Unlike most foods that need to be refrigerated or frozen after opening, honey does not need to be refrigerated after opening. To keep the quality of your honey intact, you must store it in hermetically sealed containers. Because honey is best stored at room temperature (64 to 75 F), it’s a good idea to keep a container of honey on a shelf or in your pantry.
Honey does not need to be refrigerated, and it should be kept out of the cold. Honey survives in warm environments for long periods during the year, and placing honey in the refrigerator causes it to crystallize into a much less useful form.
There is really no need to store honey in the refrigerator, store it properly in an airtight container, honey has a much longer shelf life than anything else in your cupboard. Storing honey in the refrigerator will cause the honey to crystallize quickly and this is not necessary as it does not spoil.
Storing honey in the refrigerator preserves it, but at low temperatures, honey turns into a semi-solid mass, so this method of storage is not recommended. DO NOT store honey in the oven or anywhere else in the kitchen where it will be exposed to high temperatures.
How to Prevent Honey form Crystallizing
To prevent honey from crystallizing quickly, store it at room temperature (honey will crystallize if stored below 50 degrees Fahrenheit). To prevent crystallization from occurring earlier than usual, be sure to keep the honey at room temperature and try storing it in glass, as it is less porous than plastic. All types of honey crystallize, but the rate at which it crystallizes depends on temperature, storage method, and other factors. Whether your honey is stored in plastic bottles, glass jars, bear cubs or large plastic containers, crystallisation is bound to happen over time.
Storing honey in the refrigerator will only increase the rate of crystallization, turning the honey from a liquid state into a thick pasty mass. Don’t put your honey frames in the fridge, this will speed up the process of crystallizing or candiing your honey. If you can’t extract the honey right away and have the space, consider freezing your honey frames until you can extract.
You don’t need to refrigerate or freeze honey, but this will help you keep it longer without worrying about moisture getting inside. As long as you store honey in a clean, airtight container away from heat sources, direct sunlight, and moisture, there is no need to refrigerate the honey.
On the other hand, liquid honey should be stored in a cupboard at room temperature, as if it were stored in a refrigerator; a lower temperature will promote and accelerate the crystallization of liquid honey. Lower temperatures, such as refrigeration or refrigeration, crystallize honey quickly and should be avoided.
Honey Crystallizes in the Cold
Cooler temperatures will cause your honey to harden and you may need to heat it up as often as you like. It will crystallize, so you can reheat it after thawing to bring it back to a smooth liquid state, but avoid sudden temperature changes right away and try not to heat the honey too much. Honey doesn’t have to be completely smooth to go in, if you can get it out of the container it will circulate well in your recipe as it heats up. Crystallized honey is not bad, and you can return it to liquid form by gently heating and stirring.
To crystallize honey, place the jar of honey in a bowl and gradually heat it using warm, but not boiling, water. For those who prefer to avoid using the stovetop method, you can also put crystallized honey in a bowl of warm water, although this method will likely take longer for the honey to run.
Just bring a small pot of water to a boil for a few inches, open the lid of the honey (so the honey doesn’t explode), and place the honey in the hot pot to boil until it’s liquid again. Place a fine sieve over a bowl, once this hot honey has cooled, pour it through the sieve and let it drain completely.
How to Accelerate Crystallization
Placing honey in a cold enough refrigerator with a drop of water will speed up crystallization, as crystallization occurs when water interacts with the glucose in the honey. Do not put candied honey in the microwave, as this medium can quickly overheat and be difficult to control. Storing honey at 11 to 15°C will cause it to crystallize (if it is raw, unfiltered honey). This is actually a fantastic method of storing large quantities of honey, as at the right temperatures, honey does not crystallize, bacteria growth is inhibited, and nutrient content and flavor are not compromised.
Raw honey is only filtered before bottling, which means it retains most of the beneficial nutrients and antioxidants it naturally contains. Raw honey can last up to two years if stored properly, but you can definitely extend it longer.
Regular honey can go through a variety of processes that can remove beneficial nutrients like pollen and reduce antioxidant levels. However, heating honey or constantly exposing it to temperature fluctuations can affect its nutritional value. You can do this by storing your honey in a freezer that is dedicated solely to storing honey, as you will avoid temperature fluctuations when opening/closing the freezer doors. The jar must be sealed so that the water content of the honey remains stable and does not crystallize (lack of water) or ferment (too much water).
