Easy Peasy Peanut Butter. Takes Time, But So Worth It

I love peanut butter. Ever since I was little kid I've loved it.
And there are those who will tell you I'm still a kid.
Peanut butter and honey. Peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. Peanut butter and banana rolls. Peanut butter and jelly bars.  Even old fashioned peanut butter pie. You get the idea.
But peanut butter often comes with way too much sugar...about 5g per two tablespoon serving. That might not sound like a ton but for those trying to cut down (or cut it out entirely) it's something you don't want.
I used to buy a lot of peanut butter. I bought the name brands for years, but then I switched to the natural stuff.
Look at the ingredients: Peanuts. Well, some have peanuts and oil. but - of the ones I have seen  - no sugar.
So, I figured, anyone can make peanut butter.
It's true. Anyone willing to put in the work can make the most peanuty peanut butter. But it IS pretty labor intensive.
Get a bag of raw peanuts (about 25¢ an ounce versus a jar of peanuts at about $1.20 per ounce) and start shelling.
The rest is easy. Roast. Grind, enjoy.

Ready to roast

Get shelling

A quick note here. Some people roast peanuts in the shell, but I prefer to roast them after I've taken them out of the shell. It's all personal preference...I just like to check out the peanuts beforehand ,  but that's just me...
A good roasted peanut with a sprinkling of salt is good enough as is, but if you want a touch of sweetness, a 1 teaspoon of fresh local honey or real maple syrup (make sure it's not the faux stuff with corn syrup)  is all you need per pound of peanuts to make it delicious.

Easy Peasy Peanut Butter

Makes about a pint

• 1.5 pounds od peanuts
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of fresh honey or real maple syrup (optional)

1. Put the peanuts in a single layer on a shallow baking pan and sprinkle the salt over the pan.
2. Roast them in a 350º F oven for 20 minutes or so. (20 to 25 minutes for peanuts in the shell and 15 to 20 minutes if you've already shelled them.
3. Once they've cooled a bit, take them out if the shell if you didn't start with that and put them in a food processor or a blender.
4. Process the peanuts until the peanuts are smoothish and are releasing their oils. It could take as long as 20 minutes, depending on the power of your machine. Every few minutes, use a rubber spatula to clean the sides of the container to make sure everything is incorporated.
5. The peanut butter might be a little gritty. I like it that way, but if you don't, just keep going and add a little oil. Grind until the butter looks like you like it.