintain freshness.

[kevvy]

In Australia the best mass product peanut butter is Kraft crunchy or smooth . they have the highest count of peanuts and that's why they are more expensive..

[JSixpack]

In Australia the best mass product peanut butter is Kraft crunchy or smooth . they have the highest count of peanuts and that's why they are more expensive..

Guess I have to travel to Australia every few weeks.

[Jingthing]

This looks like a good recipe but it calls for peanut oil (which you don't see in Thailand):

http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2012/10/03/peanut_butter_recipe_avoid_the_salmonella_recall_and_make_your_own_.html

[David006]

This looks like a good recipe but it calls for peanut oil (which you don't see in Thailand):

http://www.slate.com..._your_own_.html

555...have a look in your local cooking oil aisle mate...we cook with peanut oil....

gross cheap chemical peanut butter, cheese and jelly sandwiches and a big glass of chocolate milk......yum.....

right up there with "Perishers" inch thick ketchup sandwiches....

[JSixpack]

This looks like a good recipe but it calls for peanut oil (which you don't see in Thailand):

http://www.slate.com..._your_own_.html

Have you ever been to Thailand? Peanut oil is a major cooking oil here and you can buy it everywhere.

Problem w/ that recipe is that it is has just GOT to add that honey.

The comments to the article are great tho.

I'm close to trying this. Gotta finish up my present jar first.

[Jingthing]

Honestly, I have been looking for peanut oil and I shop regularly. I haven't seen it. Palm oil is the mass market oil here. Not peanut oil. Myself, I use safflower oil and olive oil. I am surprised that you guys are saying it is common. I can't explain it.

Edited October 4, 2012 by Jingthing

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Jing, I'm pretty sure I've seen peanut oil stocked at the Villa Markets in BKK, although my PB recipe doesn't need or use anything other than peanuts!

[Jingthing]

Jing, I'm pretty sure I've seen peanut oil stocked at the Villa Markets in BKK, although my PB recipe doesn't need or use anything other than peanuts!

I'll look again. I didn't mean to say it isn't possible to find it just that it is not a common oil here which I still don't think that it is. Most Thai food is cooked in PALM oil. For example my local mini Tops only has Palm, Safflower, and Olive. That's it. That tells you something considering the olive is imported. Also not usual here is CORN oil. Edited October 4, 2012 by Jingthing

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Apart from peanut oil, I use rice bran oil for home cooking, and have no trouble finding it both at my local Villa and Tops markets. There's a Thai brand as well as several imported versions. Just fyi...

And whenever I'm looking at the oils section, I usually also see the various varieties, including blends of safflower and canola and such... apart from the corn, palm, olive varieties.

[Jingthing]

Yes I see canola, and have seen rice bran as well.

[TS79]

Does homemade PB need to be consumed quick or does it keep?

[Jingthing]

Store bought 100 percent natural PB keeps for many months so I think it would be the same for homemade.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Jing, re the store bought natural PB, do you mean the sealed jar, or the jar once it's been opened, keeps for many months?

I've always understood that PB made with NO preservatives is supposed to be consumed relatively promptly... Of course, I always keep mine refrigerated as soon as I've prepared it.

[Jingthing]

I mean after opening. I do refrigerate. I think it will even last a long time unrefrigerated.

[JSixpack]

I do in fact make my own all the time. A bag of raw peanuts at tesco cost 32 baht. A food blender starts it but will never make peanut butter. Place the grind in a cok and start pounding - do nothing but pound until the oils come out and you will get peanut butter, real peanut butter - it takes some work. PS add nothing - nothing at all - it is not needed. I can't have the sugar and they all seem to add that and lots of other junk in the store brands. Now you need some oatmeal blender waffles to put it on.

2 cups of rolled oats - McCormicks at tesco 42 baht has about 4 cups in a bag

1 1/2 cup of water to start

1 tea of vanilla

1 large or 2 small banana

1/4 tea of salt

Put everything in the blender and start pulsing it and adding another 1/2 cup water a little at a time to get it as thin or thick as you like the batter - your good to go.

keep in mind that banana and peanut butter are good on whole wheat toast too.

Valuable post, with the follow-up where you mention roasting the peanuts in a skillet. I don't have an oven and hadn't thought about a skillet.

I suddenly remembered it today because yesterday I was exploring the renovated Tops Supermarket on Pattaya Klang. I'd wandered into the dangerous peanut butter section when suddenly a jar of Canaan natural peanut butter leaped off the shelf and into my basket despite my protestations over its extortionate price (B186 as I recall).

But, hell, it'd just been too long and at that moment I had no choice but to bite the bullet.

Now The Great Peanuts Shortage at Tesco and at Big C seems pretty much over except for the usual sporadic recurrences. I got a blender, skillet, and cok (!). When I finish this jar of Canaan, I'm gonna try making my own.

I wonder how the roasted redskin peanuts, typically served as a bar snack, would do for this. These are sold in big bags at Best, for example. Would seem too salty off the bat but could be washed I suppose. Perhaps unsalted are sold as well . . . .

SUCCESS! Got some Lotus peanuts, roasted them in a skillet, and ground them up in a blender. However I found there was not enough oil in there. I ended up w/ dry peanut granules. Tried those w/ a little coconut oil for the heck of it, didn't taste right at all. So next day I bought a bottle of peanut oil and added some oil and a little salt and blended again. Perfect. Tastes great. Put it in a plastic container and in the frig.

No more o' that overpriced stuff!

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Now The Great Peanuts Shortage at Tesco and at Big C seems pretty much over except for the usual sporadic recurrences.

Ya... what's going on with that? Ever since last year's floods, there have been many times when I've gone shopping and found the raw peanut baskets at the stores empty? Tesco seems better lately... But Big C still seems to be flat out of stock a lot of the time, both their own store brand and the name brands as well.

It's not like those regular skinless peanuts are going into Thai som tam dishes....

[JSixpack]

Now The Great Peanuts Shortage at Tesco and at Big C seems pretty much over except for the usual sporadic recurrences.

Ya... what's going on with that? Ever since last year's floods, there have been many times when I've gone shopping and found the raw peanut baskets at the stores empty? Tesco seems better lately... But Big C still seems to be flat out of stock a lot of the time, both their own store brand and the name brands as well.

It's not like those regular skinless peanuts are going into Thai som tam dishes....

I think it's pretty much gone back to the pre-flood sporadic inventory. Even before the flood, Tesco was often out. Hence when they do have the peanuts, you gotta stock up. Funny, there's NEVER any shortage of the much more expensive cashews!

It's all just part of supply and inventory "control" in a Third World country. Once during a visit to Mexico I was pestered to buy bananas daily--until the day I wanted to buy a few for an imminent journey by intercity bus. Then--a sudden BANANA FAMINE.

Seems to me I saw comparable peanuts in Foodland recently.

I may also try the roasted red peanuts. In Pattaya, Best usually has big bags of those.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Foodland stocks the same Thai name brand skinless peanuts as sold in Tesco and Big C....

Tesco and Big C both have their own generic house brand skinless peanuts as well.

But generally, the house brand at Big C is less expensive than either the name or house brands at Tesco.

Foodland's price for the name brand is about the same as Tesco for the same name brand.