makin maple syrup.............

[bob1961]

what is the recipe to make it and what maple trees are used to make maple syrup....i have 2 big silver maple trees in my yard :v ................bob

 

[trent/OH]

Silver maples will work just fine. Any of the Acer spp. will do nicely, except for the Sycamore.

Ingredients are: sap, and heat. Boil down the sap until it is syrup. You'll boil down about 40:1. That is, 40 units of sap will yield about 1 unit of syrup. I started tapping my one silver maple late this year, and managed to fill a 24 ounce syrup bottle full of the real stuff.
Your family members will either refuse to use it because it doesn't look or taste lke store-bought, or will use it as fast as you can make it. I boiled down every day or two on my kitchen stove and therefore added small batches to the bottle several times. My 13 year old daughter doesn't like the real stuff, but likes the way it makes the house smell.
I encourage you to buy some spiles instead of re-inventing the wheel. An internet search for "making maple syrup" will show a wealth of information to you. But it's easy and enjoyable-twice! And if you make a lot of it, it's about the best gift you can give someone, unless they are diabetic.

 

[bob1961]

thx :hatsoff: :v .............bob

 

Bob, ya need to wait till March for the proper sap to run. It starts to run when the temp just gets above freezing during the day but drops below at night. This is an outdoor project unless you want to lose all the wallpaper in the house. all you nned to do is tap the trees, and collect the sap, then boil it down. Go to far and you have sugar. To do it correctly you nee a hydrometer to check specific gravity, but you can get by with a candy thermometer. You will need spiels to tap the tree, something to collect the sap, and a means to store it cold until you get enough to boil, as the ratio is between 30, and 40 gallons of sap to a gallon of syrup. It's somewhat labor intensive, but a lot of fun, and well worth the effort. If your trees are bigger around than 12 inches you can put tow or three spiels per tree. I have a little booklet I'll copy and send you as well as a catalog location for the spiels. I use cleaned out gallon milk jugs with a quarter size hole as my collection buckets, they work well, and keep the bugs out.

Bill

 

[bucktales]

I used to help a friend in Vt. during sugaring season. When the trees start to bud, it's all done.
IIRC, fancy grade requires 50 gallons of sap to make a gallon of syrup while other grades it's a 40 to 1 ratio. I prefer the darker amber myself.

 

[user 2647]

A friend of mine boils down around 400 gallons of sap a year and man is it good! He sells it for saving acount money for his grandkids. :thumbsup:

 

[djnye]

i've been sugaring for forty years. two silver maples will never do. do your homework and find sugar maple to tap by late next winter into early spring.

good luck and take care, daniel

 

[bob1961]

yeah bill that'll be great....the 2 trees in the yard are bout 3 to 4 feet in dia at 2 to 3 feet high, big enough :v ..............bob

 

[djnye]

not if they are silver maple

take care, daniel

 

[Blizzard of '93]

Yep, feller needs sugar maple. I've never done syruping except for sorghum. it is delicious too, but nothing like real maple syrup on blueberry hotcakes with pork sausage and strong tea for breakfast. :thumbsup:

 

[bucktales]

Yep, nothing like the real deal. I even use it a lot to cook.
Once you are accustomed to real maple syrup, it's hard to use the fake stuff.

Hmm, kind of like real Black Powder :hmm: :thumbsup:

 

[Blizzard of '93]

If you ain't had real sorghum molasses you owe it to yerself to try some. Delish on buckwheat cakes, hot buttermilk biscuits, waffles. It's a real southern treat. some chefs use it in dessert recipes that are very good.

 

[bocalbender1]

it may not be the same quality of a true sugar maple but for the sake of experience it would still work. Boxelder will yield a servicable syrup also. I quit being purist long ago.

 

[xxgrampa]

i have to pay 12.00 for a tiny bottle of real maple syrup. not too many trees in ca.

..ttfn..grampa..

 

[pennsyltucky]

www.mapletrader.com


we put 126 buckets on today... here we go :wink: shoutld run starting on monday or tuesday of next week if we get a little sun.

 

[kwildey]

I am lucky enough to have 4 large suger maples in my yard. Lucky enough to be the only one that likes the real stuff, too. I have found not to use the tree's closest to the road though, I think the road salt makes a bitter taste in the syrup.