Thyme infused honey
After my recent post on aromatics several people commented on the herbal honeys I mentioned which are surely one of the most delicious ways to enjoy taking herbs. Although I have talked of them often in other posts, I thought it time to focus on herbal infused honeys more specifically and explain a little more about how to make and use them.
Herbs that make lovely infused honeys include most of the aromatics- especially those with floral, spicy or herby tastes. Some of my favourites are plants that are at their best over the summer months including rose, sage, thyme, lemon balm, mint, lavender, chamomile or lime blossom. It is usually nicest to keep them plain but sometimes it works well to add a complimentary flavour, cinnamon or cardamom for example is delicious with rose petal honey.
Lemon balm in set honey
Chamomile in runny honey
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Making a herbal infused honey is very straight forward. All you need is a jar, a chopstick or spoon, some honey and your herb of choice.
You can use dried or fresh herbs. The benefit of fresh herbs is that they are softer so will be nicer if left in the honey where as dried herbs will be a bit chewy and you will therefore probably want to strain them out before eating. Also, the aromatic quality of freshly picked herbs is often much more vibrant. The drawback of fresh herbs is that they can make your honey more liquid, which is why it is good to use a thicker honey for infusing fresh herbs into.
You can use set or runny honey but if using set you’ll want to warm it in a pan of water to liquefy it before pouring. Just warm it enough to stir and pour, never overheat honey, as it will destroy the beneficial enzymes.
Always get good quality honey from a reputable supplier where you know the bees are well cared for.
Mint infused honey
Method:
First lightly pack your jar with herbs. Don’t cram the plant material in like you would if making a tincture, as you want plenty of space for the honey to go in and move around.
Next pour your honey over the top, stopping every now and then to give it a good stir. When you have fully covered all the plant material with honey, give it another stir and leave on the side for a fortnight before eating, stirring every couple of days or so to re-integrate the plant material.
If you wish to strain the plant material out then leave it for a month before straining.
For softer plant parts like rose petals or thinly sliced lemon balm leaves you can happily leave the plant material in the honey and enjoy just as it is however for tougher plants or those with bits of woody stem, you’ll probably be better of straining it out through a coarse sieve. Gently warm the jar with the infused honey in before you strain it to make sure you get the most honey out of the plant material. You can keep the spent herbs in the fridge for a few days and infuse in hot water to make sweet teas if you wish.
Give it a good stir!
Herbal honeys can be eaten as a delicious food, either alone, on bread or crackers, in salad dressings or teas or anything else you fancy. They can also be used medicinally. Though weaker than a tincture, they will still carry the medicinal qualities of the herbs and can be taken internally or used externally where they are particularly beneficial for minor wounds or burns. Lavender or chamomile are particularly nice for this purpose. Sage or thyme honeys are lovely taken for a sore throat and chamomile can soothe digestive problems that are exacerbated by anxiety. The fact that these honeys are both gentle and delicious makes them fantastic options for children, though remember that many people advise against the use of honey in children under two.
They can also be used cosmetically, either as a simple face wash or as a soothing anti-bacterial face mask. I sometimes mix a small teaspoon of honey with a little ground almonds to make a skin brightening (and delicious!) facial scrub.
Scented rose petal honey
There was also a lovely post recently on Nettlejuice about honey medicine which you can read here.
I think these honeys are delicious Lucinda, I definitely going to try this. Thanks for sharing Lucinda.
Big hugs XXX
Thanks Rita, I hope you enjoy them! x
My favorite way to take herbs
I can see why, though I think tea would probably have to be my very favourite way… but maybe with some herbal honey added in.
Going to do a Thyme one for Winter colds and sore throats.
The best kind of medicine.
Thankyou! Just the practical advice and wisdom I needed … and your beautiful photos make the herb honey look so irresistibubble.
Great angle on using for children – my little’un will take a half teaspoon of garlic honey quite happily (Mummy’s special honey) – Nanny is a beekeeper, so Nanny’s bees make the honey then Mummy puts the magic in it!
This has given me some great pointers xx
Ooo lucky you, one day I shall have my own hives! No wonder your little one takes their medicine happily with such love in it.
I am glad you found it useful. xx
I’m loving your blog! This article on infused honey is right up my alley! Thanks for sharing your knowledge, and sparking ideas in my head for how to use my garden herbs!
Thanks Amy, I am so glad you are enjoying the blog and finding some useful info on here.
Take care x
Ah, a subject dear to my heart. I’m doing another workshop soon about healing with honey and making herbal infused honeys and am about to make a batch this weekend so they will be ready for tasting at the workshop!
Another thing about fresh herbs and watery honey is if you don’t eat the honey soonish (unimaginable that you wouldn’t eat it right away!) and you added enough water via the herbs into the honey to push it past the magic 20% mark (honey is defined generally as less than 20% water) you leave it a tasty treat to airborne yeasts and it will ferment. Great if you are doing it as a stage toward making mead. Not so great otherwise.
And a nifty stirring tip I’ve been using. I used to sometimes stirring in the ways use mention and i used to use the gravity method (flip the jar daily – with wax paper between the lid and the honey.) But lately I’ve come to love a new toy. I use old peanut butter jars to make infused honeys mix and stir with a peanut butter stirrer which a special curved tool and lid for stirring peanut butter in jars. It works amazingly well. I got my online via Amazon and love it so much. It’s also great for stirring nut butters…
Michael
Good point Michael!
I have never had this happen though and I nearly always use fresh herbs for my honeys. Perhaps it is more of a concern in warmer climates.
I hope your workshop went well, I’m sure people loved it!
Very interesting article. I am going to try some of these infused honeys. How long do these honeys last? How long does honey last that is infused with fresh ginger or raw onions? Do these infused honeys needs to be kept in the refrigerator or do you let them sit out at room temp? I am a bit afraid of botulism is why I ask. Does one have to worry about botulism if infusing with dried herbs? Thank you so much for your help.
Hi Cindy,
I don’t keep mine in the fridge but I do keep them in a cool, darkish corner, never in full sun and I live in a cool climate. It is hard to say how long exactly they will last as it depends on the water content of your herb, the water content of your honey, the season and temperature, whether you strain them or not and other factors besides. I usually find mine last well for at least six months but if you are worried then use them up in three. Using dried herbs will definitely decrease any risk so stick to them if it is a concern for you.