Sandwiches & Handhelds · American
PB&J
Cook Now399kcal13.5g protein18.2g fat49g carbs~$0.66/ serving*Estimates computed from the ingredient list; cost uses average US supermarket prices. Not a substitute for packaging measurements or your receipt.
VegetarianVegan · without onePescatarianNo porkNo alcohol
Contains: gluten, peanut
Ingredients
Servings:
| 4 slice | bread (soft white sandwich) |
| 4 tbsp | peanut butter |
| 2 tbsp | jelly (grape or strawberry) |
| 1 tsp | butter (a thin layer under the jelly, a stronger barrier still)optional |
| 1 unit | banana (sliced thin)optional |
| 1 tbsp | honey (in place of the jelly)optional |
| 1 pinch | salt (a pinch, if the peanut butter is unsalted)optional |
Method
- mix1 minnatural peanut butter only, stirred from the bottom of the jarpeanut butter stirred until uniform if it has separated (+ salt). Natural peanut butter separates because nothing is holding the oil in suspension; the oil at the top is not spoiled and pouring it away leaves a dry, crumbly spread that tears bread
- toast2 minoptional, light — just until the surface firmsbread toasted briefly if it is going to sit for more than an hour (+ butter spread thinly while warm). A firmed surface absorbs water more slowly. Skip this for a sandwich eaten straight away, where the soft crumb is the point
- season2 minpeanut butter to the very edges of BOTH slicespeanut butter spread edge to edge on both inner faces. This is the whole technique and most people do it on one slice only. Peanut butter is roughly half fat, and fat is hydrophobic — a continuous layer on both sides seals the jelly in the middle so its water cannot reach the crumb. An unspread corner is where sogginess starts
- fold1 minjelly in the centre, kept back from the edges+ jelly spooned onto one side and spread to within a centimetre of the edge (+ banana, + honey), then closed and pressed gently. Keeping it back from the edge stops it squeezing out under pressure, which is the other way this sandwich fails