Homemade Maple Syrup
Here is our full step-by-step guide on how to turn your maple sap into maple syrup. We print this out and keep it with us as we're working so we don't forget things! Note that one gallon of sap will produce a little under half a cup of syrup, so you'll probably want to collect more than that!
Equipment
- 1 large pot or roasting pan
- 1 digital thermometer
- 1 fine mesh strainer
- 1 sterilized glass jars for bottling
Ingredients
- 1 gallon maple tree sap
Instructions
- Step 1. Filter the SapFilter the collected sap through a fine mesh strainer to remove debris. Store sap in clean, food-safe containers in a cold place (refrigerator or outdoors if cold) if not boiling immediately. Sap can be stored for about a week.
- Step 2. Boil the SapPour the filtered sap into a large pot or roasting pan. Place the pot on a heat source (stove or outdoor fire) and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn your overhead exhaust on, if you have one. Continuously boil the sap, adding more sap as the level reduces, to evaporate the water. This process will take many hours. Important: Keep a close eye on the pot to prevent boil-overs; reduce heat, line the pot rim with oil, or place a wooden spoon across the top of the pan if it threatens to boil over.
- Step 3: Monitor Temperature for Syrup ReadinessAs the sap reduces, monitor the temperature with a digital thermometer. The syrup is ready when it reaches 7°F above the boiling point of water (approximately 219°F or 104°C for most elevations). You can also check if syrup is ready by using a hydrometer or a refractometer, which measures the sugar density. We tried both, and honestly, the hydrometer gave us the most reliable results.When the syrup is done, remove the pot from the heat immediately once this temperature is reached to prevent over-thickening or crystallization.
- 5. Filter and Bottle the SyrupWhile the syrup is still hot, filter it through several layers of cheesecloth or a specialized syrup filter to remove any sediment or "sugar sand."Pour the hot, filtered syrup into sterilized glass jars, filling them almost to the top.Seal the jars tightly with lids. The hot syrup will create a vacuum seal as it cools, making it shelf-stable.
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