How to Separate Honey From Wax in a Double Boiler
Honey combs are a source of two natural products used by man: honey and beeswax. These items are found together in the comb. Beeswax is used as the glue to hold the frame of the hives together, while the honey provides the food. To use either product you must separate the two. With small-scale operations this is accomplished via methods similar to candy making.
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Set the honey comb on a hard surface. Crush the honey comb thoroughly with your hands.
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Place the crushed comb into the double boiler. Heat the contents of the double boiler slowly to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Stir the mixture occasionally with a spoon. Use a food thermometer to take the temperature of the mixture.
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Wait for the wax to rise to the surface during heating. Scoop the wax off the top with the spoon. Put the wax in a hard plastic container so you can easily remove the wax once it hardens.
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Rinse the hardened wax to remove honey residue with warm water.
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Dump out the water from the bottom of the double boiler.
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Set the coarse strainer over the double boiler. Strain the honey through the strainer into the empty pot. Strain the honey through the fine strainer. This removes the particles trapped in the honey.
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Pour the strained honey into a food-safe storage container.
References
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