Most people consider how to deplete the sugar of oxygen before deciding to store it. They believe that oxygen moistens it.
How to store brown sugar long term? In a rust-proof container with a tight-fitting lid, brown sugar should be kept in a cool, humid environment. Any kind of resealable, moisture-proof plastic bag can be used to store brown sugar. Brown sugar should be used within six months of purchase and opening for the best quality.
Let’s examine how to store brown sugar for a long time so that its texture, flavor, and color are preserved.
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Table of Contents
Can Brown Sugar Go Bad?
Brown sugar lasts as long as white sugar does. However, brown sugar has a high moisture content. The texture may alter as it dries out; it may clump or become a lump of rock-hard substance. Due to this, the majority of sources only give brown sugar a two-year shelf life. However, clumpy or extremely hard brown sugar can still be used.
Can I Refrigerate Sugar?
Any kind of sugar should never be kept in the refrigerator. The main reason is that sugar will quickly absorb any unpleasant odors from refrigerators, which are frequently filled with them. The humidity in refrigerators is also very high, so the sugar will clump up there very quickly. Purchasing higher-quality storage containers or freezing the sugar is preferable if you experience pest problems with it.
How To Store Brown Sugar Long-term?
First, find a better place for your brown sugar where it can be moved more easily. This could be a canister on your counter where it can be found with other common items like flour, white sugar, and coffee/tea, or it could be in a Tupperware container in your pantry. It doesn’t matter, just make sure the container is airtight.
After that, add a marshmallow to the container. The moisture in the marshmallow will maintain the brown sugar’s softness. You can also use a piece of white bread or a few apple wedges that have been cut into wedges because both of them have sufficient moisture. You can also buy a terra-cotta brown sugar saver to keep nearby if you consume a lot of brown sugar (or have extra foresight). The earthenware disc is a fantastic water absorber and, as it sits, will give moisture back to the sugar.
Finally, there is a simple trick you can use to re-soften your hardened brown sugar if you find yourself in a situation where you haven’t heeded the aforementioned advice. Put the mass of sugar into a bowl that can be used in a microwave. It’s not ideal, but it most certainly works in a pinch. After zapping it for about 30 seconds with a damp paper towel on top, break it up with a fork. This technique works best if you use up the remaining brown sugar right away; if you microwave it, bake with only some of it, and then store it again as above, the sugar will turn into a rock and won’t be nearly as easy to salvage.
So feel free to make a mess. Bring out all the brown sugar you’ll require for your baked goods. But go about it on your terms.
Extra: How To Soften Hard Brown Sugar?
The moisture in brown sugar evaporates, causing it to become hard. In order to restore moisture to the sugar, various techniques for softening brown sugar are used. The methods listed below are suggested for liquefying hardened brown sugar.
Quick Softening Method
Set the oven to 250°F if you need to use hard brown sugar right away. Watch the sugar carefully as you transfer it from the package onto an oven-safe pan and heat it until it softens. When the sugar is soft, take the pan out of the oven and immediately weigh or measure out the required amount. Caution: the sugar will be hot and will harden again as it cools.
Microwave Softening Method
Put the desired quantity of hardened brown sugar in a bowl that can go in the microwave. Two wet but not sopping paper towels should be used to cover the sugar. Wrap some plastic wrap tightly around a bowl. For 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, microwave on HIGH. After breaking up the clumps in the sugar with a fork, use it right away. Caution: Because sugar will be hot and because sugar that has been microwaved will harden as it cools, only microwave the necessary quantity of sugar. Cooking times may need to be adjusted due to the power variations in microwave ovens.
Time-permitting Softening Method
Put the hardened brown sugar in a container that is tightly closed. Add any of the following into the container with the sugar:
1. two dampened paper towels that are not dripping with moisture are placed on a piece of plastic wrap or foil.
2. a disk of terra cotta that has been dampened (found in many kitchen supply stores).
3. one or two slices of bread.
4. one or two substantial marshmallows.
Put the lid on the container and screw it on firmly. Remove anything that has been added to the sugar after about two days or whenever the sugar has absorbed the moisture and softened. Once the clumps of sugar have been broken up with the aid of a fork, the container should be tightly sealed. The sugar must not harden.
Conclusion
Brown sugar is frequently used in our daily life. The best way to store brown sugar is in an airtight container. In the sugar-filled container, place a clay disk. The brown sugar will stay moist and won’t clump as a result of this. The brown sugar will eventually clump, though, if kept for a long enough period of time.
Many people don’t bother storing brown sugar for emergency preparedness. They keep molasses and white sugar as an alternative. To make brown sugar, the two can be combined.
Read More: How to Store Rice and Beans Long Term?