Home made tahini

[SpongeBobJudgeyPants]

I've just made some to use in beetroot hummus, as tahini is quite expensive, and normally goes out of date after I've used it in one recipe... Anyhoo, I got quite excited when I saw black sesame seeds as well as white in Sainsbos, and made it with half black half white. It still seems a bit gritty, but has gone fine into the hummus. Anyone else had a go, and have any wisdom to share? Is there a reason you wouldn't use black seeds, and I've gone off plan and boobed? TIA.

Make sure you are using hulled seeds, otherwise it will stay grainy.

Apart from that, more oil than seems sensible and a good blender

Thanks. I assume they are hulled, but it doesn't actually say. I tried to go easy on the oil for diet reasons, but did wonder!

I freeze tahini in ice-cube trays, & put in a zip-lock bag.
Works very well.

You don't have to throw tahini away when it goes out of date, although it does have a tendency to separate.

I've never had tahini go off. Ready-made keeps for weeks in the fridge and concentrate keeps for months. Well beyond their use by dates.

Oh that's interesting. Sounds like the way forward. I tend to freeze if I open a jar of pesto, but hadn't thought of it. Much better than it just looming in the fridge taunting me. Thanks all.

Does tahini go off?

A jar lasts me forever and I just keep it in the cupboard.

Not sure why you'd add oil to make tahini - sesame seeds are over 50% fat. Normally they are ground to make raw tahini, rather than chopped up in a blender. That might account for the grittiness. I've had tahinis made the traditional way from all sorts of sesame seeds, and the texture is always fairly smooth.

When I make my own tahini dip or sauce I take some pure, ground tahini and mix it with water, lemon juice and salt. Sometimes I add a little olive oil or paprika.