BizyPenguin Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 If so, is it an easy process? I like pure maple syrup, but the price has skyrocketed at Trader Joes so I refuse to buy it anymore. I don't want to go back to those fake syrups with preservatives and ingredients that I can't even pronounce, but I might have to unless I can find an easy maple syrup recipe. Anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 All I know is that my 10 year old told me just the other day that it takes something like 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of syrup. He told me the exact numbers, but I don't retain information that I have no intention of ever using. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 You mean like how to tap your own maple trees? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda in VT Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 Do you have access to maple sap? Essentially, you tap the trees in late winter/early spring, collect the sap, and then boil it down to the desired thickness. (You need to skim floaties and salt? off the top as it's boiling.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Me Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 Here's how we always have syrup at our house: 2 cups sugar 1 cup water 1 teaspoon maple flavoring heat the sugar and water until it just begins to boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in maple flavoring. Store in a glass container in the refrigerator. Tastes just like store bought brand syrups, althought not quite as good as pure maple syrup. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty Social Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 Do you have access to maple sap? Essentially, you tap the trees in late winter/early spring, collect the sap, and then boil it down to the desired thickness. (You need to skim floaties and salt? off the top as it's boiling.) This is it in a nutshell, but it's a sticky and messy process (pretty easy though). I'm not sure exactly how long it takes, because you keep adding sap and boiling it down. Best done in a sugaring shed with a two or three partitioned pan, but you can do it in the home on the stove, or a kerosene heater or woodstove. Just be prepared to have sugar residue around where you are working. On the plus side - your house smells great! and yes - for sugar maples it's 40 gallons sap to one gallon syrup. You can also tap other trees like birch or regular maples, but the sap is less sugary and it takes more to make a gallon. I've seen catalogs with equipment (taps and such), and I'm sure you can get step by step instructions online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BizyPenguin Posted September 9, 2008 Author Share Posted September 9, 2008 You mean like how to tap your own maple trees? LOL!! No. Not at all. LOL!! I mean using maple extract and sugar and water or something like that. When I was a little girl my mom concocted some stove top syrup whenever we were low on syrup. In fact, why the heck don't I just ask her about this? Duhhhhh! :p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumping In Puddles Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 It is easy to tap the trees (and inexpensive to buy the taps, buckets, tubing) but it is not so easy to boil the sap down to syrup. You can not do it inside your house and all this must be done only in one short month of the year. That is usually March in my area. You can start tapping your maple trees when the overnight temperatures are below freezing and the day time temps are in the upper 40's to upper 50's. I get about 5 gallons of sap per tap from a tree that is about 2 feet in circumference and I tap that tree with 3 taps, leading to 3 (5 gallon) buckets. I start a big fire in our fire pit (just bricks in our yard) and an outdoor fire grate and a big pot. Shallower "hotel pans" work best because evaporation is quicker. I'd like to try a propane turkey fryer, I hear that's a great way to evaporate the sap. If you do this on your stove inside your walls and ceiling in your house will be covered with sticky sap! It is quite involved but not difficult and kind of fun. 40 gallons of sap to 1 gallon of syrup is about right. Once the temps are not freezing at night, the sap will be flowing but have too little sugar and the quality of the syrup (if you even get any) would be poor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BizyPenguin Posted September 9, 2008 Author Share Posted September 9, 2008 Here's how we always have syrup at our house: 2 cups sugar 1 cup water 1 teaspoon maple flavoring heat the sugar and water until it just begins to boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in maple flavoring. Store in a glass container in the refrigerator. Tastes just like store bought brand syrups, althought not quite as good as pure maple syrup. HTH Okay. Well there you go! I won't have to ask my mom afterall! Thanks a bunch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bee Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 Dh has done it a few years.When he was a kid he did it over a wood fire in the woods and said he'd be outside all day almost every day doing it.I've watched and helped minimally when he's done it on our woodstove and on a propane cooker.He was able to cook more on the propane cooker because you can get it hotter than a woodstove.On the woodstove he has to use a