Maple Syrup Boil Time | Page 2 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Maple Syrup Boil Time

I ended up with 100l of sap, boiled down 80 on Sunday for 2.5 litres. My setup is not as postcard-ready as Bakaboy, I set a 25l stainless pot directly on the Napolean BBQ gas rails.

Making your own syrup is a labor of love -- there's no money to be made. Pancakes do taste better when you use your own stuff.
 
1st year in 20 years with no kids. They are adults now and had adulting to do.

Did have some friends drive up with their kids to 'experience' the process.

And bonus points to anyone who can tell me what the wire hanging from the chain into the kettle is for. (See if anyone was reading)
 
Last edited:
bakaboy said:
1st year in 20 years with no kids. They are adults now and had adulting to do.

Did have some friends drive up with their kids to 'experience' the process.

And bonus points to anyone who can tell me what the wire hanging from the chain into the kettle is for. (See if anyone was reading)
Click to expand...
I'm guessing a thermocouple?
 
Lyndsay said:
I'm guessing a thermocouple?
Click to expand...
It doesnt appear to go anywhere. Looks like a hook at the top. Probably his secret ingredient to keep the pot from boiling over. I'll let people dig if they need to know the secrets.
 
Its the anti boil over device LOL. There is only money to be made if your committed to volume. We have an aquaintance that has installed the full computer controlled evaporator that will dump the product from the tray at exactly the right time into a chiller so the cook stops . Its natural gas powered and he has about 20k tied up in his cook shack. Tubing all over the bushlot and vaccum pumps, 2000L tank on the trailer behind the JohnDeere, its so far removed from what I experienced as a kid growing up.

Its such a cool spring ritual and kids are better knowing where the food comes from.
 
Pork fat to the rescue

I had just got the 1st kettle to boil and I asked my wife to go get the fat pieces asap.

The audience was in disbelief as the kettle boiled over 2x before she got back from the house with it.

No boil overs after the fancy device was installed on a piece of electric fence wire.
 
bakaboy said:
Pork fat to the rescue

I had just got the 1st kettle to boil and I asked my wife to go get the fat pieces asap.

The audience was in disbelief as the kettle boiled over 2x before she got back from the house with it.

No boil overs after the fancy device was installed on a piece of electric fence wire.
Click to expand...
Wish i had that last year. A boil over inside a Weber Genesis turned it into a forge.
 
GreyGhost said:
I see you are using a napoleon now. Did you wreck a $1000 bbq to make your 2L of syrup? Ouch.
Click to expand...
Yup. Twice.

The first time I ended up with a BBQ filled with sponge toffee, which took a weekend to cut and scrape out. The second time the full force of maple energy was released inside the bbq, that melted too many parts to fix.
 
One of those cheapish giant turkey fryer burners work pretty well to reduce trashing the 1k grill in the event of a missfire .
At the current price of propane you could almost drive the Vermont, stay in a nice hotel for the weekend and import 3L of syrup and come out ahead .
 
crankcall said:
One of those cheapish giant turkey fryer burners work pretty well to reduce trashing the 1k grill in the event of a missfire .
At the current price of propane you could almost drive the Vermont, stay in a nice hotel for the weekend and import 3L of syrup and come out ahead .
Click to expand...
Can you get a NG turkey burner?
 
crankcall said:
One of those cheapish giant turkey fryer burners work pretty well to reduce trashing the 1k grill in the event of a missfire .
At the current price of propane you could almost drive the Vermont, stay in a nice hotel for the weekend and import 3L of syrup and come out ahead .
Click to expand...

I have a good infestation of Manitoba maple. Every year some are cut down and split for use to boil the syrup.

The energy is terrible from the Manitoba maple wood but it's cheap and plentiful for me. Ash production is more than from a hardwood but it is manageable.
 
IIRC I have a bottle of maple wine somewhere. Very sweet but finally a wine that pairs well with pancakes.
 
crankcall said:
One of those cheapish giant turkey fryer burners work pretty well to reduce trashing the 1k grill in the event of a missfire .
At the current price of propane you could almost drive the Vermont, stay in a nice hotel for the weekend and import 3L of syrup and come out ahead .
Click to expand...
I have one of those, they work OK but they need a lot of protection from wind -- it's hard to boil. My BBQ uses natural gas, probably costs more than the syrup.

My bikes costs more than the Weber - I'm worth it.
 
GreyGhost said:
Can you get a NG turkey burner?
Click to expand...
You can, I converted mine to NG by drilling out the main jet. We use it for tomato sauce and canning peaches. It's not so great when there's a cold breeze.

Propane is a hassle, I have 3 NG plugins in the yard, one on the deck beside the kitchen door (BBQ), one teed off the pool heater which I've never used, and a third in my pool bar that's used for a patio heater or spare BBQ when entertaining.
 
Mad Mike said:
. It's not so great when there's a cold breeze.
Click to expand...
Steal the idea from campstoves. Wrap a piece of sheet metal (or even heavy tinfoil) around the fire and pot to keep wind away from the flame. Need to leave a bit of room at the bottom and top for air but it wouldnt be hard. You could probably use a drum to do the same thing but then you have to store a drum the other 362 days a year.
 
GreyGhost said:
Steal the idea from campstoves. Wrap a piece of sheet metal (or even heavy tinfoil) around the fire and pot to keep wind away from the flame. Need to leave a bit of room at the bottom and top for air but it wouldnt be hard. You could probably use a drum to do the same thing but then you have to store a drum the other 362 days a year.
Click to expand...
I like the barrel sleeve idea - gonna try that next year. The BBQ works great, just have to remember not to leave it on overnight.

right now Im having have Google Home remind me.
 
Here's 120l of sap boiled down.

20220321_185955.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom