This is the second year at the Frugal Upstate household that we have made our own, real, upstate NY maple syrup.
I have to admit, this project is completely Yankee Bill. He grew up with his Dad doing a very large scale maple syrup production out in the woods every year with a friend. It was an actual business-they made enough money each year to finance the family’s annual vacation. So obviously there are fond memories associated with the task.
Last year we started out by tapping the large maple that stood at the end of the driveway. We got tons of sap and made several quarts of syrup. . . but the tree had to be cut down during the summer (it was half rotten and blocked the driveway. . .) We were very happy to discover that the large tree shading the back of our lot is also a full grown maple, so syrup production was able to resume this year.
Thus far this year we’ve already made over a gallon of syrup. Today is another cold snap-which I hate for lifestyle reasons (spring, please just come already) but love for maple syrup production-those cold snaps followed by warming keep the old sap running!
Is this activity cost effective? Well, I guess that depends. Yes, we’ve used some propane. And it has taken several weeks (although much of that time has been unattended cooking time) and some effort. On the other hand, this brings back fond memories for Yankee Bill and he enjoys the process of making something (very satisfying as you know). To be blunt-real maple syrup is damn expensive-I’ve seen it for over $10 for a little pint, so our gallon plus is probably worth $80-$100 dollars.
L. Warren says
Jenn, my son is doing work experience through BOCES right now. He is helping a local maple producer. He told me that a gallon of syrup goes for $40-50 right now. Quite a chunk of change!
If it were me, I turn it all into maple sugar candy, YUM!
I bet the kids are getting a kick out of helping Dad with this!
Amanda says
When you mentioned this the other night I was hoping you’d do a post on the process–fascinating!
Grade B maple syrup (which is darker than what you see on the shelves) is HUGE among the foodie community, and is very, very hard to find.
Well done!
Anonymous says
The best place to find Grade B is at Trader Joe’s.
Together We Save says
Wow I am impressed. I also felt like I was reading Laual Ingalls Wilder, I do not say that to make fun, they are still my favorite books. I had no idea you could really do that.
Amanda says
Thanks, Anonymous for the tip–next time I go to NYC I’ll look for it. (Unfortunately it’s a 5-hr train ride away!)
rmlrhonda says
Thanks for posting about your process. I may watch for a second-hand propane turkey fryer just for this purpose. We tried to boil sap down out back on a wood fire and it just took forever and completely ruined the pot. And finishing it off in the slow cooker is genius!
Julie says
My husband is a avid vegetable gardener and orchardist. He keeps threatening (jokingly, I hope) to chop down our big maple tree because it doesn’t produce anything the way his fruit trees do.
I showed him this post, and now he’s starting to research how to get syrup from the only true shade tree on our property.
Thanks!
Jenn @ Frugal Upstate says
Laura-That's an interesting work study! Yes, the kids are enjoying the process-Princess brought sap, partially boiled syrup & completed syrup into class for everyone to taste 🙂
Amanda-Glad to please! It's actually a pretty easy (if lengthy) process. Interesting about the grade B syrup. Wonder if you went straight to someone who produces the syrup if they'd sell you grade B.
TWSave-I always think of Little House when we do this as well. I have always remembered the part where they poured the maple syrup in the snow and it hardened.
rmlrhonda-The slow cooker was my brilliant husbands idea 🙂
Julie-glad to give him a reason to love your maples!
Anonymous says
When we made it in the business – the darker grade was generally sold in bulk to confectionery (sp?) companies. Don’t know if this is still standard practice or not. The stuff we’ve made has all been pretty dark – you can see 2 mason jars of it behind the crock pot.
As my frugal wifey said…we’ve made over a gallon this year (I pulled the taps yesterday and am cooking the last pot-full as I write this) I have burned less that $20 of propane and probably have about 50-60 hours of crock pot time. It is time consuming but not labor intensive – you just don’t wanna burn it dry, like I did last year!
It brings back lots of memories from my younger days, my dad and my “uncle” Ernie – God rest their souls. It is also an incredibly sought after gift for loved ones and friends (even a tiny jar). And there is not many things closer to heaven for this country boy – than a spoonful and the smell of that hot syrup! mmmmmmm
Most small sap-houses LOVE to have visitors – if you see the steam from the roof….don’t be afraid to knock on the door and ask for the tour. Be ready to get wet – sometimes when the outside temp changes…all that condensation turns to rain and it will pour for a few seconds inside the sugar shack!
Yankee Bill
Donalyn says
We get grade B from the people right around us [there are probably 4 or 5 producers within just a few miles here], but they keep it for me because I ask them to – otherwise they would ship most of it off in bulk as well. The one closest us, is noticing more local demand and told me he is planning to keep some on hand this year.
kelly says
love this!
