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4 Basic Steps to Dry Out Brown Sugar

4 Basic Steps to Dry Out Brown Sugar

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Using brown sugar for rubbing into meat can make for a flavorsome dish but lots of people find that the brown sugar they have at home has become moist and has stuck together into clumps. This condition is not ideal for using as a rub and this is when you’ll need to dry it out.

So how can you dry out the brown sugar enough so that it’s still loose enough to use as a rub for your meat dish?

Advice on Drying Your Brown Sugar

If your brown sugar is all clumped together it’s because moisture has gotten into it, the first thing to do is to place it in a bowl and use a spoon to get out as many clumps as you can. Once you’ve done this, you’re ready to start the drying process.

Here are a few ways to approach this:

1. Air Dry

If you live in an area of low humidity and you have the time, spread the brown sugar out onto a sheet and then let it air dry. The air from heaters dries out the air and helps to dry out the sugar too.

This is a low-fuss and easy way to get the job done but it might not be quick enough for some.

2. Use an Oven

If you don’t want to wait for air drying to happen or you live in a humid environment, the other option is to use the oven on a low heat to dry out the brown sugar. Setting the oven to no more than between 120 and 150 degrees Fahrenheit should do the trick.

Just remember to spread the brown sugar as thinly as possible onto a sheet of cooking paper so that the dry air can get to it.

Some people use too high a heat during this process and this will inevitably cause the brown sugar granules to start caramelizing and melting together. This is not what you want when you’re putting together a meat rub for cooking and grilling.

3. Use a Microwave

You can use a microwave on a low setting. This will be much quicker but it can also create a mess if you’re not careful with the heat.

Placing the brown sugar into a microwave-safe bowl on a low heat setting and then stirring it around every few minutes will start the drying process.

Once you’ve got a lot of the moisture out of it, you can continue the process by air drying or using the oven as noted above.

4. Use Kosher Salt and Store

If you already have some dried brown sugar, you can actually mix it with kosher salt and then store it in a container. Make sure that the container is airtight.

This will prevent any moisture from getting in and ruining the dry sugar. You can then use it whenever you need to rub the meat.

Final Thoughts

Brown sugar can be great when used as a rub for meat but it’s very common for brown sugar to clump together and become moist. The good news is that there are several ways in which you can dry out the brown sugar without making a mess.

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