Maple Sugar and Maple Syrup

[chocomouse]

Skeptic, that's the way we seal jars when we initially make the syrup. We boil the sap that comes out of the tree(s), to 219.5*, which is now syrup, not sap. To re-package the syrup, heat the syrup up to 190*; you do not need to completely re-boil it, just get it up to around 190. Then pour it into clean glass jars, cap them, and they self-seal. You can hear the lid "pop" and then feel that the lid has lost it's flexibility if you poke it. It's the same process of canning, with a water bath or pressure cooker -- the lid is sealed. These sealed jars do not need to be refrigerated; once opened, however, they do have to be kept in the refrigerator. Sometimes we need to transfer syrup from gallon jugs into different containers (usually small, fancy bottles for wedding favors) so we use the same process - heat the syrup to 190*, pour into clean (sterilized in boiling water) jars, and cap.

Also, if you ever find mold growing on an opened container of syrup, you can scrape the mold off, toss it, and reheat the syrup to 219.5 (yes, 219.5 is correct if you have removed mold) and put it in a clean glass container and cap it. We've seen this happen a couple of times. Supposedly, the syrup container did not seal completely or was not refrigerated. Experts say the mold is actually growing in the water/moisture that was in the original container, not growing in the syrup which has a high sugar content.

I'm not sure how much heat a plastic funnel can manage, so to be safe, I guess you probably should use metal not plastic. We use metal at the sugarhouse. It is an easy process -- the hardest part is waiting for the syrup to come up to temperature -- it takes a while.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by chocomouse. Reason: Edited to change erroneous temperature
• This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by chocomouse.

[chocomouse]

PLEASE NOTE: I have edited the previous entry about repackaging syrup into glass jars. When you repackage, heat the syrup up to 190*, not the 219.5* I stated. The 219.5* is needed only when you initially boil sap into syrup, or when you have removed mold. Whenever you are just repackaging into glass container, you only need to heat the syrup to 190*. Sorry - I've never repackaged syrup -- that's my husband's job!

[skeptic7]

chocomouse, thanks for the information. I'll get a new funnel and do this on one of the cold winter days. I have a candy thermometer so I can get the temperature correct.

[kimbob]

Chocomouse, it has arrived! Thanks to you and your hubby. Going to be using it this weekend. Yay!

[cwcdesign]

I forgot to post that we got our syrup on Monday. Yum! The Post Office seemed to use the package for football practice, but all that happened was two lids cracked, but the loss of syrup was negligible. Rhett sent me the info for boiling and bottling the syrup, so we will be great. So excited.

Food & Wine had this article in their email today - there are a few recipes I might have to try
https://www.foodandwine.com/condiments/maple-syrup?did=582719-20201122&utm_campaign=faw-top10_newsletter&utm_source=foodandwine.com&utm_medium=email&utm_content=112220&cid=582719&mid=45338736841&slide=78206c4d-8e1a-4578-a7b2-a304e5fa731e#78206c4d-8e1a-4578-a7b2-a304e5fa731e

[chocomouse]

cwc, my husband showed me the photos you sent him. wow! Football, indeed. Looks like a heavyweight defensive player fell on it. I've never seen anything like that. And I'm glad you did not lose much syrup and can repackage it for long-term storage. Thanks for posting the Food and Wine link. I'm going to make the maple-apple upside down cake for sure, and maybe try the squash/pumpkin soup.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by chocomouse.

[BakerAunt]

While I didn't have a box that looked as if the NFL had tackled it, the syrup I ordered from another source (before I knew of Chocomouse's sales) also arrived with one of the plastic lids damaged, although it did have a seal inside the cap, so no spilling. Clearly it's rough out there in the mailroom.

[skeptic7]

Chocomouse, I used your maple syrup for cooking a butternut squash yesterday. Delicious!

[chocomouse]

Thanks for the feedback, Skeptic, and glad you like it. I know lots of people use syrup on their squash, but winter squash is my second most favorite vegetable (after home-grown tomatoes), and I love the pure squash flavor just plain.

[skeptic7]

Chocomouse;
I tried canning most of your syrup in pint jars last night. The extra syrup went into one of those decorative little glass jugs which contain about 1 cup of syrup and is popular with tourists. It was much easier than I expected, especially since the jars don't need a hot water bath. I boiled the jars and the lids, and then heated the syrup. I think the syrup got to 200 degrees which is hotter than necessary. Three of the jars sealed properly, and two didn't. I think I didn't fill them up as full as necessary. I did the whole process over again for those two jars adding a couple of tablespoons from the decorative jug. I hope it works. Thank your husband for the detailed directions.

[skeptic7]

Second try at canning maple syrup was a 50% success. One jar sealed and the other one didn't. Well. I guess its time to try again.

[skeptic7]

Last maple syrup canning was a success! I'll put labels on it and look for a good place to store them. I need to be sure NOT to find such a good place that I don't find them for years.

[chocomouse]

Glad you got everything sealed! I checked with Rhett, and he doesn't know why your jars wouldn't seal. He always has 100% seal on his jars - we love to listen to the ping, ping, ping! Possibly there is something, a drop of syrup?, on the rim of the jar - but not likely, since you are scrupulously clean. He has 2 suggestions, which are not related to the sealing. One, be sure your clean jars are dry - any water in them might contaminate the syrup, and possibly dilute it. Also, you really only need to heat it up to 195* (that is the temp he uses to reseal) and it will preserve and seal the jar. Yesterday he made a batch of maple cream, and then bottled 16 half gallons of syrup - and all 16 sealed completely. I'll check my sources on canning to see if there is anything there that might apply. I love hearing about the ways you are using the syrup in your cooking and baking!

[skeptic7]

There could have been syrup on the jar rim -- I was scrupulous about washing and soaking and boiling everything, but not so much about about wiping the rim of the jar. I don't know how dry my clean jars were, I just pulled them out of the boiling water, poured the water out, let sit for a minute and drained again, and then put the hot syrup in before the jars could cool down. I'm not worried about the syrup getting diluted -- it would have concentrated slightly when heated up. I am glad that the last jar finally sealed, I was starting to think about making maple popcorn for the neighborhood instead of going through the whole boiling and heating and resealing again.

[BakerAunt]

Chocomouse--I just emailed your husband and son about buying 3 quarts of your maple syrup.

My supply is getting low, what with my loving maple syrup on waffles and my husband gobbling down the maple granola I make.

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