Cooking/Baking with off flavor syrup?

[Logan Cabin]

Hi all,

Had some sap that spent too much time in buckets while I was away from our Kentucky cabin. I boiled it separately to check the flavor, and sure enough it has a "twang" or definite aftertaste to it. It's not bad, but it's noticeable, especially when compared directly to good syrup from last year. Ended up with a quart and a half of this stuff.

Question, would this be good for baking or cooking with?

Thanks in advance for your experience & replies!

Mike

[happy thoughts]

If it were me and the taste wasn't too bad I'd use it but maybe not for things where the maple flavor was expected to predominate, say maple cake or cookies, but that depends on how "off" the flavor is.

I'd probably use it in more savory recipes, say as an addition to a roast pork, winter squash or sweet potatoes. Might make a good addition to some ham gravy or any other savory dish that could take a bit of sweetness.

[maplematt]

What kind of trees are you tapping? I recently learned that the first sap from boxelders has a unique flavor and color, which I would describe as slightly twangy, I guess. Its only a little bit of syrup for me, so I am planning on keeping it and mixing it with the rest of the syrup from the whole season. Maybe it'll round out the flavors, like a fine wine!

[maplemom]

We just did the same thing a few days back (boiled down sap that sat in buckets too long). The syrup came out much darker. Very very dark in fact.

Question besides what is good to be made with darker saps... is there a point when it is not safe to consume syrup made with a sap? If so when would this be. I've been holding off tasting the syrup until finding out.

[DrTimPerkins]

We just did the same thing a few days back (boiled down sap that sat in buckets too long). The syrup came out much darker. Very very dark in fact.

Question besides what is good to be made with darker saps... is there a point when it is not safe to consume syrup made with a sap? If so when would this be. I've been holding off tasting the syrup until finding out.

What kind of buckets was the sap sitting in? If older galvanized or ternplate buckets....dump it.....unless you really want a real whopping dose of lead. This is especially the case if you also have galvanized tanks or a lead-soldered evaporator.

As sap sits (and spoils), it becomes slightly acidic, and thus will pick up lead from equipment even faster than normal. If the buckets (or storage tanks) have lead, you'll get lead transfer into the sap. You also can end up with a "metallic" off-flavor.

Your other recourse is to blend it with lower-lead syrup to reduce the average lead content (not the best approach) to below the action level (250 or 500 ppb depending upon where you're located).

[Mike in NY]

we use the dark syrup w/ an off flavor in our bread machine. substitute the syrup for the white sugar and drop back on the milk a bit. still yet to boil here in NY. Gravity lines running slow today and buckets are just dripping

[Logan Cabin]

What kind of trees are you tapping? I recently learned that the first sap from boxelders has a unique flavor and color, which I would describe as slightly twangy, I guess. Its only a little bit of syrup for me, so I am planning on keeping it and mixing it with the rest of the syrup from the whole season. Maybe it'll round out the flavors, like a fine wine!

These were sugar maples, so I don't think that was the case. The buckets were plastic, so we don't have the lead worry either. Definitely have to try out some of the recipe suggestions. A friend is into baking bread (we boiled at his place out in the country) so maybe I'll give him some of this syrup to try the bread idea.

Thanks again for the input!

[DaveB]

What kind of buckets was the sap sitting in? If older galvanized or ternplate buckets....dump it.....unless you really want a real whopping dose of lead. This is especially the case if you also have galvanized tanks or a lead-soldered evaporator.

How old do they have to be? Is that current gavanized buckets? I wouldn't think so. I have some that are the older Leader buckets that are stamped "Leader" by the hanger and was wondering. Most of mine (I think I have about 25 for "traditional" purposes) are the newer style.

[killingworthmaple]

I use dark or off taste syrup for curing my hams it works great and every one likes it. The darker the better adds a lots of flavor. I agree with the Dr. as long as it's not from lead.

[maplemom]

As sap sits (and spoils), it becomes slightly acidic, and thus will pick up lead from equipment even faster than normal. If the buckets (or storage tanks) have lead, you'll get lead transfer into the sap. You also can end up with a "metallic" off-flavor.


It was in food grade plastic buckets. I just didn't know if 'spoiling' rendered the actual sap non edible and dangerous to consume or if older sap was still safe once cooked down into syrup. (Basically, Is there any point when sap/syrup should not be used in cooking at all if no outside contaminates from storage equipment is an issue?)

[maplematt]

Maple Mom,

According to the Ontarion Ministry of Agricultural Food and Rural Affairs website... http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/05-031.htm

No, between filtering and boiling, the microorganisms are rendered harmless. Read for yourself though, I am no expert. The relevant marterial is in the last couple paragraphs.

Hope it helps!

[maplemom]

Thanks for the info :)