Chunk Honey: Comb and Liquid Honey in One Jar
Chunk honey is a jar with a piece of honeycomb inside, surrounded by liquid honey. It is a long-standing tradition in the American South, where it was once the most common way to sell honey, and it gives you the best of both worlds: honey you can pour, and comb you can chew. This guide explains what chunk honey is, how it differs from other comb honeys, and how to eat and store it.
Chunk honey vs other comb honeys
There are several ways to sell honey still in the comb, and each has a name.
| Type | What you get |
|---|---|
| Chunk honey | Comb pieces in a jar, topped up with liquid honey |
| Cut comb honey | A square of comb cut from a frame, packed alone |
| Section comb honey | Comb built by bees in a small wooden or plastic frame |
| Liquid honey | Honey extracted and strained from the comb |
A Southern tradition
In the American South, chunk honey has been a favorite for generations, often from sourwood, gallberry or tupelo. Before modern extraction equipment was common, it was a practical way to sell honey still in its comb, and many people came to see the comb as proof the honey was real. Chunk honey is still sold at Southern farm stands and fairs, and beekeepers' associations judge it as its own category at honey shows.
Its appeal is partly visual: a slab of pale comb in a jar of golden honey looks as natural as honey gets. See sourwood honey and tupelo honey for two Southern honeys often sold this way.
How to eat chunk honey
Lift out a piece of comb with a fork and spread it on warm toast or a biscuit, where the wax softens and the honey melts in. Spoon the liquid honey into tea or over yogurt. Cut the comb into small squares for a cheese board, or chew a piece on its own like gum. The beeswax is edible; you can swallow it or spit it out once the honey is gone. Our guide can you eat honeycomb covers eating comb in more detail.
- Spread comb on hot toast, biscuits or cornbread
- Place squares on a cheese board with sharp cheddar or blue cheese
- Top pancakes or waffles with a piece of comb
- Spoon the liquid honey into tea or coffee
Storing chunk honey
Keep chunk honey sealed at room temperature in a cupboard. The liquid honey may crystallize over time, especially around the comb. Do not microwave the jar, which melts the wax. Instead, set the jar in warm water, well below 140 degrees Fahrenheit, to soften crystals while keeping the comb intact. Stored properly, it keeps for years; see does honey go bad.
Why choose chunk honey
People buy chunk honey because they enjoy the texture of comb, because they like seeing honey in its natural form, and because the comb gives a sense of minimal handling. It is usually more expensive than liquid honey, since it takes more work to pack and bees must build new comb. It also makes a lovely gift; see honey gift ideas.
We do not currently sell chunk or comb honey. Our liquid honeys are strained only to remove wax and never heated above hive temperature, so they keep the character of honey straight from the comb. For a classic pourable jar, try Pure Raw Honey or Wildflower honey.
Frequently asked questions
- What is chunk honey?
- A jar holding pieces of honeycomb surrounded by liquid honey.
- Can you eat the comb in chunk honey?
- Yes. The beeswax is edible. Chew it, spread it on toast, or spit out the wax after the honey is gone.
- What is the difference between chunk honey and comb honey?
- Comb honey is comb alone. Chunk honey is comb plus liquid honey in a jar.
- How do you decrystallize chunk honey?
- Set the jar in warm water, not too hot, so the honey softens without melting the wax.
Al Safa Honey is a food producer, not a medical provider. Nothing here is medical advice. Never give honey of any kind to a baby under 12 months old.
