Ginger-Infused Honey

What is Ginger-infused Honey?

Ginger-infused honey is the result of allowing pieces of ginger to “steep” in a jar of warm honey over a period of time. I also like to add lemon.

Infused products can be very complicated – but they don’t have to be. If you have a clean jar with a lid and a few fresh ingredients – that’s all you really need.

Benefits of Use

This infused honey comes with a slew of potential health benefits. Ginger is known for its anti-inflammatory and digestive properties, while honey has natural soothing and antimicrobial qualities.

Your tonic can be used to treat conditions like: sore throats, coughs and upset stomachs.

Ingredients

You do not need many items for this simple recipe. Even though I have not listed it, you do need a little patience and prep time. Make it ahead of time so you always have some on hand.

• honey
• lemon
• ginger
• pint jar and lid

You will need a jar. I choose the pint size jar which will hold approximately 22 ounces (net weight) of honey. Honey is sold and measured by weight not volume.

Honey

The flavor or variety (type) of honey does not really matter. Simple wildflower is just fine. Choose a mild flavor – avoid dark strong honey such as buckwheat.

I always recommend raw honey over regular honey. It has not been over processed and still maintains all its natural goodness.

Do consider that a very small percentage of people may have allergic reactions to honey – usually due to the pollen it contains.

If the label on honey does not say raw – it probably is not. If you already have some on hand and are not sure about whether or not it is raw – don’t fret. You can use it and it will work.

Every home should have some in the pantry, because there are so many ways to use honey.

If you purchase a pint jar you will have a little left over after you add in the solid ingredients. Store your honey properly and it will last virtually forever.

Lemons

Lemons are a popular fruit used in the kitchen in many ways. They are an excellent source of antioxidants like Vitamin C.

Lemon juice is a traditional ingredient in hot teas. However, due to the strong taste – lemons are not commonly ingested alone! You only need 1 for this tea/tonic but make sure it is a plump juicy one.

Ginger

Now for the spicy partner in this recipe. Ginger alone – is a popular home remedy for relief from coughs and sore throats. Keeping a ginger root on hand is not a bad idea.

Fresh ginger root is easily found in the produce (or fresh spices) section of your local supermarket. The small root systems remind me of daylily tubers.

Choose a root that is plump and not too dried out. Avoid any roots that have soft spots or are very wrinkled.

You can actually grow your own ginger. I did it this Summer and it was an awesome experience. I used a nice tuber from the organic section of the grocery. It grew all Summer in a large pot and I harvested the tubers in Fall.

How to Make Ginger-Infused Honey

We will be warming the honey but only to about 115°F -don’t over heat. In this tutorial, we are using lemon and ginger for infusion.

1. Wash and dry the ginger root and lemon. Then, peel the ginger and slice into thin pieces using a sharp knife or mandolin slicer. Likewise, slice the lemon trying to retain as much juice as possible.

2. Place lemon and ginger slices into a clean dry glass jar. Make sure you have a good lid.

3. Slowly pour raw honey (that you have warmed) over the ingredients inside until the jar is full. Then place the lid on and sit in a warm location.

The jar with additives is then allowed to sit for a period (time varies – at least several days in a sunny/warm spot.)

After that time, strain the solids out and you are left with infused honey. I suggest you do remove the solids as that helps prevent spoiling.

How to Use

Once this process is complete, you have a jar of concentrated goodness. Don’t drink it straight – that might be a bit too much. Some people use it as a substitute for spiced honey in hot toddies.

My favorite way to use it is to create a hot tea with honey. Add 2 large tablespoons to a cup of regular hot tea. Of course, you can dilute your tonic with plain hot water if you prefer.

You can add more if you wish to make a stronger brew. Choose the amount that your taste buds prefer.  

Ginger, honey and lemon produce a soothing tonic for minor cold or flu symptoms. I even use it when my sinuses are causing my throat to be sore.

It feels very good on a tender throat. This tea certainly helps me feel better while I am waiting on my system to kick the germs. And honestly, it is soothing even in the Spring when my allergies are acting up!

Shelf-Life of Infused Honey Teas

After a couple of days, you may want to store your infusion mix in the refrigerator to prolong freshness. While pure honey will last indefinitely, infused may not. 

This is especially true when we are adding any liquid or juices. And, we are using wet ingredients such as lemons, the honey will pull the moisture from the lemon slices. 

If it has too high of a water content honey ferments due to the presence of natural yeasts. If your jar begins to smell yeast-like, it is time to throw it out and make a new batch. Unless you like to make mead which takes advantage of the fermentation process.

But for our ginger infused honey tea, I like to make it in a small pint jar. For one person, you might even consider using a half-pint size.

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