Peanut butter is one of the best and simplest ways to include a dose of healthy protein in your daily diet. It is one of the incredible and delectable ways to eat peanuts.
Peanut butter comes in a single jar and is renowned for both its fantastic flavor and low cost.
Regarding storage, peanut butter has frequently caused confusion. Many users are uncertain if they can freeze peanut butter or if they should refrigerate it or leave it at room temperature.
Today we are here to discuss whether you can freeze peanut butter or not and how to store peanut butter in the right way.
So, let us dig in right away.
Contents
Storing Peanut Butter in the Freezer
If you are here to know, can you freeze peanut butter? Then the answer is Yes, surely you can freeze peanut butter. However, let me remind you that peanut butter has a lengthy shelf-life.
Leaving it at room temperature will be enough to ensure its goodness for a long time. Then why should you need to freeze it?
Freezing peanut butter will not affect the butter’s flavor or color. But thawing it will definitely take time and can result in watery peanut butter because ice crystals will form in it.
Still, if you need to freeze peanut butter, the following is the correct method.
How to Freeze Peanut Butter Properly?
Freezing Suggestions
Freezing peanut butter adequately will make things easier for you. The proper way to freeze is to divide peanut butter into small portions, fill it in the freezer bags, and place them separately.
This technique will assist you in conserving time, energy, and freezer space. Separating the peanut butter into serving amounts means avoiding the inconvenience of re-freezing the remaining amount, which is strongly discouraged.
For smaller single-time servings, fill each section of the ice cube tray with about two tablespoons of peanut butter and freeze. Freeze peanut butter into ice cube trays. Once frozen, you can remove them all and place them in a freezer-safe Ziplock bag.
Using several little airtight Ziplock freezer bags will also make things further easier. Press out as much air as you can before sealing the Ziplock bag. Make sure the bag is dated- and clearly labeled.
On a square piece of parchment paper, spread a thin layer of peanut butter, and freeze it. Use it to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Never again will you have to be concerned about tearing the bread.
In any case, do not freeze peanut butter in a glass jar. The glass has a higher chance of shattering in the freezer due to the pressure buildup caused by the expansion of chemicals.
You can also freeze peanut butter if you want to use it as a cookie dough filling. Depending on how big you want your finished cookies to be, spoon out quantities of peanut butter between one and two tablespoons. The parts should be dispersed into tiny, delicate circles. To allow the circles to freeze, place the tray in the freezer.
How Much Time will Peanut Butter Take to Freeze?
The amount of peanut butter you’re trying to freeze in a single container will determine how long it takes to freeze. It could take six hours or longer to freeze a whole, unopened jar. However, it will probably only take 45 to an hour for each serving to freeze thoroughly if you are freezing it in single-serving portions, as in an ice cube container.
How to Thaw Frozen Peanut Butter?
Thawing Suggestions
Thawing peanut butter is easier but a time-consuming task. The most common method to thaw peanut butter is to remove it from the freezer, set it out on the counter, and wait it out.
Alternatively, for a huge quantity, you can transfer peanut butter from the freezer to the refrigerator and let it thaw overnight.
If you are impatient, you can also put the peanut butter in a dish of lukewarm water while it is still in the bag or container.
Can I Use a Microwave to Thaw Peanut Butter? Speeding up the thawing process by placing the peanut butter in the microwave is not a good idea because you don’t want to expose nut butter to heat. Microwaving peanut butter is also not recommended because it has a lot of oil, which will heat up quickly and may burn, endangering the safety of your peanut butter.
Oil Separation
If you freeze and thaw pure peanut butter, be ready for a layer of oil on top of the peanut butter. It’s nothing to be worried about as it is a natural process.
If the peanut butter was kept in a cabinet, you would notice the same oil and butter emulsion separating. The separation of the oils and solids as the temperature rises is referred to as syneresis.
The oil separation does not mean that your peanut butter is spoiled. Gently stir the natural oils back into the emulsion using a butter knife in a smooth, circular motion. And your peanut butter will be good as new.
Storing Peanut Butter in the Refrigerator
Since peanut butter is a natural spread that may be eaten raw or on bread and in sandwiches, storing it in the refrigerator is not a smart idea.
When we refrigerate peanut butter, it hardens and becomes impossible to consume. Its smooth texture and consistency will get disturbed, making peanut butter challenging to apply to bread.
However, refrigerating peanut butter is recommended if you live in a very hot place. An opened jar of peanut butter will remain suitable for 6-9 months in the refrigerator.
Storing Peanut Butter at Room Temperature
Generally speaking, it is a good idea to store peanut butter at room temperature because the contents are unaffected by the temperature.
The typical shelf life of unopened peanut butter is nine months and for opened peanut butter is 2-3 months. So long as it is still within its expiration date, you can store it in a cold, dry place.
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