Making Maple Syrup - Part Three
Finally, the boiling process! Set aside a full day or two for this, it can take a while. I like to do as much of this outside as possible, so here's the setup I came up with. I placed the pot on two metal slats over my grill, allowing me to feed in firewood as needed.
Getting started
First things first, I poured and strained it. I started with 8 gallons of silver maple sap and decided I would boil about one gallon at a time. Next, I got a good fire going. It took about 20 minutes for it to settle down to the heat I wanted. Then I applied my metal slats and the pot. I wrapped the handles in tin foil to protect them from the flames.
Slow and steady
Slowly, bring it up to a boil then begin boiling it down. It took a bit to get going. I added wood to maintain a steady temperature. Soon, it was bubbling. Add more sap when it starts to get low.
moving indoors
When the syrup turns a yellow or light gold color, I like to bring it inside and finish it up on the stove. This allows me to control the temperature easier. In total, it took about 8-10 hours to boil everything.
Almost ready. I like to taste it often to check the flavor and sweetness.
When it feels ready (it should be a dark gold color), I filter it through some cheese cloth to remove any small particles, and pour it into a jar.
The Finished Product
And we have syrup! This was only half of the sap I collected, so a total of four jars is a pretty good haul. I actually got more than I expected, perhaps the trees had a higher sugar content this year. It sure tastes sweet.
Although it's a fairly long process, anyone can do it, and it's incredibly rewarding. Check your backyard for some maple trees and give it a try next spring!