# Keeping Sugar from getting hard?



## ceresone (Oct 7, 2005)

I'm planning on buying 4 50# bags of sugar--IF there is a way to keep it from getting hard. I'm assuming it needs to stay in the bag--but will even that help?


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## Rockytopsis (Dec 29, 2007)

That is a good question, I would like to know also.


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

The sugar I've sealed in a mylar bag and stored in a 5 gallon bucket stayed mostly free flowing. The sugar I left in the original bag and vac sealed in plastic bags stayed pretty normal too. The sugar I vac sealed in jars got somewhat hard. I think sucking *all* the air out makes it compress, but that's the only way I'd want to store it long term. I just take a screw driver to it in the jar and it comes out fine. If there are chunks left, I use the bottom of a measuring cup to mash it in the container I use in the kitchen and it falls apart.


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## NCLee (Aug 4, 2009)

Funny, I posed a similar question on another board. I want to store sugar in 2 liter soda bottles as I don't have the space for any more buckets. So my question was will it harden in those bottles?

Anyone know for sure?

TIA
Lee


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

We used to put a slice of apple in brown sugar to keep it soft. Don't know it that will help you.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I think your question needs more qualifiers. Where will you store it once it is in your container? Will the temperature fluctuate? Sugar hardens when it is exposed to humidity. Will your container keep out any and all moisture? The good news is that even if it hardens it is still usable. if all else fails, put small chunks of it through a grinder. If you put it in 2 liter bottles, are you willing to cut the bottle to get it out if it does harden inside there?

I put sugar in 5 gallon buckets and seal them. When we moved 9 months ago, they were still loose. I also have sugar in the gallon cans, sealed. Still loose. My SIL did the mylar bags and mice got to it. Once she put her mylar in plastic totes, she didn't have any more problems.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Around here you can find clay disks that you soak in water and put in with the sugar. It keeps brown sugar from turning into lumps (or softens it after it already IS a lump) and works great.

I would think you'd probably only want to add it to the sugar AFTER you opened it ... I can put one in a sealed container with a rock solid chunk of brown sugar, leave it for a day, and have nice crumbly sugar when I check next.


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## mtfarmchick (Feb 18, 2003)

Sugar used to come in cones. It had to be shaved off in order to use it. It would be less convienent to use if it got hard but it should still be good I would think. I know that doesn't answer your question but it is a suggestion to keep in mind if whatever method you use fails.


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

Callieslamb said:


> If you put it in 2 liter bottles, are you willing to cut the bottle to get it out if it does harden inside there?


I think I'd just hold the 2L bottle by the neck and whack it on something, since the sides are flexible. That might cut down on the number of times you can reuse the bottle, but it's a great visual! 

I also use a clay "sugar bear" in my brown sugar, which keeps it moist and soft. But I think the OP was asking about white sugar.


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## sgl42 (Jan 20, 2004)

i vaguely recall reading a suggestion to microwave hard sugar to make it free-flowing again. haven't tried it, and don't know if i'm remembering correctly, but might be worth a try. might also put it in a 200 degree oven for a while, which should get the moisture out of it, and make it less hard.

--sgl


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

Mom_of_Four said:


> I think I'd just hold the 2L bottle by the neck and whack it on something, since the sides are flexible. That might cut down on the number of times you can reuse the bottle, but it's a great visual! ..............QUOTE]
> 
> Good idea!


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## Bettsann (Feb 12, 2008)

I am an old waitress from way back but we used to put a saltine cracker in sugar to keep it from getting hard as well as rice in the salt shakers for the same reason. I like the 2L bottle idea though, does make a great visual.


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## NCLee (Aug 4, 2009)

sgl42 said:


> i vaguely recall reading a suggestion to microwave hard sugar to make it free-flowing again. haven't tried it, and don't know if i'm remembering correctly, but might be worth a try. might also put it in a 200 degree oven for a while, which should get the moisture out of it, and make it less hard.
> 
> --sgl


The microwave works for brown sugar. However, it will harden again, as soon as it cools. I have some in an container that has hardened. Rather than using an apple, I just nuke it, as I don't use very much of it.

