Oh honey, honey, sugar sugar ..

May 21, 2009 7:29 AM

I have a quantity of local raw honey that is crystallizing. I know I can boil the mason jars to send the sugar back into solution, but how do I handle the plastic honey bear? I don't want to lose any of that sweet goodness.
posted by Talia Devane to food & drink (13 comments total)

If you're worried about melting the bear soak it in hot water for 10-15 minutes, remove the cap, and pour the honey/crystals into another container, boil and pour back into the bear. Unless there's a lot of crystals it should work fine, I've done it.
posted by Science! at 7:32 AM on May 21

I usually just microwave it for 10-15 seconds before using it. (It'll re-crystallize after it cools, but you still get to use all your honey!)
posted by Kololo at 7:35 AM on May 21

For future reference, tupelo honey doesn't crystallize.
posted by BostonTerrier at 7:51 AM on May 21

Use a double boiler, else, take a large pot, boil water in it. Fill a smaller pot (one where the base can fit into the big pot). Pop the bear into the smaller pot and place into the larger pot and wait for de-crystalization!
posted by zerokey at 7:55 AM on May 21

If you have an outside deck that gets full sun, I set my crystallized honey bears in a shallow metal pan (bread pan, pie pan, etc) and leave it in the sun for about fifteen minutes. Admittedly, I live in the California desert, but I was really thrilled when I figured this trick out.
posted by annathea at 9:04 AM on May 21 [1 favorite has favorites]

you don't need to boil it, just gently warm it somewhere around 140F and it should liquify again.
posted by _dario at 9:15 AM on May 21

If you go the double boiler route don't make this guy's mistake and mess up your pan!
posted by bluefly at 9:46 AM on May 21

I always just use a makeshift double boiler arrangement (a single pot with a small trivet in it to keep the bottle a quarter inch or so away from the bottom). As _dario says, it doesn't need to be boiled, just kept pretty hot for a while until all the crystals redissolve.

Of course, be careful you don't let the pot go dry.
posted by hattifattener at 9:47 AM on May 21

I get all my honey in plastic bottles, and to decrystallise I fill a largeish saucepan with water, warm up the water, and then leave the bottle in there. The bottle usually floats in the water so I'm not too worried about it melting to the bottom of the pan. Warm water (not hot enough to melt plastic) seems to do the trick for me.
posted by Xianny at 10:28 AM on May 21

We've always just microwaved honey to liquefy it. Even stuff in glass jars.
posted by Mitheral at 11:05 AM on May 21

I put the plastic honey bear in a coffee mug, add hot tap water, and leave it for a while, usually overnight. repeat as needed.
posted by theora55 at 11:56 AM on May 21

A) All honey crystallizes given enough time.
B) There's no need to boil your honey. Just surround the jar with hot water and wait.
posted by onhazier at 1:47 PM on May 21

I have an older gas stove with pilot lights. I set the bottle on the spot between the burners where the pilot is and it's warm enough to liquefy it again. It takes a little time though, so if you need it now, carefully microwave it.
posted by glycolized at 6:49 PM on May 21