Canning Maple Syrup

     Me….”so you can can the maple syrup just by putting hot maple syrup into the (hot) canning jar, and putting the lid on?”

     Barbara Ingham (head food scientist for the state of Wisconsin)….”yes”

     Me….”so, you can take the maple syrup out of it’s pan, fill a canning jar, put the lid on it, it seals, and then you can put it on the shelf?”

     Barbara Ingham….”yes”

     Think of the freezer space freed up!  That’s how we do it now.  Just like a bazillion other people in Northeast Wisconsin.   I guess after it has cooked for so long, it is considered safe.  I don’t understand how with it being an alkaline food it can be canned this way, but, evidently no one has ever died from canned maple syrup.  Using it to sweeten your canned goods though, is not wise.  Again, because of it’s alkaline nature, it changes the pH of the jar you are canning — that can be dangerous.

     So, sterilize your jars, keep them hot, fill with hot maple syrup to 1/4 inch, put on a warmed up lid, screw the band on to finger-tip tight, and sit back and listen to them seal!

Do not look at the headspace on these jars!

…..jean