If you’ve ever bought honey in bulk, you know that it gets very thick and crystallized after a while. Usually this takes several months, but honey can thicken up extra quickly in the wintertime (or if your house is chilly). Honey still tastes just fine in this state, but it can be difficult to measure–and it sure doesn’t drizzle nicely over a hot biscuit!
The question is, how do you get your honey from this thick, crystallized, nearly solid mass into the runny, pourable liquid it once was?
The process is pretty straightforward, but there are one or two things you should know to avoid:
- First, do not try to heat honey by any method when it is stored in a plastic container. The plastic will soften and leach chemicals into your honey!
- Do not microwave honey, especially raw honey. Microwaves heat food unevenly, and parts of the honey are likely to get too hot and scorch in the microwave, which destroys nutrients and flavor.
- Do not boil honey. Again, this destroys nutrients, especially in raw honey. Antioxidants and enzymes in honey are destroyed at temperatures higher than 110 degrees F.
Keeping these in mind, let’s look at the best ways to reliquefy honey.
The Best Way to Decrystallize Honey
According to Asheville Bee Charmer, the correct way to decrystallize raw honey is by low, constant, indirect heat. They suggest heating a pot of water to 95-110 degrees F, setting a glass jar of crystallized honey in a large bowl, and pouring the hot water into the bowl, to a depth higher than the level of the honey but lower than the top of the honey jar. Let the honey jar sit in the warm water for as long as it takes to reliquefy, stirring occasionally. This might take about an hour.
The Quick Way to Decrystallize Honey
Another acceptable way to reliquefy your honey is to bring a small pot of water to a simmer, remove it from the heat, and set your honey jar directly into the pot. The water in the pot will be higher than 110 degrees at first, but the honey itself is unlikely to reach that temperature before the water cools. Stirring occasionally helps the honey to melt evenly, and decreases the risk of any particular part of the honey getting too hot.
The Easiest Way to Decrystallize Honey
If you’re trying to cook supper and don’t have time (or space on your stovetop) to heat a pot of water, there is another way to get your honey runny. Simply set your honey jar (not a plastic jar, remember!) near a hot burner. The burner provides enough indirect heat to reliquefy honey.
If you decide to use this method, BE CAREFUL! Do NOT set a jar of honey directly onto a hot stove! You could shatter the jar and cause a fire. Remember, you want indirect heat to warm your honey. Also, since you are not controlling the temperature of the hot air around the honey jar, it is important to stir your honey frequently–and use a hot pad or oven mitt to pick up the jar. It might get hot quicker than you think it will!
A Few More Tips
You might be wondering if there is a way to prevent honey from crystallizing in the first place. The answer: not really, unless you buy it in small quantities and use it up within a few months. All honey will eventually crystallize, but you will find that some types stay runny for longer periods. This is because honey is composed of glucose, fructose, enzymes, antioxidants, and pollen: and the concentration of each varies based on where the honey comes from and the type of flowers used.
Still, you can keep your honey nice and runny for a longer period if you store it in a warm place. It shouldn’t be kept hot, but if you tend to store honey in a cool cellar, it will crystallize faster. If you buy honey in bulk, try keeping a small jar of honey in a cabinet or shelf near your oven, and the rest in a pantry or cellar.
Finally, you don’t want to heat honey over and over again, as this depletes flavor and possibly nutrients. Rather than trying to reliquefy your twelve-pound bucket of honey all at once, it’s better to scoop some into a pint or quart jar, and heat that instead. Not only will you save time heating a smaller amount of honey, but there is less risk of the honey crystallizing again before you use it all up!
There you have it: three methods to decrystallize your honey. I hope you find them helpful! Remember to never, ever heat honey in plastic! Always transfer it to a glass or heat-proof ceramic jar before heating. Even leaving a plastic jar of honey too close to the stove can result in damaged, melted plastic (as happened to my poor jar of honey in the photo). It might sound like a long process to melt your honey with warm water or indirect heat, but this is the best and safest way to restore honey to its original form without destroying enzymes and antioxidants.
Happy Homemaking!
~Kimberly
R says
I have been told by beekeepers that the crystals form in the honey due to the bees diet. The more sugar they are fed, the more crystals their honey will produce. they might be supplemented with a sugary jelly or feed by the beekeepers, or they might be getting it from another supply on their flights to feed. less crystallize g means a better quality honey.
kimberly says
That is very interesting! I have read that the length of time it takes honey to crystallize depends on the ratio of glucose to fructose it contains. Feeding the bees sugar water could certainly affect that!