Having a sweet tooth and wanting to stay in shape is one of the deadliest dilemmas. Artificial sweeteners have their own disadvantages and don’t taste that good either. The best option to satisfy your cravings is by using honey; even better is dehydrated honey! A lot of you might ask, can you dehydrate honey? You can learn methods to dehydrate honey, store it for a long time, and use it in your beverages or cinnamon toast!
Yes! You can dehydrate honey using easy methods at home. Doing so will increase honey’s shelf life no matter where you store it! You can use a dehydrator, an oven, or even a pot to do so. All these methods will give you great results.
How do you dehydrate honey?
Dehydrating honey at home is quick and easy. You can use multiple simple methods to dehydrate and enjoy it indefinitely with a special crunch.
How do you dehydrate honey in a dehydrator?
Step 1: Even it out
Spread your honey out on parchment paper evenly. Using parchment paper is safe because it can withstand the dehydrator’s heat. You can also use sheets specially made for dehydrators.
Step 2: Time to turn it up
Carefully place the parchment paper with honey on it inside the dehydrator. Then, set the dehydrator’s temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Now, wait and keep an eye on it. You should keep heating the honey until it starts to harden and break. Keep a close eye, so you don’t burn it.
Step 3: Cooling period
Once the honey is brittle enough to break, you should remove it from the dehydrator and let it cool down. Make sure to cool the honey in a dry area so that it doesn’t retain any moisture from the environment.
Step 4: Grind it
If you want your dehydrated honey in powdered form, then grind the dehydrated pieces. After it turns into powder, store it in an airtight jar in a dry place.
How do you dehydrate honey in an oven?
Step 1: Spread the honey
Place a cup of honey on parchment paper in a baking tray. Spread it flat.
Step 2: Set up the oven
Set the oven’s temperature to a low setting of around 150 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 3: Keep a check
Make sure to check the honey multiple times while it’s heating in the oven. Take it out when it has lost its stickiness and is brittle.
Step 4: Store it or grind it
Now you can either grind the dehydrated pieces of honey in a grinder or store it for later in a dry place.
How do you dehydrate honey in a pot?
Step 1: Pour the honey in
Take a pot and pour your honey into it.
Step 2: Heat it on a low flame
Set the stove to a low flame and keep stirring the pot so that the honey at the bottom doesn’t burn.
Step 3: Monitor your temperature
Use a food thermometer and wait until the temperature reaches 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the honey hits this temperature, you can take it off the stove.
Step 4: Prep it
Quickly shift the honey from the pot onto a silicon sheet. Be quick to pour it before it hardens.
Step 5: Let it cool
Let the honey sit until it cools and hardens.
Step 6: Grind or store it
Grind the dehydrated honey or store it according to your choice.
Issues you might encounter while dehydrating honey
Honey won’t dehydrate
You could fail to completely dehydrate and strip the moisture out of honey. To avoid that, make sure not to spread the honey too thick.
Also, for best results, use raw organic honey.
Honey burning
If you overheat the honey or heat it at a very high temperature, you can burn the honey. To avoid it, keep a check on the thermometer and be patient with it.
Honey and seasons
The honey’s seasonality can also be an issue. If you get honey in the spring, it will be runnier and will take more time to dehydrate. You can gain the best results if you purchase thick honey during fall or winter.
How to store dehydrated honey?
You should store dehydrated honey-like any other dehydrated edible: in a canned, moisture-free, and airtight environment.
Pour the honey into a clean and sterile canning jar, and put it in the oven for 15-20 minutes. After that, take the jar out and put it in a desiccant pouch. Keep it in the oven while it’s off, and let it sit. Even if the seal is a failure, the desiccant pouch will save your honey from any moisture.
Whenever you open the jar, make sure to close it as soon as you take the honey out of it to avoid the powdered honey from gaining any moisture.
How do you rehydrate honey?
To rehydrate honey, place the dehydrated honey jar in a pot of hot water. Turn the stove to medium-low. After that, stir the honey until it starts to melt and dissolve. As an alternative, you can put the jar in a pot of already hot water and let it sit until it starts to rehydrate.
Another method to rehydrate honey is to heat it in the microwave for 30 seconds without the lid on the jar. Take it out, stir the honey and let it cool for 20 seconds. Repeat this process until you get your desired results.
How long does dehydrated honey last?
Dehydrated honey will last you 30 years if you store it in the right conditions. Ensure it is stored in an airtight container and protected from environmental moisture.
Can honey be dried?
Yes! You can absolutely dry honey into a powdered form by removing its moisture.
Are dehydrated and dried honey the same?
Powdered dried honey is actually dehydrated honey. The moisture is completely removed in the dehydration process to give you honey in a powdered form.
Related FAQs to dehydrating honey!
Is dehydrated honey good for you?
Dehydrated honey is loaded with nutrients and antioxidants. It is nature’s sweetener that you can easily substitute for sugar in your tea or coffee.
Can you freeze dry honey?
No, freeze-drying honey is not feasible because it is too viscous and sugary to do so. Crystallized honey won’t freeze-dry either.
If you want to make honey last even longer than its already long shelf life, it is best to dehydrate it.
Can you turn honey into granulated sugar?
Yes! You can turn honey into granulated sugar by first dehydrating it then grinding it to the point that it becomes like granulated sugar. Make sure to do so straight after you dehydrate it, so it doesn’t absorb any moisture.
Dates also dry well. Read this post to learn how to do it!
Concluding our thoughts on dehydrating honey!
Dehydrating honey is super easy; however, you need to be careful about certain things to prevent the honey from going bad. The most efficient way to dehydrate it is by either using a dehydrator or an oven. Freeze drying is not a good option as it isn’t effective at all. You can store the honey like any other dehydrated product, and it will last you indefinitely. Enjoy your healthy sweet tooth fix!