shallower pan and watch it closely to make sure it doesn't burn as it is finishing.He only made about a gallon this year on the woodstove but he's made a couple of gallons a year when he's used the propane cooker.Of course, using a propane cooker means being outside in the weather.Late winter/early spring is the time of year to make syrup.Carrie's son is right;it takes alot of sap to make one gallon of syrup.Oh, and boiling sap puts alot of moisture into the air so it really isn't recommended that you do it inside in large batches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 LOL!! No. Not at all. LOL!! I mean using maple extract and sugar and water or something like that. When I was a little girl my mom concocted some stove top syrup whenever we were low on syrup. In fact, why the heck don't I just ask her about this? Duhhhhh! :p Okay, lol, I thought you were asking how to make "maple syrup", not how to make "maple-flavored syrup". ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 You know, I have a TON of birch trees here. Most of them are really thin, but we have a few thicker ones. It's never occurred to me to tap them. Off to Google! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda in VT Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 It is easy to tap the trees (and inexpensive to buy the taps, buckets, tubing) but it is not so easy to boil the sap down to syrup. You can not do it inside your house and all this must be done only in one short month of the year. That is usually March in my area. You can start tapping your maple trees when the overnight temperatures are below freezing and the day time temps are in the upper 40's to upper 50's. I get about 5 gallons of sap per tap from a tree that is about 2 feet in circumference and I tap that tree with 3 taps, leading to 3 (5 gallon) buckets. I start a big fire in our fire pit (just bricks in our yard) and an outdoor fire grate and a big pot. Shallower "hotel pans" work best because evaporation is quicker. I'd like to try a propane turkey fryer, I hear that's a great way to evaporate the sap. If you do this on your stove inside your walls and ceiling in your house will be covered with sticky sap! It is quite involved but not difficult and kind of fun. 40 gallons of sap to 1 gallon of syrup is about right. Once the temps are not freezing at night, the sap will be flowing but have too little sugar and the quality of the syrup (if you even get any) would be poor. My kids did this in their K class at school. The resulting syrup isn't of the highest quality :lol: but they sure had fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiver0f10 Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 Here's how we always have syrup at our house: 2 cups sugar 1 cup water 1 teaspoon maple flavoring heat the sugar and water until it just begins to boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in maple flavoring. Store in a glass container in the refrigerator. Tastes just like store bought brand syrups, althought not quite as good as pure maple syrup. HTH This what we do except I use 1 cup white sugar and 1 cup brown sugar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lwilliams1922 Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 yup maple syrup is pretty pricy, just when I wanted to STOP using the fake stuff. I do find now that by searching amazon i can usually buy it much cheaper then other places. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tricia Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 We do it this way too. Only when I want it thicker I will add some corn syrup and cut back on the sugar some. Tricia http://www.mommyx12.blogspot.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in the Kootenays Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 :lol::lol::lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 Our syrup recipe is similar but uses less sugar: 1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 cup water no flavorings boil until sugar dissolves - mmmmmm! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BizyPenguin Posted September 10, 2008 Author Share Posted September 10, 2008 :lol::lol::lol: LOL!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 I find pure maple syrup all natural, no preservatives made in St. Johnsbury, VT from Walmart and/or Target for about $7 for 12.5oz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PineFarmMom Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 2 Cups sugar 1 c water 2-3 T corn syrup 2-3 T brown sugar Stir that just until it's mixed up. Heat it. When it boils, turn it down to simmer and cover it. Cook it for 10 minutes. Add maple flavor (I never measure) and some vanilla (again...). It's not the real thing but my kids won't touch the grocery store stuff now because this is so much better. Teresa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BizyPenguin Posted September 10, 2008 Author Share Posted September 10, 2008 Thanks for chiming in ladies...Now I've got a few different ways to make this syrup...and it seems so easy! I'm going to whip up a batch before the end of the week. Yum!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Okay, lol, I thought you were asking how to make "maple syrup", not how to make "maple-flavored syrup". ;) That's what I was thinking. :-) If it ain't from the tree, it ain't maple syrup. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.