The Great PBJ Controversy

[Churchmouse]

This is a problem that has plagued mankind since the beginning of time. The proper way to prepare a PBJ sandwich. I say it should be (1) bread, peanut butter, jelly.(2) bread, peanut butter, jelly. Then put together. My wife says it's (1) bread, peanut butter.(2) bread, jelly. Then put together.

Does anyone know the answer to this dilemma?

[FunkyTown]

It's obviously bread, peanut butter(Harder to spread) then jelly, then put a piece of bread on top. Doubling up on toppings means your man-boobs will point to the floor.

[Churchmouse]

Living on a farm plus walking four miles each morning keeps the man-boobs pointing straight ahead:)

[Dravin]

I think how it is put together is irrelevant if you don't have the right peanut butter. Now assuming proper peanut butter the construction depends on if you need the sandwich to remain stable over a period of time. If the sandwich is to be consumed post haste then one can simply do a layer of peanut butter and a layer of jelly. If one needs the sandwich to withstand the test of time then two thin layers of peanut butter (so as not to ruin the ratio of peanut butter, bread, and jam/jelly) in contact with the bread with jam/jelly between them is required to prevent the jam/jelly from soaking into the bread (unless that is your thing, but... yuck).

[beefche]

Honestly, I think the best way to make this sandwich is to take (1) the peanut butter and exchange it for roast beef and swiss cheese. Then instead of jelly, put on some horseradish sauce. Then place (2) bread on top and enjoy.

[Smudge]

I can't stand PB&J - however when I have made them for others - I butter both slices of bread then spread peanut butter on one slice and then jam on the other slice and squish them to gether!

[Lakumi]

I find PB&J revolting and always have - yuck!

[Backroads]

PBJ is one of those more perfect foods of life.

First, the bread must be some sort of wheat. I prefer a nice cracked grain. Two slices is the way to go. Then, this must be toasted until the edges are almost burnt. A crunchy peanut butter is spread thickly on one slice, and a preserve of one's desired fruit is spread not-so-thickly on the other. The two slices of bread are then combined as that the peanut butter and the jelly are touching.

[Guest]

I make it like your wife. My favorite is strawberry freezer jam.

[Canuck Mormon]

Your example number 2 is the correct and only gov't approved way!

For the radicals there is always this alternate way:

Take out a wrap, spread PB until the wrap is almost covered, add a bit of jam to the PB and roll sealing one end to hold it all in!! MMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!

I know, I know............Weird Canadians, right?

[Guest]

We eat peanut butter and Nutella wraps. But I guess Idaho is next to Canada. You must be a bad influence.

[Anddenex]

(1) - A thin layer of PB, a thicker layer if you are feeling dangerous

(2) - A thin layer of PB (this way the PB protects the bread from the Jelly -- especially if you are making a sack lunch to eat the sandwich later), then apply Jelly (before application, stir the Jelly in the jar loosing it up making it easier to spread).

Voila - Eat until your heart's content!

[Just_A_Guy]

I prefer the op's wife's method.

Mixing the PB and jelly on slice #1 leads to getting a mixture of PB and jelly onto the knife, and thence into the jelly jar when you're trying to do apply jelly to slice #2. PB on each slice, then jelly on only one, puts the ingredients out of balance and makes one unnecessarily thirsty.

[mnn727]

First toast the wheat bread, then put a fairly heavy dose of PB on it, add another piece of toast to the top and skip the jelly entirely, it would completely ruin a good sandwich.

Never EVER add butter.... my gosh what are some of you thinking?

[Praetorian_Brow]

Jelly is an insult to jam and will always be inferior, even if some people confuse the two.

Toast the rye bread and its 2 parts peanut butter to 1 part marmalade, otherwise the jam overwhelms the peanut butter.

[Smudge]

Never EVER add butter.... my gosh what are some of you thinking?

Butter makes it easier to spread a nice thin layer of peanut butter - and since my fav brand of peanut butter, Skippy, is £2.50 a jar it makes it last a lot longer.