White granulated sugar is the one that I'm pondering about with the 2 liter bottles. In a worse case, I can always cut off the bottle and use a rasp to use it. But, I'm hoping that it'll stay fairly free flowing from those soda bottles. ???

Lee


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## cnichols (Jan 5, 2010)

you could also use *food grade* silica gel packets in the sugar. just make sure they're dry before you put them in there and they will soak up any moisture


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## Spinner (Jul 19, 2003)

I have some in mylar bags, and some in sealed 6 gallon buckets. I tossed some plain soda crackers on top to keep the sugar from hardening. I've opened one bucket that was a year old and it was like new. I used oxygen absorbers in the mylar bags. I haven't opened any of them yet so don't know if it'll be a large rock or loose grains. 

I fill a gallon jar from the bucket, then toss some fresh crackers on top when I close the bucket back up. So far it's worked, I open the bucket about every other month to refill the jar. I live in a high humidity area so I highly recommend the soda cracker method. 

My problem is keeping my salt from getting hard. I have to bang the jar on the counter every day or it turns rock hard in a quart jar. 

Like mtfarmchick said, sugar used to be sold in cones. They came wrapped in plain brown paper. When you used it, you'd use a grater to grate off as much as you needed, they put the cone away till next time you wanted sugar. Hardened sugar is not gone bad, it's just gone back to it's hard stage and you'll have to grate it to use it.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

I wouldnt worry too much about it getting hard.
If you put into containers, you just break off a piece when you need some


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## ceresone (Oct 7, 2005)

Humidity gets bad here in the Ozarks summertime-so I guess if I order the 5 gallon buckets, and the mylar inserts, my sugar should be fine?
Counter storage, I just use gallon jars.
Thanks, everyone


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## stranger (Feb 24, 2008)

store it in a 100 gal drum with an auger and leave the auger running. I have it stored in mylar-5 gal pails,no CO2 absorbers and stored in foodsaver bags without sucking out all the air. In both ways, the sugar gets hard, but the bees don't mind.


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

I leave it in the bags. Store in a sealed trash can, to keep insects from investigating. If it get's hard, I smash it onto the floor a few times... it breaks up good enough to get into the sugar bucket. Any nuggets are used in hot tea. No problem here if the sugar gets hard.


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## AR Transplant (Mar 20, 2004)

I just recently started buying sugar in the mexican section of the grocery store. I can get four pounds sealed in a plastic bag similar to what brown sugar comes in. It is called Zulka and says it is produced from the crystallization of fresh cane juice. 100 per cent unrefined which preserves the nutritional value of natures minerals. I buy it because it is cheaper than the white sugar and I can taste no difference.

I keep it in the plastic bag and never have had a problem with it getting hard.


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## Guest (Jan 8, 2010)

AR Transplant said:


> I just recently started buying sugar in the mexican section of the grocery store. I can get four pounds sealed in a plastic bag similar to what brown sugar comes in. It is called Zulka and says it is produced from the crystallization of fresh cane juice. 100 per cent unrefined which preserves the nutritional value of natures minerals. I buy it because it is cheaper than the white sugar and I can taste no difference.
> 
> I keep it in the plastic bag and never have had a problem with it getting hard.


I also get evaporated cane juice. I get one of these plastic jugs a month:










I use less than half a jug a month, so once I get a dozen or so accumulated, I'll have a 2 or 3 year supply, and I'll just replace what I use.

I figure that what with it being sealed up in plastic jugs, I likely won't have a problem with it hardening.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

I would never store sugar in glass containers. I leave it in the original paper package and put the packages into buckets or totes. Some of my sugar goes back to early 1990's and is mostly free flowing with occasional lumps. When I have a bag that is solid, I put it on the counter and gently pound the package with the side of a hammer. When I move sugar from storage into the kitchen I store it in air tight container so that it doesn't draw moisture.


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## Bettsann (Feb 12, 2008)

Did a little Googling and the consensus was: Put a piece of a NEW terracotta in the sugar canister. It will absorb the moisture from the sugar. (You can get a small terracotta pot or plant coaster at garden store or discount store.) Seemed much more logical for the size and amount of sugar you are storing. Hope that helps


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