I need to re-separate this macadamia nut butter
June 16, 2022 11:15 AM Subscribe
I bought this big jar of macadamia nut butter at Costco. I stirred the oil that was separated at the top of the jar into the rest of the stuff, then tasted. I find it much too oily and liquid now; not usable. I want it to go back to how it was, with the oil floating on top, so I can pour off the top bit of oil, and hopefully the stuff below will be more like a usable nut butter. How?
I bought it about 3 days ago, which is when I stirred it up. Then I put it in the refrigerator for 2 days.
It wasn't separating back out at all, so I took it out of the fridge and put it on the counter, thinking that if it's at warmish room temperature there's a better chance of the oil floating up and away from the solids. That was yesterday afternoon. Today it's not separated out, although I think maybe the top is a little more liquidy than the bottom.
Is there anything I can do to speed this process along before I start spooning out the top part? Bonus: is there anything useful to do with the oily top part (or, maybe all of it, if this whole thing fails and it remains super oily and liquid?) Maybe use it in a bean dip the way I'd ordinarily use tahini...
I bought it about 3 days ago, which is when I stirred it up. Then I put it in the refrigerator for 2 days.
It wasn't separating back out at all, so I took it out of the fridge and put it on the counter, thinking that if it's at warmish room temperature there's a better chance of the oil floating up and away from the solids. That was yesterday afternoon. Today it's not separated out, although I think maybe the top is a little more liquidy than the bottom.
Is there anything I can do to speed this process along before I start spooning out the top part? Bonus: is there anything useful to do with the oily top part (or, maybe all of it, if this whole thing fails and it remains super oily and liquid?) Maybe use it in a bean dip the way I'd ordinarily use tahini...
Have you tried storing the jar upside down? My experience with almond butter is that early removal of the oil turns the bottom of the jar into a super dense sludge that is nearly impossible to remove. Storing the jar upside down, helps keep the nut butter and oil integrated at a more suitable ratio.
posted by oceano at 11:47 AM on June 16, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by oceano at 11:47 AM on June 16, 2022 [3 favorites]
I don't know about macadamia nut butter, but my natural peanut butter always separates after 2 or 3 days in the cupboard. If I use it every day I barely have to stir it, but if i go a few days without using it, it's completely separated again. So I'd say just give it a little more time.
posted by gideonfrog at 11:51 AM on June 16, 2022 [6 favorites]
posted by gideonfrog at 11:51 AM on June 16, 2022 [6 favorites]
After some hasty googling it seems that macadamia oil has a high smoke point and is tasty in uncooked applications as well. I can’t find an exact melt/freeze temperature but it seems to be liquid at room temp, so lower than coconut oil, for example.
One thing you could do is transfer the whole jar to a stack of coffee filters or layers of paper towel in a strainer over a bowl. That should help wick away excess oil into the fibers, and you might have enough that drains off from gravity to make something with it - if you absolutely need to be zero waste oil-soaked paper makes effective fire starters. You might be able to squeeze it in a tea towel, too. You could smoosh the nut butter around so there is a well down the middle and the oil will accumulate in the center from the exposed surface as it separates.
I suspect you just need to give it more time in your warmish room temperature though. And then make a dipping sauce with the extra oil, maybe a bit of the nut butter, some chili, something sweet like a jam or honey, something acidic like lime juice, and some fish sauce or soy for a riff on a peanut dipping sauce?
posted by Mizu at 12:01 PM on June 16, 2022
One thing you could do is transfer the whole jar to a stack of coffee filters or layers of paper towel in a strainer over a bowl. That should help wick away excess oil into the fibers, and you might have enough that drains off from gravity to make something with it - if you absolutely need to be zero waste oil-soaked paper makes effective fire starters. You might be able to squeeze it in a tea towel, too. You could smoosh the nut butter around so there is a well down the middle and the oil will accumulate in the center from the exposed surface as it separates.
I suspect you just need to give it more time in your warmish room temperature though. And then make a dipping sauce with the extra oil, maybe a bit of the nut butter, some chili, something sweet like a jam or honey, something acidic like lime juice, and some fish sauce or soy for a riff on a peanut dipping sauce?
posted by Mizu at 12:01 PM on June 16, 2022
Putting it in the fridge after stirring it is why it hasn’t separated. It needs to sit at room temp for quite awhile (on the order of days?) for separation to happen. I have no idea if that’s safe with macadamia butter, though.
posted by Thorzdad at 4:43 AM on June 17, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Thorzdad at 4:43 AM on June 17, 2022 [1 favorite]
It will separate on it's own again, but will take a bit of time. Warm (not hot) temps will help to liquify the oil and allow it to split. You might try warming a small amount in the microwave (defrost setting) or even in a pan over very low heat to see if you can speed up the process. The key to this is to not stir/agitate it much as that can re-emulsify it.
Absolutely save the oil and use it! Pure oil can be used in vinaigrettes or for sautes. The thin oil/solids mixture can def be used in place of tahini, but does have a milder taste, so adjust accordingly.
posted by jenquat at 12:10 PM on June 17, 2022
Absolutely save the oil and use it! Pure oil can be used in vinaigrettes or for sautes. The thin oil/solids mixture can def be used in place of tahini, but does have a milder taste, so adjust accordingly.
posted by jenquat at 12:10 PM on June 17, 2022
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Another tack would be a vibration table. Again, assuming you don't want to build or buy one, you could set it on your washing machine for the spin cycle in between your bouts of centerfuging.
You are right warmer will help, but too hot increases risk of rancidification. Maybe leave it outside in the sun for a bit before you spin it or vibrate.
posted by SaltySalticid at 11:35 AM on June 16, 2022