Decrystallizing honey is a simple process that restores its smooth, liquid texture without compromising its quality. Heating honey will decrystallize it, however, too much heat can destroy some of the beneficial characteristics of the honey. In a perfect world, we’d like to heat the honey to approximately 98 degrees and keep it at that temperature for a week or so until it’s completely decrystallized. We have a warming cabinets that can do exactly that, but there are ways that you can do it at home.

Never microwave your honey, particularly if it’s in a plastic container. Ideal temperatures are controversial, but most beekeepers agree that keeping it below 104 degrees or so won’t damage the honey.

The easiest way to decrystallize your honey is to submerge your jar of honey, tightly sealed and/or with the lid above the water, in warm water. Hot tap water will work fine, but you may need to replace the water several times as it cools. Some people report using water as warm as 140 degrees but we would suggest not going any higher than that as it will raise the temperature of the honey too high before the water cools.

Another easy method is to simply put the honey in your car on a hot summer day. Temperatures in the car can easily get warm enough to liquify it, but again, be wary of allowing it to get too hot. If it does, it’s not the end of the world. The honey should still be perfectly edible, but you don’t really have raw honey anymore.