Maple Syrup Making

The beginning of spring always signals maple syrup season for me. Growing up, our family would gather at the family farm to help my grandfather's brother make syrup. Although I was young, I can still recall the warmth of the sugar shack and the smell of smoky wood combined with the sugary sap. At the time I might have been more impressed with the draft horses Uncle Paul used to collect the sap, but today when I see a shack with steam billowing out the top, I appreciate the care, effort, time and resources to make delicious syrup. And I usually pull the car over to se if they're selling yet!

Although my family no longer makes syrup, I still enjoy watching the process. Recently the hub and I visited the Maple Syrup Festival at Malabar Farm State Park near Mansfield, Ohio.

If you're unfamiliar with how syrup is made, sap is collected from sugar maple trees by drilling taps into the trees. The sap starts with a 2 percent sugar content and is slowly boiled down until it reaches a 66 percent sugar content. It takes roughly 40 gallons of sap to produce one gallon of real maple syrup.

Collection methods and evaporators have evolved over the years. My Uncle Paul used galvanized metal buckets hung over the tap to collect the sap. He'd hitch the horses to a sled and drive through the woodlot stopping at each tree to dump the bucket into a large container on the sled which he then dumped into a wood burning evaporator. Many producers today use plastic tubing strung from each tree to a collection vat that can be located at the shack. Evaporators come in a variety of sizes, depending on the number of taps and are are fueled with wood or gas.

Maple syrup season doesn't last long. The sap runs only in early spring when nighttime temperatures are below freezing and daytime temps warm to 40 degrees or above. Be sure to get it while it's available!

Lots of tap options!

A bucket hangs on a tap. The cover helps keep debris out of the sap.

Newer collection methods include plastic tubing transporting the sap to a collection container,

The plastic tubing delivers the sap to the collection barrel.

Tell tale sign sap is boiling: smoke/steam exiting from the shack vent.

Inside the sugar shack the sap is deposited into the evaporator where it's boiled
 into syrup. Sugar content is measured with a hydrometer.

The hub made some new friends.

Be sure to look for "Pure Maple Syrup" on the label. Can't wait for Sunday brunch!

Crock Fermented Sauerkraut

We typically grow cabbage and if it's a good season that yields a big harvest, we'll ferment a few heads for sauerkraut. I grew up in a German/Irish family where we ate kraut throughout the winter and sometimes twice for New Year's (eve and day). My mom would roast the kraut in a slow cooker along with a pork roast, smoked sausage and brown sugar. It was the kind of meal I could smell before I entered the house.

The fermentation process takes a few weeks. Be aware the aroma of fermenting vegetation can waft throughout the house. I try to close off the crock in a spare room or a cool basement to minimize the odor. If I have enough cabbage, I ferment 50 pounds at a time, which requires a five gallon crock. I've also had success fermenting a smaller batch (25 pounds of cabbage). I tend to avoid ferment-in-the-jar recipes. I think a large batch of fermenting cabbage has a better flavor. If we make more that what we'll eat, my friends and family enjoy the excess.

I ferment the cabbage in a five gallon, lead-free crock. Other non-reactive
containers suitable for curing include food grade plastic, glass or stainless steel.

Discard outer leaves and cut into quarters. Remove core.

We use a large antique slaw slicer (this one belonged to the hub's grandparents).
The small box on top slides across three large and very sharp blades in the base.
You could also use a food processor or knife to slice the cabbage.

Mix the cabbage and salt in the crock. Press until the liquid covers the cabbage.
Cover cabbage with cheesecloth and place a dinner plate over the cloth and top
with a weight to keep the cabbage submerged under the liquid. Remove scum daily.

Fermentation will be complete in 3-6 weeks. The cabbage will be wilted and yellow.

Remove kraut from crock to a large stock pot. Bring just to a simmer.
Pack hot kraut into jars and process quarts for 20 minutes in a boiling water canner.

Allow to cool for 12 hours. Remove rings, wipe down jars and store in a cool, dark place.

Sauerkraut
from Ball Blue Book
50 lbs cabbage
1 pound canning salt

Wash and drain heads. Remove outer leaves, cut heads into quarters and remove core. Use a shredder or sharp knife to cut cabbage into thin shreds. In a large clean, lead-free crock, thoroughly mix 3 Tbsp salt with 5 lbs cabbage and let stand for several minutes to wilt slightly. This allows packing without excessive breaking or bruising. Using hands, press down firmly until juice comes to the surface. Repeat shredding, salting and packing until all cabbage and salt is used. If juice does not cover cabbage, make a bring by boiling 1 1/2 Tbsp salt and 1 quart of water. Cool before using.

Cover cabbage with cheesecloth, tucking edges against the inside of the crock. Weight cabbage under brine by placing a dinner plate over cloth (add additional weight on top of plate, if necessary). Formation of gas bubbles indicates fermentation is taking place. Remove and discard scum formation each day. A room temperature of 70-75 degrees F is best for fermenting cabbage. Fermentation is usually complete in 3 to 6 weeks.

To can:
Bring kraut to a simmer (185-210 degrees). Do not boil. Pack into hot jars leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Ladle hot brine liquid over cabbage  leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust lids. Process pints 15 minutes, quarts 20 minutes in a boiling water canner. Yield: 18 quarts