niter in candy?

[McClintick Maple]

If niter forms whenever syrup is heated above 190 degrees, then there is niter in the candy I make after heating to 242?
If I were to reheat the syrup remaining in a jar every time I went to use it, isn't there some point at which there is no niter left to form?
Yes, I'm new. I have the North American ... Manual, suggested page numbers welcomed.

Samantha

[happy thoughts]

That's an interesting question. I have no solid basis for an answer but assume you'd be right about the niter in candy. But I'm going to say so what. Niter is basically just mineral salts and as long as you are not using lead containing containers and utensils to collect and process your syrup then it it's not going to hurt you. If the syrup wasn't reheated to produce more niter, you'd be eating those same minerals anyway. The worst I can see happening is maybe a little more grittiness in the candy.

As for reheating syrup, again I'll say so what. Whatever is formed is going to be minimal and will settle to the bottom where you can easily avoid using it. If you want to avoid more niter formation then just warm the syrup and don't overheat it. As for a point where niter is no longer formed, I'll assume that is also the case but haven't a clue at what point that might happen. By then I'll have probably run out of pancakes:)

On a related note, last year we all kind of laughed at the ebay sellers that were offering unfiltered "natural" syrup at very high prices. Apparently some people are willing to pay extra for that grit that most of us spend a lot of time getting rid of. To each his own I guess.

[Ed R]

I've made candy from syrup from the family farm for years and have had to cut it back with water for one reason or an other or left it at nearly the soft ball stage and have never noted any niter formation (all sugar maples with a gravel like soil). However, this year I made surup at my place for the first time and did notice some niter formation after cutting syrup. My guess is its due to my soil type (low ground with dark peat soil ) and tree type (red maples). As Happy Thoughts noted its probably no big deal if your going to use the syrup for candy anyway. If you decide to recan as syrup for sale it needs to be refiltered. So I guess there are alot of independant variables that might cause or not cause reheated syrup to niter up.

[McClintick Maple]

I've made candy from syrup from the family farm for years and have had to cut it back with water for one reason or an other or left it at nearly the soft ball stage and have never noted any niter formation (all sugar maples with a gravel like soil). However, this year I made surup at my place for the first time and did notice some niter formation after cutting syrup.

Ed R, are you saying you usually go straight from sap to candy? Please tell me more. I thought of that last season but it was our first and I didn't have time or knowledge. Then I was advised not to try during humidity and heat. I am just now getting to it.

Samantha

[Ed R]

No I've always started with filtered syrup. Its just that sometimes due to the weather or barametric pressure candy doesn't set up the way I like so I bail out at that point. You can leave it at that stage for a day or two in the fridge unstirred and start over (reheat)or cut it back at that point with well water taking it back to syrup stage.

[Ed R]

If you started with sap, boiled until syrup without filtering, and continued on to make sugar, you would end up with very gritty candy I would think. If you had syrup with a tiny bit of niter in you probably would not even notice it.

[McClintick Maple]

Ok, I understand that part. My limited experience does include redoing batches of candy.

[McClintick Maple]

That's an interesting question. I have no solid basis for an answer but assume you'd be right about the niter in candy. But I'm going to say so what. Niter is basically just mineral salts and as long as you are not using lead containing containers and utensils to collect and process your syrup then it it's not going to hurt you. If the syrup wasn't reheated to produce more niter, you'd be eating those same minerals anyway. The worst I can see happening is maybe a little more grittiness in the candy.

As for reheating syrup, again I'll say so what. Whatever is formed is going to be minimal and will settle to the bottom where you can easily avoid using it. If you want to avoid more niter formation then just warm the syrup and don't overheat it. As for a point where niter is no longer formed, I'll assume that is also the case but haven't a clue at what point that might happen. By then I'll have probably run out of pancakes:)

On a related note, last year we all kind of laughed at the ebay sellers that were offering unfiltered "natural" syrup at very high prices. Apparently some people are willing to pay extra for that grit that most of us spend a lot of time getting rid of. To each his own I guess.

I read some of those posts about selling and consuming product with niter in it. The relatives helped us last season and took a couple gallons home. We just repackaged some same way for them, from gallon to quarts, consolidating the niter. Oh my she was so excited about the niter. But they wouldn't pay a red cent for any of it if it wasn't part of the free exchange. I'm thinking of putting the next niter I come across in the potted plants in the greenhouse.

Samantha