How and where to store honey at home so that it does not become sugary

Every Russian should have at least one jar of honey in his home. It is he who gets rid of a sudden seasonal cold on a cold autumn evening or a sharp desire to urgently eat something sweet. In general, you will agree that the product is universal and truly necessary. In general, honey should be dense and consistent. However, often due to improper or too long storage it succumbs to the crystallization process and becomes sugary.

Sooner or later, honey will still lose its consistency and become hard. This is primarily due to the composition of the product, namely the large amount of sugar in it. There is absolutely no need to be afraid of this, and you should not be upset about a broken product. Even in this consistency, it does not lose its beneficial properties, except that it becomes inconvenient to use. But this too can be fixed.

We tell you how, in which container and where it is better to store honey so that it does not become sugary and lasts longer.

How to store honey properly

Monitor your temperature

In general, the key to proper storage of any product is proper room temperature. When it comes to honey, it is important to maintain a constant range of 10 to 21 degrees. However, it is best to store honey away from direct sunlight. For example, in the pantry or kitchen cabinet. The main thing is to monitor the temperature. Cold conditions do not spoil the product at all – at most it changes its consistency. However, at high temperatures, honey loses its beneficial properties. Meanwhile, it is recommended to store it in a dry place free of moisture, otherwise the quality of the product will deteriorate.

Choose the right pot

Since honey is very difficult to store due to its high chemical activity, you should choose a container in which no further reactions will occur. It is best to choose containers that can be closed tightly. For example, ceramic pots, wooden pots, glass jars and even clay pots. The important thing is to keep all containers closed.

It is best to avoid storing the product in plastic and iron containers. As a matter of fact, in this case, after a while, honey will begin to absorb or oxidize chemicals on the walls of such dishes.

Decide on storage location

One of the most frequently asked questions by those living in city apartments is whether honey can be stored in the refrigerator? In this case the answer is yes. But we immediately warn you that this is not the best place, since honey can absorb foreign odors from food. In this case, it is important to make sure that there are no open containers or other food storage containers left in the refrigerator.

City dwellers also need to take a closer look at their kitchen cabinets, which are located away from the oven and gas stove. In these places, honey will be able to remain at the correct consistency for as long as possible. But the worst place for storage is the balcony. Due to constant temperature fluctuations, the product may crystallize unevenly.

Expiration date of honey

Does honey spoil? In general, the conditional shelf life of honey is one year. There is no point in storing it for a longer time, because after this time it loses all its beneficial properties. However, remember that the shelf life of the product decreases to six months as soon as you open the packaging.

The good news is that honey does not rot or go rancid; high sugar concentrates prevent honey from doing this. So if you suddenly notice a jar with sugar, do not rush to throw it away, thinking that all the contents have spoiled.

Crystallized honey indicates high quality. Therefore, you should be more afraid of a product that remains in liquid form for several months from the moment you open the jar. This means it’s full of artificial sugar and other chemical additives.

How to melt candied honey

Water bath method

To make this, you will need two containers: one large pan and the second slightly smaller. The larger one should be filled with water and placed on the stove to heat up. When the temperature of the liquid inside reaches 55 degrees, reduce the heat to prevent it from heating up further. Then, you should add the sugared honey that you will melt into a small bowl. It will need to be placed in a large pan, touching the bottom. After this, the honey will begin to melt. When it reaches the desired consistency, remove the small container and pour the resulting product into a glass jar.

Note: You should only eat honey after it has completely cooled and reached room temperature.

In a regular microwave

If you don’t want to bother, you can always heat the honey in the microwave. But keep in mind that the result will be slightly different from the method described above. The main difference is that you cannot control how candied honey will melt in the microwave. This means that you need to act according to a strict scheme. First you need to set the minimum power. Second, you will need to turn off the microwave every 30 seconds and stir the product until it reaches your desired consistency. By the way, if you use this method, choose the container in which you will melt the honey carefully. It’s not plastic or iron that matters. The best option is a glass bowl or jar.