How I make maple syrup on the cheap. (Part 1)

I've finished my syruping for 2010 now. Check out the new video I made of sap gathering: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUc9JJhfA8s. This vid from 2009 shows our kitchen stove boiler setup, and a look at how we make great maple syrup with ordinary, inexpensive kitchen equipment. And a few bricks.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• maple syrup
• maple syruping
• syrup-making
• kitchen
• Canada
• McDonalds Corners
• Lanark County
• Lanark Highlands
• Ontario
• Nancy Today

[theamazingabe]

I made a few jars of syrup last season. I took then out of the cabinet today and found 1/2 inch up to one inch of white stuff on the bottom. What is this? Is it supposed to happen if you don't move it for a few months?

[billsdubious]

@theamazingabe --Not to worry. As long as it's on the bottom, it's just mineral sediment that has settled. Some runs of sap have more of it than others. Commercial operations use thick felt filters to catch the sediment so yo don't see it on a grocery shelf. I just use a couple of (clean) teatowels, and/or ticht-woven pillowcase fabric, as filters. Sometimes I get the sediment, sometimes not.

If there was white junk floating on top, that would be mold--that would be bad. But it's rare.

[billsdubious]

@theamazingabe to continue...You can just pour the syrup carefully into a fresh container without the sediment. If there was mould, that would be because it wasn't packed properly. But you are just seeing mineral sediments. No big deal.

[MegaAmycakes]

No way in hell will the FDA approve your method. I admire your family, having brought down this recipe but, no way is this sanitary. I have so many reservations about the way you cook this up. I am so into home canning but I could not in good conscience sell your syrup to the public. Thanks anyway for the pioneer way of feeding your family.

[billsdubious]

No way in hell do I care about the FDA, I'm in Canada!

Ultimately, I boil the hell out of the sap for 7-10 hours, then pack it boiling hot in sterilized mason jars...haven't had any complaints, nor has any of it ever gone bad in the jars--obviously visible. Don't sell it anyway, we eat it and give it away. Used to be in the business with a real evaporator and thousands of taps, but now I just do it for fun.

Pioneers didn't have gas stoves--you'd be shocked at what they used!

[billsdubious]

What's a quart?

40:1 is the average over the season, generally earlier sap is sweeter, about 30:1 and the last gasp worth boiling is about 50:1. After the trees start to bud, the sap keeps coming but "buddy" sap has virtually no sugar--you can just boil it away to nothing but some nasty black tar.

[atticus9799]

My brother in law who lives in Indiana, brough us a quart of his own homemade maple syrup a couple months ago, it was from last years syruping. It was the best stuff I have ever had, much better than the store bought! I don't blame you for doing that, my husband said that he wished we had maple trees on our property, I told him if we did, he would have to do this over an open fire like his brother in law did, I don't know how I feel about having sticky walls! Great Job 5 stars! Noreen

[mollygsp]

anyone looking for some more info be sure to check out sugarbush.info

[TheMRamstaff]

rangehood still keeps steem in:D

[wrxmarcus]

I tap 3 trees - usually about 5 taps. I make only about 1/2 a gallon a year. I keep the fan on and boil it all down and once in the kitchen. I have no real condensation issues and no sticky wall or wallpaper coming off. Hope that helps people! :-) If you're doing a bigger operation, & you have more wood than I do - a fire works. A stove w/ a side burner works ok too, but the kitchen is warm and easy. just don't overfill!!

[HomeEC101]

Hi Nancy, 40:1, oh my goodness, I'm surprise that real maple syrup isn't even higher. Right now I'm paying 15 dollars a quart. How are you feeling? I saw that you B. popped and that you are doing better. Also on the video camera there is a reset button, where you open the view finder, a tiny dot under the menu and control buttons. When most camcorders stop, you just take a small pin, and push the reset button. Everything resets. You might try this next tiem-Luv Sarah