Anonymous says
I stumbled across your web page this morining, coincidentaly as I started to boil my first pot of sap from the four large maples that are in my yard.
And I could not believe my eye’s,
I too an utilizing my turkey fryer just off the end of my deck on the pavers. I had to hand it to you, great minds think alike.
However, this being my first season, i am curious about the sticky steam issue in the house with the crock pot. It sounds like a incredible finisher for the syrup. Is there any steam with the low setting?
Thanks for the well put together sight, enjoying it.
Woodwrkinut
Iron Mountain,Michigan
Jenn @ Frugal Upstate says
Woodwrkinut-Yes, great minds obviously think alike!!! Have fun with your maple syrup project 🙂 We didn’t have any problem with the steam. You could see a bit coming off the pot-but it was just water as far as I could tell. I didn’t notice any residue at all on the counter, cabinets etc (and we’ve done this for 2 years now)
john says
the steam shouldn’t have any residue in it because sugar “shouldn’t” evaporate.
Jenn @ Frugal Upstate says
Good point John. 🙂
Karina H. says
Oh, how jealous I am. I wish I had some maple trees!
Jenn @ Frugal Upstate says
Karina-I’m sure you have your own wonderful things where you live-every place has it’s own special pleasures.
Christine Morrison says
Love the post, Jenn. I’ve never seen the crock pot method, its brilliant. DH would never consider us using propane or electricity though. We bought a sap pan and boil over a woodfire using yard waste, sugar shack style. We finish on our woodstove. Using a candy thermometer reading 7 degrees above boiling, the syrup is done to about 70% sugar. Boiling temp can vary with outside pressure. See what happens when you marry a chemist? Drain hot syrup through fine mesh, then high quality flannel. Pour into HOT jars. So worth the effort. Its truly amazing stuff. Last year we did 4 1/2 gallons of syrup and had most of our Christmas gifts done!
Jenn @ Frugal Upstate says
Chris-LOL–I can just imagine your hubs wanting to do it the “hard” way. Men eh? It really is awesome to have real maple syrup. We’ll have to try finishing ours with the thermometer. . .
katie says
My hubby and I live on 40 acres in northern mn. Our yard alone has at least 50+ maple trees! Many years ago the family that lived here ran a rather large syrup operation. For a few years we have been trying to think of a way to process sap in a small manageable way-i think we have found it thanks to you! We already have almost everything needed except for the sap collecting buckets. Its too late for this season, but I plan to prepare for next year. What a great educational (and tastey ) learning experience for my kids as well.
Jenn @ Frugal Upstate says
Katie-So glad that you think this way will work for you! I’m surprised that no one locally has asked for permission to tap your trees though. . . you should check with a local producer-they might be willing to tap them and pay you for the privilege!
Elaine says
I don’t have. The set up to make syrup outside so instead I’m using 2 crock pots (10 qts total) covered with a nylon stocking and setting it down in my basement. It takes 24 hrs for 3/4 reduction. I the place it on my stove and reduce more. I don’t get much yield maybe a shy pint, but at least it’s from my own tree.
Jenn @ Frugal Upstate says
Sounds like a great way to do it Elaine! It’s just so fun knowing you made it yourself from your very own tree 🙂
Kyle says
How many full turkey fryers of sap do it take to make 1gallon of syrup ? And how many tanks of propane were used? thanks Kyle
Jenn @ Frugal Upstate says
Kyle-Sorry this took so long! I think we went through 1 1/2 propane tanks this year, and the standard proportion they give for maple syrup is 40:1 for sap to finished syrup. We sort of keep adding to the pot as it’s cooking depending on how much sap we have to get done at the time, so I don’t have an exact measure.
Jeff says
I too started with a few taps and a turkey fryer. I advanced to a used old stove in my garbage and now I have a real sugar shack with a wood fired cooker. I had 40 taps out and just finished 8 gallons of syrup. It is a very enjoyable hobby.
Jenn @ Frugal Upstate says
Wow Jeff–that’s quite an operation. Awesome. I love maple syrup.
Val says
Thanks for the tips! I’m tapping my sugar maples this year and was puzzling out a way to boil down the syrup without building a wood fire. The turkey fryer thing is brilliant, and the crockpot (in the basement) as well.
Jenn @ Frugal Upstate says
Glad to help 🙂
neil willey says
Cabellos or bass pro in canada have fish fryers that work great , propane and nice big burner for around $49.00 cdn., i just bought one and it works great.