Cut comb honey is a visually appealing and popular way to prepare honey. It’s the easiest way to harvest honey because it requires no special equipment or advanced techniques. The cut comb honey method is one of the most economical ways to prepare honey. To produce cut comb honey, the beekeeper simply cuts the honeycomb free from the frame and then cuts it into smaller pieces- typically squares or rectangles. Then the cut comb can be packaged in plastic wrap or plastic containers.
Obviously, for this method, you can’t use a plastic foundation. If you plan to harvest comb honey, be sure to use frames with ultra-thin foundations or foundationless frames.
All honey should be frozen at some point in harvesting. Freezing the combs will kill off any wax moths or hive beetles (at any stage of life) that may be in the combs. You can freeze the combs before or after packaging. Wrap the entire frame in plastic prior to freezing it and only remove the plastic after the comb is completely thawed. Typically, the frames should remain in the freezer overnight. The plastic allows condensation to form on the outside rather than in the comb.
How to Cut Make Cut Comb Honey
Tools Required:
- A Kitchen Knife
- A Baker’s Cooling Rack
- A Baking Sheet or Tray
Instructions:
- Place the cooling rack on top of the baking sheet (or tray).
- Lay the frame of honey on top of the cooling rack.
- Cut the honeycomb out of the frame and remove the frame. Keep the comb on the cooling rack.
- Using the knife, cut the comb into 4-inch squares. Make sure to wipe the knife after each cut to keep the comb clean.
- Move the cut pieces apart and let them drain overnight.
- Once drained, you can wrap the wax combs for later use.
NOTE: Make sure to freeze the comb at some point throughout this process. Refer back to the top of this article for more details.