How to Make Beeswax Food Wraps
With just a few simple supplies, you can create your own custom beeswax food wraps at home!
Supplies
cotton fabric (any color or pattern; must be 100% cotton, no blends; washed and dried)- measuring device
(ruler, yard stick, quilting ruler, etc.) chalk (or other tool for marking measurements on fabric)pinking shears - 5 parts
beeswax (pellets or shredded blocks; make sure it's food safe or cosmetic grade) - 1 part
pine rosin (optional; makes it stickier) - 1 part
unrefined coconut oil (optional; makes it softer) glass baking dish or disposable baking dish tongs (heat safe)parchment paper spatula (or other rigid tool with a straight edge)
Instructions
How to Make Beeswax Food Wraps
- Preheat oven to 215° F.
- Measure and cut the fabric. Measure your fabric to the desired size then, using the pinking shears, cut it out. Make sure there is enough excess (an inch or so) to serve as overlap for whatever dishes it may be covering. You can make the wraps rectangular, circular, square, or any other shape to fit the dishes that you intend to cover with them.
- Heat up ingredients. In your baking dish, add the wax pellets (or shredded wax), rosin (if using–be sure to crush it some, don’t leave it in big chunks like my picture shows), and coconut oil. Pop it in the oven until melted/dissolved (10 minutes, give or take). Be warned that the rosin can set on fire so don’t overheat it!!! Do NOT heat the rosin in the microwave (again, it can set on fire).
- Dunk the fabric. Using your tongs, dip the fabric pieces one at a time in the melted/dissolved wax or wax mixture. Move it around until every bit of the fabric has absorbed some of the liquid. If the liquid solidifies, pop back in the oven to re-melt it.
- Let the wax harden. After the fabric piece is fully soaked, hold it up with the tongs to allow as much excess wax as possible to drip off back into the glass dish. Then, lay the wrap completely flat (avoid wrinkles and folds) on a sheet of parchment paper until completely hardened/cooled down.
- Remove excess wax. After the wax has hardened on the wrap, take your straight-edged spatula and scrape off the excess wax from the surface of both sides of the wrap. Don’t press too terribly hard while doing this as that can rip the fabric.
How to Use Beeswax Food Wraps
- You might want to scrunch up the wraps to make them less rigid and more pliable just before each use. Then simply drape one over your bowl or dish and press it down along the edges and sides. The wax (with a bit of help from the heat of your hands) will stick to the edges and sides of the dish, forming an airtight seal and keeping your food fresh!
- If using the wrap for something like a block of cheese or a sandwich, you can wrap it up like a Christmas gift.
How to Wash Beeswax Food Wraps
- To wash off the beeswax wraps, use COLD water (avoid any warm to hot water lest the wax melt off and plug up your drain) and mild dish soap. Do NOT scrub the wraps with anything abrasive as this will also remove the wax. And, obviously, do NOT run them through the dishwasher (that would cause a massive mess of wax everywhere inside your dishwasher!). Lay to dry on a towel or in a dish rack.
How to Store Beeswax Food Wraps
- To store the wraps, simply fold them like you would any other piece of cloth and keep them in your drawer ready to go.
