Making honey crystalize... is it possible?

[marksmith]

I am a smoker. Recently I got a wild hare and substituted my brown sugar in the rib rub recipe that I use with very old crystalized honey.  I took it out of the jar in chunks and used a coffee grinder to make it small granules.  When I got done, it was the consistency of fresh brown sugar with just a touch too much molasses.  I combined this with all my other ingredients and threw the ribs in the smoker @ 225.

I usually have to mist with apple juice to keep the rub moist.  Not this time.  About half hour into the smoke it started glazing.  It did it at such a high temperature that the honey didn't melt off and drip... just leathered up and made the most awesome bark on my ribs that I have ever experienced. The flavor was awesome and tell the truth.... I bet these racks were of the award winning sort.

I tried using raw honey in liquid form to see if I could replecate the results.  No go. It was sticky drippy mess.  I used the other half of the quart of crystalized honey and  BAM!!! (Emeril is my hero) the ribs were awesome.


SO... help a newbee out.  Is there a tried and true way to get honey to crystalize nice and hard like that one quart jar that I had? (Have NO clue how old it was)



Thanks all
Mark

[Bee Happy]

I think it all depends on the variety of honey you get, I can't elaborate more than that though.

[wildbeekeeper]

i think you can add a small amount of crystalized honey into fresh honey and it will "grow" and crystallize everything there.  Or maybe you can chill it in the fridge a little... not sure of that will do it.  Darker honey does crystallize more frequently though

[iddee]

Do a search for creamed honey. You should be able to find instructions easily.

[deknow]

many honeys will crystalize if you put them in the fridge (not the freezer).  if you want to control the size of the crystal, first heat/filter the honey, then seed it with some honey with the crystal size you want (creamed honey for small crystals).

deknow

[hardwood]

As has been posted, seed it with crystals. The optimum temp for crystallization is 60F.

Scott

[marksmith]

Thanks everyone!


I'll have to get a gallon and seed it.  My garage stays about the right temp.



To be continued....

[sc-bee]

Dyce Method

http://www.masterbeekeeper.org/dyce/creamhoney.htm

Seed with the size crystal you prefer (at least that is my understanding :-D)

[Michael Bush]

Basically seed and temperature is what crytalization is all about.  The dyce method above should give you all that info.  I find that the window sill of my house in the winter is perfect.  In the spring and fall when it's cool but not freezing outside, the porch works well...

[BeeHopper]

I am a smoker. Recently I got a wild hare and substituted my brown sugar in the rib rub recipe that I use with very old crystalized honey.  I took it out of the jar in chunks and used a coffee grinder to make it small granules.  When I got done, it was the consistency of fresh brown sugar with just a touch too much molasses.  I combined this with all my other ingredients and threw the ribs in the smoker @ 225.

I usually have to mist with apple juice to keep the rub moist.  Not this time.  About half hour into the smoke it started glazing.  It did it at such a high temperature that the honey didn't melt off and drip... just leathered up and made the most awesome bark on my ribs that I have ever experienced. The flavor was awesome and tell the truth.... I bet these racks were of the award winning sort.

I tried using raw honey in liquid form to see if I could replecate the results.  No go. It was sticky drippy mess.  I used the other half of the quart of crystalized honey and  BAM!!! (Emeril is my hero) the ribs were awesome.


SO... help a newbee out.  Is there a tried and true way to get honey to crystalize nice and hard like that one quart jar that I had? (Have NO clue how old it was)



Thanks all
Mark

So....................when ya inviting us over  ;) :-D