Making 1 cup (237 mL) of sesame oil is a good amount for general cooking and skincare needs. If you want to make a lot in advance, double or triple the amount of sesame seeds.
You should notice a pleasant, nutty aroma as the seeds toast. Sesame seeds will start popping out from the pan as its heated up. Use a mesh screen (like the one you use to block splattering oil) to cover the pan if you’d like.
The golden brown color is a sign that the sesame seeds are toasted properly. You can also stop cooking when you start smelling the roasted sesame seeds.
If you overcook your sesame seeds, that’s okay! Simply throw them out and try again.
If you are using 3 cups (710 g) of sesame seeds, use 12 cups (3 L) of oil. All of these work well to help you extract the sesame oil.
This way, you can separate the cooking oil from the sesame oil.
The ingredients should easily mix together because of the cooking oil. If you have difficulty, try stirring the ingredients or using a higher heat setting.
For instance, when using peanut oil, it may only take 45 minutes for your oil to separate. If using sunflower seed oil, it may take up to 2 hours.
Using cheesecloth ensures no seeds get inside your oil. Do this if you used sunflower oil, coconut oil, or vegetable oil
With peanut oil, you do not need to pour the ingredients through cheesecloth since the oil easily separates on its own.
For example, use a liter-sized mason jar with an airtight lid.
If the oil smells sour or tastes bitter, it has spoiled.
