Finding ways to keep honey fresh isn’t a common dilemma compared to fresh fruit, vegetables, or other cupboard condiments.
However, many households will ponder the best place to store this naturally sweet ingredient when they discover it has become thick and crystallised.
The consistency turns thick and cloudy as more crystals form, leaving the honey coarse, sugary or sometimes creamy in texture.
It’s one of the most common reasons people throw away otherwise perfectly good honey, but it’s easily avoided with a simple storage hack.
Honey experts from Asheville Bee Charmer said: “All raw honey will crystallise over time, though the type of honey, method of storing, and temperature all affect how quickly it will crystallise.”
Perhaps the most important factor affecting this is temperature, but it’s also one of the trickiest to control.
According to the honey experts, crystallisation “happens much faster at lower temperatures”, particularly when it dips below 10C (50F). They advised: “Don’t store honey in a chilly basement or unheated mudroom.”
As for UK households, this means keeping the sweet condiment out of rooms like conservatories, garages, and utility rooms where the temperature is typically lower.
To keep runny honey in its smooth, liquid consistency, the best storage temperature is room temperature, around 10-21C (50-70F). A cool, dry cupboard will likely offer the optimum environment.
The Asheville Bee Charmer team suggested going one step further and avoiding honey packaged in plastic too.
They explained that plastic is more porous than glass and more prone to letting in moisture, which encourages crystallisation.
A glass container will do a better job of keeping moisture out of your honey, as long as the lid is tightly sealed.
If you find your honey has already crystallised, there’s no need to throw it away and replace it. The Just Bee Honey team reassured Britons that “there’s nothing wrong with crystallised honey”.
Crystallised chunks can easily be used in food, such as sprinkling them on top of porridge.
To reverse the solid texture of honey, all you need is the warm water from your kitchen tap and a small bowl. Let the water run so it gets nice and warm, then place your jar of honey in the bowl and add water until it’s about three-quarters up the side of the jar.
Using a teaspoon, stir the honey gently and continuously, not splashing water into your jar.
If you think cold temperatures are to blame for the honey’s crystallisation, keep it in a slightly warmer cupboard, perhaps close to a heat source. As for its shelf life, honey is safe to eat for months.
