Pellet Fan
Recipe Section => Rubs/Sauces/Brines => Topic started by: Canadian John on May 07, 2018, 09:59:05 AM
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The clumping of brown sugar is the result of the molasses coating drying... There are terracotta pieces sold to reduce or prevent the drying effect. They are soaked in water, wiped dry and placed in the container to help retain moisture.. Being a cheap sort and
one that would rather make rather than buy , I ended up making my own terracotta moisture maintainer..I purchased a new flower pot, soaked in water for a couple of hours then cut it into pieces starting with the rim. To do this I used a thin masonry disc on my
4 1/2" angle grinder. It worked amazingly well, with the only drawback being dust. All corners and edges of the pieces were rounded too finish things off. Some of the pieces are small enough to fit in my smaller shaker jars .. All this for $2.00 and some time.
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I've had some luck popping the brown sugar in the microwave for a few seconds at a time, then kneading it until it's uniformly moistened. Have you tried that?
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I keep it in the fridge. Always soft, never clumps.
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I used brownulated sugar that doesn't clump.
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Little cloth reusable tea bags with rice in them, here.
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I've had some luck popping the brown sugar in the microwave for a few seconds at a time, then kneading it until it's uniformly moistened. Have you tried that?
No. However my main issue is with rubs containing brown sugar..I wouldn't want to nuke them. Thanks for the tip.
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I used brownulated sugar that doesn't clump.
Ditto. in addition, granulated brown sugar mixes well in rubs and sprinkles without clogging the shaker.
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I checked out " brownulated " sugar only to find out, it's available only in US..Too bad.
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I checked out " brownulated " sugar only to find out, it's available only in US..Too bad.
I have used Turbinado sugar at times as a replacement but in smaller quantity.
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I actually dried brown sugar by putting it on a cookie sheet and spreading it out. Set the oven for 250 for ten minutes, but kept checking it. Worked like a charm. Pretty happy and my 1lb of rub is clump free also.
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My wife just bought a set of 4 clay pieces to keep her brown sugar from clumping :-[
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You can also take a citrus peel and place in the bag to bring the softness back. I learned that trick back when I used to deal with a...ahem, certain herb...
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If you reseal the package tightly without any air, it will extend the its usability. I lightly vacuum pack mine after each use, clumping has not been a problem since I started this method.
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I have a container for storing coffee that I got from the container store that worked pretty good at first.
It has a rubber seal around hockey puck for lack of a better term.
You push it down and all the air gets forced out.
Then put the lid on which has a silicone gasket around it.
Doesn't work so well anymore.
Need to come up with a plan B.
That Brownulated sugar sounds interesting.
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That Brownulated sugar sounds interesting.
It was great but I think Domino quit selling it in small boxes and bags. I just thru about 10 bags out a month or so ago as they were about 7-10 years old.
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I just thru about 10 bags out a month or so ago as they were about 7-10 years old.
It was just getting aged. ;D
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If you reseal the package tightly without any air, it will extend the its usability. I lightly vacuum pack mine after each use, clumping has not been a problem since I started this method.
Yes! Air is the culprit. If you look on your grocers' shelves, you'll see that companies package their brown sugar in air-tight bags. It's fine sitting unopened for months.
To keep brown sugar at the same freshness level we need to keep it at the same air-tight level.
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Bump!
There's a solution that's better than vacuum sealing. Do an Internet search for Brown Sugar Bear.
It's made of clay. You soak in in water, wipe it dry and put it in the brown sugar container. It keeps the brown sugar from drying and clumping. You can even put it in with a brown sugar brick and it will restore the sugar's required moisture. You'll need to re-wet it if the sugar begins to form hard "clumps".
(I always thought that the exposure to air caused humidity to "clump" the brown sugar. Not so—it's obviously the lack of moisture.)
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I think my wife has been doing that for years.
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I have seen those clay discs. About the size of a silver dollar if I recall. I usually buy dark brown sugar at the Amish store. They must get it in bulks and package it plastic bags with twisties to secure. It rarely dries out until the bag is almost empty and you can no longer twist the bag tightly. at that point I put a few drops of water on it and toss in the microwave for a few second on a lower power. I think the dark brown having more molasses in it probably keeps it from drying out at fast as the light brown.
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I picked up these at The Container Store. Made for brown sugar.
They have the clay puck on top that you can remove and soak in water for a half hour.
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I still have several bags also that are 6-7 years old. I'm not sure if sugar has a shelf life, there is no "use by" date on my packages.
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I still have several bags also that are 6-7 years old. I'm not sure if sugar has a shelf life, there is no "use by" date on my packages.
Turns out, sugar takes the cake when it comes to extended shelf life. Granulated sugar can last up to two years in the pantry after opening. Technically, sugar never spoils. While it's recommended that granulated sugar be discarded after two years, chances are it will still serve its baking purpose even beyond that.Dec 24, 2021
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This is super interesting. I've used the oven method before (spread out on a cookie sheet and heat at low temp). Never heard of the clay method, that's very neat!
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Put some in the microwave for about 60 seconds tonight, worked well. I have also put freshly peeled orange rind in it, but that only last for about 3 weeks.