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Warming mat - A strange question...

greenlovegreenlove Posts: 164
in The potting shed

 This may sound like a strange question but I'll try to explain. I buy raw organic honey for consumption at home and it is delicious. The only downside to it being raw is that it has not gone through the heating process and as such it crystalises very quickly (compared to processed supermarket honey). Which, is not helpful when you want to have some runny honey and walnuts... :D

I have been advised to keep the jars near gentle sources of heat and was thinking whether there is some sort of warming mat used for propogators or terrariums that I can use? The idea is to place the honey on top of the mat and the latter turned on all the time so that the gentle heat stops/delays the crystalisation process?

Anyone can advise please?

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Posts

  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    ... or near a radiator?
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Or 30 seconds - or more, or less - in a microwave when needed.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Do you have an airing cupboard?   
    The downside might be sticky sheets and towels ...

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    edited November 2018
    I just put the jar on top of a (hot) radiator and it's clear within a couple of hours.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Dovefromabove said:
    Do you have an airing cupboard?   
    The downside might be sticky sheets and towels ...
    Well, you could leave it in the  jar 😇
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • SkandiSkandi Posts: 1,723
    I take the lid off and put mine in the microwave for 30 seconds if I want runny honey, a pan of hot water does the same.
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    Stand the jar on top of your cup of tea while the toast cooks. Really though honey should be kept at a cool room temp rather than constantly warm.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • hogweedhogweed Posts: 4,053
    I agree with WE. Keep it in a dark cupboard and then stand it in a pan of hot water for a bit before use. If I remember correctly, honey will keep for 10 years in the jar. 
    'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
  • greenlovegreenlove Posts: 164
    hogweed said:
    I agree with WE. Keep it in a dark cupboard and then stand it in a pan of hot water for a bit before use. If I remember correctly, honey will keep for 10 years in the jar. 
    Honey lasts forever as far as I am aware. I believe they have found 3000year old honey in the pyramids which is still edible. However in my house 18 kg will get consumed within a year and a half.  :D

    I will try the radiator and hot water option. In terms of using a microwave (I would have to buy one first) I think it defeats the point of buying raw honey so i wont venture there. :)
    wild edges said:
    Stand the jar on top of your cup of tea while the toast cooks. Really though honey should be kept at a cool room temp rather than constantly warm.
    I have tried that and it takes a lot longer to liquify a 1kg jar of honey. It depends what you mean by "constantly warm". If you live in the med or hot countries the room temperature is way above ours in UK. The idea of using the heating mat is to keep the honey at a low temperature in order to delay the crystallisation. 

    I buy several types of honey and out of those it's only certain ones that seem to crystallise quite quickly. One of the worst culprits is the greek pine honey.
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    greenlove said:

    wild edges said:
    Stand the jar on top of your cup of tea while the toast cooks. Really though honey should be kept at a cool room temp rather than constantly warm.
    I have tried that and it takes a lot longer to liquify a 1kg jar of honey. It depends what you mean by "constantly warm". If you live in the med or hot countries the room temperature is way above ours in UK. The idea of using the heating mat is to keep the honey at a low temperature in order to delay the crystallisation. 

    I buy several types of honey and out of those it's only certain ones that seem to crystallise quite quickly. One of the worst culprits is the greek pine honey.
    Wow that's a big jar of honey, are you sure you're not secretly Winnie the Poo? You can buy really small heat mats for reptiles. Try the pro-rep brand. They say to always use them with a thermostat but I assume that's to stop them cooking your pet. The smallest ones only take about 2W but I've no idea how warm that would get a big jar of honey though.

    I've got a shelf in my lizard's vivarium for keeping things warm (not food though). It's a nice constant mid 20s in there. Sometimes it's good for getting plants or cuttings growing.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
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