Best Peanut Butter

[dragonfare]

For my money, the best peanut butter in the universe is Adams, and to be specific, Adams Crunchy.
It's good enough when I first tasted it, as a gift, I ordered it by the case from the Pacific NW, down to Oklahoma.
It's good enough when I heard they were to be bought by Smucker's I nearly went into mourning. But Smucker's had the rare good sense to acquire a brand and let it be what it is, a plain, unmessed-with, using-special-kind-of-peanuts-and-delicate-roast peanut butter.

To die for: a milkshake with Adams crunchy combined with whole local huckleberries in season. Best substitute: blackberries. It just barely makes it up the straw like little explosions of berry and roasted nut.

Or just plain on pancakes, with berries, or on fresh-baked bread. Yum!

You can't just buy a jar and use it, because it's not homogenized---hurrah! You set it on the counter top down, let it sit a few days til it's all migrated, then use a strong implement to stir the peanut puree and the oil into peanut butter, after which you can eat it. The stir-up lasts usually until the jar is completely gone, and if your will power is no better than mine, the duration is never tested too long.

[bbqboy]

no maranatha fans?

http://www.worldpantry.com/cgi-bin/nc...

[TesterDave]

Adam's isn't bad, but I can't believe no one has mentioned Crazy Richard's. I consider myself a peanut butter connoisseur and CR's is by far the best. Plus, it's just peanut butter; they don't even add salt. Not sure if they have it where you are; I live in the D.C. metro area.

[donnedonne]

Crazy Richard's is the best for me too. Lot of oil so once mixed it's got a gorgeous velvety consistency.

[klieglight2]

I have to 2nd the Crazy Richard's. In my opinion, even though there is nothing added at all, it has a natural sweetness and freshness that most of the other "natural" peanut butter brands I have tried lack. I am sure home roasting and grinding would be best, but the CR's is fine for me.
Interestingly, the latest jar I purchased made no mention about stirring in the oil, and sure enough, it was perfectly spreadable and mixed as is! Not sure what they did to the method of grinding/mixing, but it sure works and the taste seems as fresh as ever. Perhaps it would still eventually separate, but I was amazed I didn't have to spend several minutes working all the oil in as I normally do.

Cheers!

[adventuresinbaking]

I really like the organic valencia crunch peanut butter I get at my local coop. It is like peanut flavored heaven in a jar.

[crosby_p]

Peter Pan creamy...and just heard this morning that it's back on the market after being taken off...if you contacted Con-Agra, or were sick, they are giving a coupon for a free jar.......
although if you got sick from it, I'm guessing you won't want one!

[KaimukiMan]

Was raised on Skippy (chunky, and later super chunk), and I still like it, but recently bought Jif - and I think it really does taste more like fresh peanuts. Change is good right?

[beevod]

Grind my own at Whole Foods. It's addictive.

[merna]

Well, second best anyway. We too, love real PB, peanuts only, no sugar or salt, has to be stirred ... But Santa Cruz Dark Roasted Crunchy beats Adams by a nose. It's PB and onion sandwiches at our house.

[chelleyd01]

Jif Extra Crunchy for my other
Simply Jif for me
Honey Roasted Peanuts freshly ground at my farmers market when I really love my other.

[jfood]

Skippy reduced fat is the PB of choice currently for jfood.

[mamamia]

Skippy Natural
Safeway's O(Organic)

[alkapal]

In Julia Child's (former, and allegedly authentically reproduced as in situ) kitchen at the Smithsonian, there is a jar of Skippy on the counter.

[reubensandperrier]

I adore the Honey Roasted Skippy Creamy PB. I love my PB to be super creamy and slightly sweet, and the honey added to it is just divine. Combine it with Nutella and it's near perfection for a sweet tooth.

[LadyCook61]

I like the Skippy Honey Roasted too.

[JudyHP]

Sounds like Teddie Peanut Butter, made locally in Everett, Massachusetts. I don't know if they ship, but it is wonderful all natural peanut butter.

http://www.teddie.com/peanutButter.html

[val ann c]

Another vote for Teddie. Simply the best tasting I've ever tried. I buy it at Whole Foods in NJ.

[cnale]

Teddie is definitely the best. Takes a minute to stir together the oil and butter, but it's so worth it.

[Bakerloo Line]

Another vote for Teddie - both the smooth and the crunchy varieties.

[Eetzgud]

What a neat surprise to see you mentioning ADAMS ... it was made for a good many years in Tacoma Washington, where I was born, raised and still live. Eventually, it moved along to other makers, who kept it true to it's formula, peanuts ONLY and a trace of salt. Crunchy (best for me, too) and smooth. Other makers have discovered that there are a bunch of us who prefer it 'straight' ... several private labels are doing it, using the formula created by Adams so many years ago.

My kids all grew up eating Adams, besides the traditional pb and jelly, on pancakes, waffles, celery sticks and by the spoonful. I have discovered a new private label called Essencia by Albertson's, nice price, but the crunchy is too large, so I buy a jar of crunchy and a jar of smooth, mix them together and I have a blend that is perfect for me. One jar goes in the fridge until the other is gone ... doesn't take long, even though the kids are long gone and I'm the only user now.

[debbiel]

After years of resisting natural PB, I finally made the shift last month. I moved from Jif creamy to an organice pb with peanuts and only peanuts. I love it! Tried a spoonful of remaining Jif the other day and it (a) tasted horrible to me and (b) didn't taste much like peanuts. I'm glad I finally made the move. Oh, and I stirred mine the first time I opened it, but I haven't had to restir it.

[ktcolt]

Jiff and Skippy! I have never acquired the taste for natural PB. I just dont like stirring up the oil. Looking at that is more of a turnoff than knowing I am eating the sugar laden Jiff and Skippy.

[Chew on That]

"My mom brought me up on Skippy, so I have a tendency to buy that. However, I have a friend that makes her peanut butter out of a powder and she swears it's 10 times better than the already-jarred stuff! I have yet to try it, but just throwing that out there!

Hillary
http://chewonthatblog.com
http://www.recipe4living.com"

[Oh Robin]

Jif Creamy or Crunchy. Very dark and rich. Melted on toast... mmmm. Since I was a kid I always loved how the peanuts turn to peanut butter on the bread in the commercials. My parents always bought Skippy. Ew. Too dry. Peter Pan Creamy is also delish.

[BobB]

Even better, Simply Jif. Less salt & sugar, more peanut taste.

[stolenchange]

I love the Trader Joes ones. Both the natural crunchy ($2) and the organic natural crunchy ($3.50) are delicious and wallet friendly.

[reiflame]

For cheap store brand PB, TJ's can't be beat!

[Candy]

I really like Kroger's house brand of natural crunchy peanut butter. Ingredients peanuts and salt. That is it. I especially dislike peanut butter that has any sweetening in it at all.

[LNG212]

I like the really fresh kind -- right through the grinder in front of you while you wait. (I get mine at Fairway.)

[Kelli2006]

I may be biased because of where I live, but I have always preferred Smuckers all-natural PB.

[JK Grence the Cosmic Jester]

I love the stuff from PB Loco. It's pricey (6 bucks a jar, 5 for the ones at Super Target) but so very, very delicious.

[strephking]

Peanut Butter on waffles is my all time favorite. you should try it with your Adams!