First, I'm NOT an expert on Tahini. I suspect that the "liquid" you are adding might be the culprit? Peanut butter is "similar" to tahini. Once bought a jar of some kind of fancy, maybe "all-natural" PB... kind where oil separates and rises to top. The PB, below the oil, was extremely dense and very difficult to reincorporate? I seem to remember adding a touch of liquid/water and it instantly "seizing"... like when a drop or 2 of water gets into melted chocolate? Maybe (again not expert) if container sat in simmering water (on very low) like I sometimes have to do when honey gets crystals??

Adding some oil can help. 1 thing I've noticed is that you need to add a LOT of liquid to thin a tahini or other nut butter-based sauce. Many recipes call for only a Tbs or 2 of nut butter to 1/2 cup or more of liquid - so a 1:4 ratio or greater....?

When I make hoummous, for example, if I add the tahini first it sets like cement, so I whizz the lemon juice, garlic, a fair amount of water and seasonings and THEN add the tahini. If it's too thick, add more water until it is the consistency I like. So, I'm guessing, too little liquid and it seizes, more liquid and it relaxes again.

Thanks, everyone. The big problem seems to be that if I add enough water to keep it liquified long enough to serve, then it doesn't taste like much because it's too diluted, and it still hardens up afterward, so the next day I have tasteless cement instead of tasty cement.

Can you substitute some lemon/lime juice for water?

Or change brands? There's many different versions and some are thicker than others.

Thanks nannygoat and Annie. I should have mentioned that lemon juice or water makes no difference. Annie, I don't have a problem with hummus, just sauces.

I had a similar problem and switched to TJ's tahini--there's quite a textural difference. If there's a store nearby it may be worth trying.

Thanks, nannygoat. It's about an hour and a half away but I do get down that way occasionally. I'll give it a try.

It's only $3.49 and they will give a refund if you don't like it for any reason.

Since it's quite a distance, I suggest calling in advance to ensure that it's in stock:)

This is just a guess here, but I'm thinking that the problem may be that it did separate into oil and cement (which doesn't matter for chumus), and that stirred together, it's just the oil suspended in the cement, rather than truly put back together. Starting with a fresh, unseparated jar--or better yet, make your own--might be the trick. I will also guess that the TJ's has been whipped in such a way that it emulsifies. In fact, if you're wiling to make a mess, you could run your techinah through a Vita-Mix, if you have one, and see if it emulsifies. If there are eggs in your sauce, you might even try emulsifying it with the egg yolk.

I would think adding a flavourful liquid like juice, broth or wine, etc. would remedy the tastelessness problem....?

I like to use orange juice, myself.

I don't know. I am more with Annie here, as usual. My suspicion is more that each time you have used the tahini, for whatever use, you haven't fully stirred the oil back in and are getting the cement problem. Possible?

Perhaps a bit of sesame oil with some olive oil will thin the tahini out and maintain the flavor (or change it if you use toasted sesame oil and olive oil). I've not tried it because I have a different method of getting and keeping tahini the right consistency.

When I get a new jar or tin of it I turn it upside down in the pantry until I want to use it. The oil separates but is then on the bottom making it easier to dump out. When I want to use it the first time it goes into a bowl and is mixed using a cutting motion with a flat small spatula instead of stirring with a spoon. I portion out what I usually need - 1/2 cup - into small flexible plastic cups they sell for kid's snacks. These go in the fridge, upside down (sesame goes rancid quickly). When I need some I can squeeze it out into the blender, I love hummus and my DH makes it heavily garlic-laced which is just the way I want it!

The TJ branded version does have a layer of oil that needs to be incorporated. I also store it bottom-side-up in the refrigerator as this seems to make it easier to stir. Hummus does not seem to be affected by viscosity, but sauces can be more persnickety.

I don't have the cement problem either and I also store my tahini upside down.

Thanks, everyone. Yes, I've tried the upside down thing and it didn't make any difference. Actually, when it's right side up and the oil isn't getting totally incorporated back into the tahini, what I scoop out would have more oil in it, which I would have thought would decrease the viscosity of what I make with it?

plllog, the vitamix would be a good idea except that I don't have anything more powerful than my kitchenaid immersion blender.

I've made tahini dip or sauce quite a bit recently. All it has is tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and enough water to get the consistency desired. I've found that even if the tahini is fully stirred in the jar, when I add the lemon juice and water, it has a tendency to seize at the first. The key, according to several online recipes, is to continue stirring and eventually the mixture will homogenize. It's worked for me. And leftovers don't separate much. If they do, some more stirring seems to do the trick.

Hm... I'm pretty sure that the KA immersion, powerful as it is, would only make a lot of unrewarded cleanup for you.

From your description, I think my guess about the separation holds water. How much do you need for a sauce? A tablespoon? If so, you could try scooping out a honkin' spoonful, at least double what you need and put it in the center of a flat dish with a low lip, like a pie plate or the lid of a tin box. Something where you have free access to the center, but edges to hold in the oil. A rimmed dinner plate might work fine. Then take an American style table fork--the kind with flat tines and a curved bottom of the tines (much better than any other tool for this purpose)--and mash the heck out of the techinah, incorporating the oil--not more than its fair share if possible. Just mash and gather and change directions until it's silky and soft and no longer separated. Then measure and put in your sauce.

Fresh, unseparated techinah isn't cementlike at all. It's almost liquid and will slide easily down a plate if tilted. Mashing the heck out of it might bring it back and make it work.

That's interesting, shambo. I'll have to try to see if more stirring re-emulsifies it.

I'm pretty sure that the KA immersion, powerful as it is, would only make a lot of unrewarded cleanup for you.

I don't doubt that for a moment, plllog!