Crystalized Honey Still Good
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My honey for sale at Pine Street Vintage Goods, 713 Pine Street, Rolla. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)
Crystalized Honey Still Good
Over the years, friends have asked if their murky honey has gone bad. Actually murky honey is not only good, honey that crystalizes is proof that it’s real honey.
Honey is flower nectar bees collect to dehydrate to 18% and cap for winter food. If the honey is stored in an area where temperatures fluctuate, it may crystalize or turn muddy or even get thicker. Creamed honey is basically honey exposed to cold temperatures for several days before it’s poured into jars.
If your honey gets too cloudy or thick for your taste, it’s easy to fix. Put the honey in a glass jar - don’t use plastic - in hot water you’ve removed from the stove. Within a few minutes the honey will re-liquify.
So if you have honey on a kitchen shelf and it never changes or crystalizes, look closely at the label. Chances are you have sugar water or adulterated honey, not real honey.
