Introduction
Brown sugar and white sugar are among the most popular varieties of sugar that are used in cooking or baking. They can provide a bit unalike in the texture, flavor, and color of the dish but it seems that brown sugar will be a better and healthier choice although there is only a slight difference between two kinds resulting in health effects.
Brown sugar is thought to contain a little more minerals and fewer calories than other kinds but whether what kind of sugar you have on hand, consuming sugar should be limited in an allowable level to keep your health safe.
More or less, sugar appears in most dishes so we bet in every kitchen, there must have a big jar of brown sugar in order to be ready to use whenever you need it. Therefore, learning about how to store brown sugar correctly and is it true that it doesn’t expire is essential. Let’s accompany us in this article to find out these secrets.
How long does brown sugar last?
People must have heard about the indefinite shelf life of brown sugar, but is this a real fact? Actually, the life expectancy of brown sugar depends on a lot of factors and the most important one is how you store it. So yes, it can be safe forever if being stored properly, but normally, the best quality will maintain within 2 years.
That means when the best-by date on a label of a brown sugar package has passed, you can still consume the sugar inside for an additional of several months without any illness if there is no spoilage.
How to tell if brown sugar goes bad?
Can brown sugar go bad? This is a reasonable question of many people after a long period of time finding a jar of brown sugar in their pantry.
Although we might be confident about such a long time that brown sugar can last, in some certain cases if you don’t store it carefully, there will be some spoilage identifications of brown sugar that you need to know in order to decide to toss it.
Most kinds of insects or bugs are allured by the sweetness so if your jar or package of brown sugar is not covered tightly, they will get inside the sugar and bring with contamination. Or when you let water in the package, you will see the appearance of mold sooner or later, so better discard your sugar in these cases.
Some people are concerned about a fact that their sugar seems to be packed together over time, so is it safe to use? In this case, the brown sugar is typically safe to consume as it doesn’t really expire.
You might need to learn some ways to fix the hard sugar for a better result in texture or if your family’s health is your top priority, you can discard it as once the sugar is clumpy, it will easily absorb excess water if stored in humid areas.
How to store brown sugar?
The key rule to store brown sugar is to keep it away from any moisture, direct source of light or heat. Therefore, just make sure that the sugar container is always sealed tightly and stored in a dry cool place like your pantry or kitchen cabinet, it’s enough for the long-term storage of brown sugar.
As mentioned before, after a long period of time, your sugar seems to harden and change a little bit in its texture. At that time, you should buy a brown sugar saver which is a gadget to put inside the container so that it can provide a standard level of moisture that helps to prevent sugar from clumping.
It’s recommended to not store brown sugar or any kind of granulated sugar in the fridge, but a freezer is fine if you want to keep it for a long time.
Can you freeze brown sugar?
Although it’s unnecessary to freeze your brown sugar, if you live in a very dry area and want to store brown sugar for a long time, choosing to put it in a freezer is a better choice. The reason is the lack of moisture can make your sugar turn lumps soon and you will have to deal with clumpy sugar then.
How to freeze brown sugar?
Now you are going to learn how to freeze brown sugar properly in just some simple steps.
Tips to freeze brown sugar
- It’s recommended to freeze brown sugar if you have an unlimited space freezer since the other food such as cheese, meat or bread are more needed to be frozen so save spaces for them
- Always ensure that the lid is sealed tightly to completely cover brown sugar from any moisture in the freezer and prevent freezer burn
Things you’ll need to freeze brown sugar
- A vacuum sealer bag or an airtight container
- Cling wrap
How to freeze brown sugar in just 2 steps
- Place your sugar in a covered airtight container (you can double wrap with cling wrap too)
- Label the bag or jar with the storage date if you want then stick in the freezer
How to defrost/ thaw brown sugar?
To defrost brown sugar, just simply transfer it from the freezer to your kitchen counter and let it thaw naturally at room temperature for at least 2 hours.
If your sugar has ice crystal which is usually formed after a long freezing time, gently stir the sugar as soon as it thaws to prevent pockets of moisture from causing damage.
After your brown sugar is thawed completely, you can start your own recipe without the reheating process.