Steam Pans

[Swingpure]

Lots of backyarders go 'past' syrup when boiling, and then add sap or distilled water when finishing elsewhere. Saves a lot of propane/electric/time.

That’s interesting, because it sort of frees you up to get close and if you just miss it, you can add the sap or water as you say.

I know SugarBear likes to filter it before it the sap gets too thick, but I likely will filter it after finishing it. This will allow me to take the syrup out of the final pan into my finishing pot and then while it is still hot, finish it and then pour it into my settling jars.

My 12” probe thermometer arrived today. I tested it right away, measuring the temperature of boiling water (210.58°), and it was within .5 of a degree. That will help me learn what syrup looks like when it gets close.

Just waiting for my steam pan lids to be restocked, which they thought should be any day now.

[wobbletop]

I find it hard to finish on the evaporator with steam pans. It tends to really start foaming as it gets close.

The boiling point of water varies with altitude and baro pressure. I use the "sap tap app" to help determine what the boiling point of water is on the day.

[Swingpure]

I find it hard to finish on the evaporator with steam pans. It tends to really start foaming as it gets close.

The boiling point of water varies with altitude and baro pressure. I use the "sap tap app" to help determine what the boiling point of water is on the day.

Thanks, I did get the 210.58° boiling temp from the SapTapApp. It is a great App and I plan to use it a lot this up coming sap season.

I hope to get it close on the steam pan and finish it off on the induction range. Likely on my first few tries it will be a distant close. One of the reasons why it went with a lot of taps my first year besides that I am crazy, it will give me several boiling opportunities and hopefully I will learn more.

Edit: The SapTap App will drive me nuts though as I see the sap running in locations south of me in the flow maps, a month ahead of here. Lol

[Swingpure]

Supply chain issues have affected my steam pan lids arrival. I was supposed to have them by now, but they are further delayed to January. That is okay because I won’t need them until late February or March, but it will be lousy if they have not arrived until then.

[Swingpure]

My first two steam pan lids arrived today, 2 more will arrive Friday and the fifth next week. Supply chain issues affected the delivery of the pans. I was only able to get two at the inexpensive price ($15 Cdn) and the other three at full price ($31Cdn). (Lids were originally ordered on November 17)

I will use them at start up, when I need to keep ash out of the pans, and to protect any boiled concentrate still left in the pans.Just how it will all work will be discovered with time and experience.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/04fG...9R7jHRQZF55rWA

[BrierPatch]

Aluminum foil works really well for covering up/sealing up pans for keeping overnight concentrate. Just in case your other lids don't make it in time.

[Swingpure]

Two more steam pan lids arrived yesterday. The fifth and final one should arrive Monday.

The $15 lids are identical to the $31/$36 lids. All fit well over the full sized steam pans.

[Swingpure]

Then there were five! The fifth steam pan lid finally arrived after ordering them originally on November 17th. Winter is really hanging on here, so I may not get to use them for two to three weeks.


https://share.icloud.com/photos/0f0n...-tppLWeHVdrqJg

[Swingpure]

For those using steam pans on your evaporator, do you clean your steam pans after every boil?

[wilfredjr]

No, but I should have. No time on small pans with the fire going. Just scrubbed with snow between batches, which works inside, but the woodsmoke tar really did a number on the bottoms. Season-end scrubbing gets really bad.

They were trashed after 10 years, and sit in a nice little pile waiting for a miracle. I switched to propane and an 8 gallon brew kettle to get out of the weather. Don't miss the pans slipping off the blocks spillage, nor pouring off the hot syrup amidst the flying ash