How to Make Clover Honey

Honey is a versatile food that is used as a spread, in baking and in natural remedies. Homemade clover honey is a sweet concoction flavored with the flowers of the clover plant. It is easy to make, and the process can be completed in less than an hour. This method calls for preserving the jarred honey with the water-bath method, but if you plan to use the honey within a couple of days, you can omit those steps.

Things You'll Need

• Granulated sugar Clover flowers 1/2-pint canning jars with lids Water-bath canner

Instructions

1. Bring 10 cups sugar and 3 cups water to a boil. Boil for 7 minutes, stirring frequently so the sugar does not burn. Remove from heat.

2. Remove the stems and leaves of about three dozen white clover flowers and one and a half dozen red clover blossoms. Place the blossoms in a colander, and rinse with cool water. Dry them on paper towels, and add to the sugar and water mixture.

3. Let stand for 20 minutes. Strain through a double layer of cheesecloth into 1/2-pint canning jars. Wipe the jars if any of the honey spills on the mouth of the jar.

4. Add water to the fill line of a water-bath canner while the honey is cooling. Bring to a boil. Keep covered and hot until the honey is cooled.

5. Put lids on the jars. Lay the round disk over the jar's opening, then tighten the band around the top of the jar. Do not overdo the tightening.

6. Set the filled 1/2-pint jars in the water-bath basket, and lower them into the boiling water bath. Put the lid on, and boil for 10 minutes.

7. Pull the water-bath basket from the boiling water, and use tongs to move the jars to a clean cloth on a surface that will not be damaged by the hot jars.

8. Press down on the center of the lid after the jars have cooled. There should be no resistance. If the lid is not tight, store the jar in the refrigerator. Use this honey first. Jars that have tight lids can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months.

References

• Boiling Water Bath Canning
• Homemade Clover Honey Discussion

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Clover Honey Recipes
• Health Benefits of Honey
• Honey News and Articles
• National Honey Board