You can decrystallize honey instead of throwing it out. We have three methods on how to bring your honey back to liquid here for you. You can do it with a pot on the stove, in a slow cooker, and even if the honey is in a plastic container.
Honey is fantastic as a substitute for sugar. Some people enjoy it as a topping for their fruit, while some of them use it for baking purposes.
Crystallized honey is gaining popularity as an exfoliant for the body. I, for one, like to stir some in my matcha tea, and savor the refreshing taste and aroma.
But sometimes, you need to de-crystallize it. Luckily, I have mastered the art of de-crystallizing honey, instead of buying a new jar every time I need it.
The process of liquid honey taking a semi-solid form is known as granulation. Contrary to popular belief, the crystallization of honey doesn’t allude to poor quality, and the reality is the exact opposite.
Did you know that honey is one of the most concentrated forms of sugar? It contains less than 20% water and 70% carbohydrates.
The amount of sugar in honey is more than it can dissolve. Considering there is too much sugar, the sugar turns into semi-solid crystals.
✔Check this article out: 6 Honey Substitutes That Can Create Mouthwatering Desserts
How to Decrystallize Honey
Unlike other kitchen ingredients, honey can last for years at a stretch. Even if it crystallizes, do not throw it away. Granulation or honey crystallization is perfectly natural and preserves the natural flavor of honey.
However, to get it out of the jar, you will need to de-crystallize it. Luckily, turning solid honey into softened honey is just as simple.
All you need is some hot water, and you are good to go.
Decrystallize honey on a stovetop
Tips and tricks
- Make sure that the jar of honey is at room temperature before you place it in the pan of hot water. If the honey happens to be cold or the glass container is cold, the glass could break.
- You don’t want your jar of honey entirely covered by water. The jar should be about ¾ the way immersed in the water.
- Do not use this method if your honey is in a plastic container. The hot water could melt the plastic, and that would ruin your honey.
What you will need:
- Honey in a glass container
- Saucepan
- Water
- Spoon
Instruction:
- Fill a saucepan about 25% of the way with water and heat it up on the stovetop. We don’t want the water boiling, but we do want it to be hot. Once the water is roiling, turn the temperature to low.
- Loosen the lid on the honey so that air can escape but leave the lid on. Place the jar of honey in hot water. Make sure the top of the honey jar should is not covered with water. Otherwise, water will enter the jar, and that is something you don’t want. Also, do not lay the honey jar into the water, as it will allow water to flow in.
- After the water cools down and reaches room temperature, remove the honey jar, and check for crystals. Tilt the jar just a little, to make sure the honey is moving.
- Continue to repeat the process, until the honey has fully liquefied. After the honey has fully softened, store it in a clean and warm place in your kitchen.
Decrystallize honey in a plastic container
What you will need:
- A glass jar such as a small mason jar
- A spoon
- Saucepan
- Water
Important note:
- It is crucial to note that you should not put a plastic container in hot water.
Transfer the honey to a glass container:
- Take a spoon and transfer the crystallized honey into an empty and clean jar. If the existing honey jar is plastic, remove the lid and squeeze the honey into the clean glass jar. You can even use a mason jar.
- If the honey is too difficult to remove from the plastic container, run the plastic honey jar under hot water from the faucet and try to squeeze it out. Water from the tap doesn’t generally get too hot, so this process shouldn’t harm the plastic.
- If the honey is particularly stubborn and you can’t even get out the crystallized honey, go ahead and put a bowl in your sink and fill it with hot water. Place the plastic container in there and let it soak to soften it up a bit. You may have to reheat the water a few times.
- Fill a saucepan about 25% of the way with water and heat it up on the stovetop. We don’t want the water boiling, but we do want it to be hot. Once the water is roiling, turn the temperature to low.
- Loosen the lid on the honey so that air can escape but leave the lid on. Place the jar of honey in hot water. Make sure the top of the honey jar should is not covered with water. Otherwise, water will enter the jar, and that is something you don’t want. Also, do not lay the honey jar into the water, as it will allow water to flow in.
- After the water cools down and reaches room temperature, remove the honey jar, and check for crystals. Tilt the jar just a little, to make sure the honey is moving.
- Continue to repeat the process, until the honey has fully liquefied. After the honey has fully softened, store it in a clean and warm place in your kitchen.
Decrystallize honey using a slow cooker
A crockpot is a great tool to use to de-crystallize honey. When using a crockpot, the following tips will help you on the way.
- Partially fill the crockpot with water. The crockpot should be filled to ¾ of the honey jar height. Doing so, you will avoid any submergence, and protect the honey from water going into it.
- In the crockpot, set a low temperature, and continue to monitor it with a thermometer. To check the temperature, make sure to go through the instruction manual of your crockpot. As long as the temperature remains below 140 degrees Fahrenheit, feel free to place the plastic honey jar into the crockpot containing water. Otherwise, the honey needs to be transferred to a glass jar.
- In most crockpots, the lowest temperature is 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, it is ok to place the plastic honey jar into the crockpot. However, if the temperature of the water exceeds 140 degrees Fahrenheit, the plastic will start to warp.
- The plastic honey jar should sit in the crockpot for 8 hours, at least. The honey doesn’t necessarily need to be submerged. Continue to check after every few hours, to make sure whether or not the temperature has exceeded the 140 degrees mark. In case it has, the crockpot should be turned off, and the process repeated after a few hours.
- The time required to de-crystallize the honey will depend upon how bad the crystallization is, and how many jars need to be de-crystallized.
- After the honey has fully crystallized, keep it in higher cabinets where it is relatively warmer.
How to decrystallize honey
How to fix crystallized honey and how to decrystallize honey in a plast ic container.
Ingredients
- A glass jar such as a small mason jar
- A spoon
- Saucepan
- Water
Instructions
- Take a spoon and transfer the crystallized honey into an empty and clean jar. If the existing honey jar is plastic, remove the lid and squeeze the honey into the clean glass jar. You can even use a mason jar.
- If the honey is too difficult to remove from the plastic container, run the plastic honey jar under hot water from the faucet and try to squeeze it out. Water from the tap doesn’t generally get too hot, so this process shouldn’t harm the plastic.
- If the honey is particularly stubborn and you can’t even get out the crystallized honey, go ahead and put a bowl in your sink and fill it with hot water. Place the plastic container in there and let it soak to soften it up a bit. You may have to reheat the water a few times.
- Fill a saucepan about 25% of the way with water and heat it up on the stovetop. We don’t want the water boiling, but we do want it to be hot. Once the water is roiling, turn the temperature to low.
- Loosen the lid on the honey so that air can escape but leave the lid on. Place the jar of honey in hot water. Make sure the top of the honey jar should is not covered with water. Otherwise, water will enter the jar, and that is something you don’t want. Also, do not lay the honey jar into the water, as it will allow water to flow in.
- After the water cools down and reaches room temperature, remove the honey jar, and check for crystals. Tilt the jar just a little, to make sure the honey is moving.
- Continue to repeat the process, until the honey has fully liquefied. After the honey has fully softened, store it in a clean and warm place in your kitchen.
Notes
The times will vary based upon how stubborn the container is and how long it takes to heat up the water.
Conclusion
Crystallization of honey is an excellent thing. It is a sign that the honey is of good quality, and free of any kind of contamination. However, crystallized honey can get problematic sometimes, as it cannot be used for eating purposes. The tips mentioned above will help you de-crystallize your honey, with ease. However, your job is to make sure that the honey doesn’t crystallize again. Therefore, make sure to store it in a warm and dry place, where the temperature rarely oscillates.