How We Finish Processing And Canning Pure Maple Syrup
This is how we finish processing our pure maple syrup on the off grid homestead. We are processing maple syrup full blast these days while the sap is flowing like water from the trees. Melanie shows us how she does the final finishing boil and canning process.
Chris, Melanie and I are all involved in the maple syrup processing this year. It sure does help to have others working with me. I haul the raw sap and the fire wood. Chris mans the boilers. And Melanie finishes and cans the syrup.
This is keeping Chris and I very busy all day, every day. Melanie gets a couple hours of work each day finishing off a batch from the previous night's work.
While I am hauling the sap from the trees, Chris is feeding the fires. When the sap boils down a bit in the primary boiling pans we add more raw sap to the pan to top it off. We continue this process all day until the fires go down at night. Then we cover it to cool overnight. The next morning we have some dark, tasty syrup. But it is not yet finished.
I haul this thickened syrup into the off grid tiny house where Melanie finishes the process. We bring the syrup to a boil in the tiny house kitchen. When the syrup reaches a temperature that is 7 degrees F above the boiling point of water then it is ready to be put into jars.
We use all stainless steel containers throughout the entire process for the best final product. The primary boiling pans are stainless steel. And the pots we finish the boil in are also stainless steel. Even the sap boiling off on our wood stove for our own home use is in a stainless steel pan. Stainless steel is neutral and will not give off any flavor to the finished maple syrup.
Processing and bottling pure maple syrup
The boiling point of water may vary based on your area and elevation. So we say 7 degrees F above the boiling point of water in your area. We are using 220 degrees F as a point of reference and we are getting some nice, sweet syrup. We use a candy thermometer to test the temperature of our syrup as we work.
When the syrup is nearly finished boiling in the finishing pan, Melanie puts some syrup bottles into a deep pot full of water. She brings the bottles to a boil to sterilize and heat them.
Next Melanie filters the syrup through a reusable coffee filter. We tried paper filters but they dont flow enough. The reusable filter is working well for us for now. She filters the syrup into a glass measuring cup because it has a nice pouring spout on the front.
Next Melanie pours the hot syrup into a hot glass jar and then puts the cap on. After it cools the syrup is ready to be put away for later use or to be sold at the market.
Pure Maple Syrup In Bottles
New York state has regulations about the clarity and color of grade A maple syrup. There are not many other regulations for processing maple syrup though. But they want to see it a clear amber color in order to be sold as table grade maple syrup. If it is darker and thicker then it is considered B grade restaurant or cooking quality.
Actually in our house we prefer the darker and thicker syrup. It is really thick and tastes so good. And it takes longer and more raw sap to get this thicker syrup.
We are going to let our viewers decide what they want. We will list our maple syrup based on color, clarity and thickness. You can decide what you want to buy.
We are currently working on prices now. We will announce the prices on video when we figure it all out.
You can watch today's video here: Final Process Of Maple Syrup ~ How Its Done
While you are over there please subscribe to my YouTube channel and follow our daily videos as we strive to become self sufficient and off the grid on a budget.
About the Author
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Troy Reid |
