Kitchen: Problems Buying Honey in Bulk!

Transferring to an easier to handle container!

Problems sometimes occur when making purchases in bulk.  Yes, we use a lot of honey...and we purchase our honey in these large jars.  While this one IS NOT raw, usually we buy the raw, unpasteurized, honey that is VERY THICK.  That honey is usually transferred into canning jars because it is not "thin" enough to put into a squeeze bottle.  
This honey is a little more processed than we normally like, but we are waiting for the new collection.  
It is impractical to try to scoop a spoon or two of honey from these large jars.  We save bottles with handles so the size and weight is more manageable.  

• The important thing to remember is NEVER use a jar or bottle that is damp!  There is a danger of contaminating the honey--mold or souring can occur.

In this case, the jar we transferred to had honey in it previously.  It did not need to be washed.  If you do need to make a transfer to a washed container, make absolutely certain that the container is dry--BONE DRY!

While I have some nice stainless steel metal funnels, even some canning funnels...some have too small an opening, while others have too large an opening to fit my container.

• I just took a water jug...
• made sure it was very dry...
• cut the top off...
• inverted it 
• and a makeshift funnel was born!

Honey will take a little while to pour through, so it might take a few transfers to fill the container.  It may be a little messy, but that is the nature of honey! 

makeshift funnel

Now it should be a little easier to make the transfer to a squeeze container--with a cap.  It's always a good idea to have a cover for the squeeze bottle.  It's also a good idea to place extra honey--like that in the large jar in a plastic zip bag...or if it's too large for that...take a plastic bag and place it over the lid and the rim.  

• Use a very tight fitting rubber band around the edge so it sits under the bottom edge of the lid.  Also make sure that there are no honey spills on the jar.  This will help keep ants and other insects from "finding" your stores!!