PB on toasted flat breads or in pita bread is fab!

[Traveler]

I do not often eat PBJ sandwich. I do have my preference on how it should be made but to be honest I seldom eat PBJ sandwiches except on long bicycle rides when I needs lots of carbs to keep me going. And to be honest having carried the sandwich for a few hours in my jersey pocket - I really do not care that much how it was made - and I very thankfully gulp it down - usually with a banana.

As a side note: I have never taken shot-blocks and I have learned to avoid candy bars (anything with refined sugar and chocolate) on rides. But the best is spaghetti noodles and as always a banana.

The Traveler

[MrShorty]

I prefer my PB&J sandwiches open faced. So, use the OP's method 1, but forget to put the slices together (Of course this only works when you are eating the sandwich immediately, and you have to be skilled at eating PB&J sandwiches to eat them this way. Someone prone to dropping his sandwich will end up getting PB&J all over the floor.)

[Churchmouse]

With my OP, putting PB and jelly on both slices of bread, you get more PB and jelly. That's a plus from thre very beginning.:)

[FunkyTown]

Has anyone tried fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches?

Glaaaaaaaaaaaah. Sooooooo gooooooooooood.

Elvis was on to something. He also gained like six hundred pounds, but there you have it.

[NightSG]

Uncrustables - For when you're too lazy or incompetent to even make your kid a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Proof that motherhood is a dying art.

[Smudge]

because it is just sooooooooooo hard to make a PB&J

[Quin]

1) peanutbutter, bananas, honey

Or... Even better... Throw the peanut butter out the door for the dog & break out the good stuff :)

2) Almond butter & honey

3) Almindbutter & freezer jam (any fruit)

4) Nutella & marshmallow fluff (known as a fluffer-nutter in SoCal)

1-4 bread optional. A spoon works just as handily. If planning on peanut butter & honey spoon... Break out a paper cup to hold and garnish with wheat germ.

Hey. We were poor, but we were creative!

((I refuse peanut butter, pickles, & mayonnaise. Which I swear is a pregnant lady contraption, but it's 20yo guys who I see eating it all the time)).

Q

[dahlia]

It's interesting this topic has come up. I recently posted on another board how I use 'how to make a PBJ sandwich' (with appropriate props) in a class to demonstrate tacit & explicit knowledge.

You would not believe the heated 'discussion' that grad students get in over whether the jelly goes on top of the peanut butter or on its own piece of bread. Every. durn. time.

btw - bread, peanut butter, bread, jelly. Put jelly bread on top of peanut butter. If you want to get fancy, put some BBQ potato chips on top of the peanut butter, then put the jellied bread on top. I thought everyone knew this.

[Magen_Avot]

Stand back for deep PBJ doctrine!

Caution: Do not see your doctor about this first. He/she may forbid your participation!...

Use thick toasted cracked multi-grain bread, blanketed liberally with crunchy peanut butter,... about the thickness of a peanut butter cup... or more. Add a couple of dollops of blackberry, or boysenberry, or pear, or apricot, or strawberry jam right on top of the jam (this is not a preferance, but a necessity). C'mon now don't be shy! A little more. Good! Lower the other slice of toasted bread and press the edges down firmly, but not too firmly.

Pour a quart of ice cold milk and add a straw... both hands will be needed elsewhere.

Delicately lift one edge of the sandwich and slide one hand under,... then the other. Hold the PBJ firmly so as to keep the lower end and the lower portions of the sides from leaking the jam. (of course you remembered to put a plastic table cloth down!)

You may now enjoy**. Keep in mind you may need to practice in order to master this process.

**Remember to inhale through your mouth just ever so slightly as you take a bite to keep the jam from squishing to the back... and inevitably all over the table cloth.

(What's the point if one PBJ doesn't eat like a meal?)

I know what I'm having for dinner!!!

Edited August 19, 2013 by Magen_Avot