Canning Maple Syrup for Long-Term Storage
Once you’re done boiling down the sap and have finished maple syrup, it’s time to move on to the canning step (while it’s still hot!). I’m going to walk you through two ways to do it (the common "bottling" way and my traditional canning way - you can read in the above article why I prefer traditional canning), but both processes start the exact same, so let’s jump in!
Equipment
- Canning jars any size is fine!
- Canning lids I like ForJars lids (use my code THRD10 for 10% off!)
- Ladel
- Cutting Board or any heat-resistant surface to allow the jars to cool
Ingredients
- Finished maple syrup hot! (freshly boiled is ideal)
Instructions
Fill the Jars
- Maintain the maple syrup temperature at 180-200F while you get the canning supplies ready.
- Fill the canner with water and submerge the glass canning jars. Bring to a boil for 10 minutes to sterilize the jars. Gently warm the canning lids (don't boil these!).
- Using a jar lifter, carefully pull out the jars one at a time, dumping the hot water back into the canner as you remove them. Let them sit for 30-60 seconds to air dry (you don't want to add water back to your syrup!).
- Place the jar funnel on top of the jar and start ladling hot maple syrup in, leaving 1/2" of headspace. Place a warm canning lid on top and secure with a canning ring.
OPTION A: Traditional Canning Method
- Return the filled jars to the hot canner using a jar lifter. Place the lid on the canning pot and let the water come up to a full boil. Once boiling, set a timer to 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and remove the canning lid and wait another 5 minutes. Then, carefully remove the jars using a jar lifter and place them evenly on a heat-safe surface (I like a cutting board).
- Leave them undisturbed until fully cooled (usually 12 hours).
OPTION B: Common "Bottling" Method
- If you'd like to skip the waterbath, simply tighten the lid a bit more than you would for canning, then flip the jars upside down (covered with a towel to maintain temperature) for 5 minutes.
- Then, remove the towel and flip them upright. If you are bottling a lot of jars, you may need to work in smaller batches so they don't cool down too much.
- Leave the jars undisturbed until fully cooled (usually 12-24 hours).
How to Store:
- Once the jars are fully cooled, test the seal by pressing the center of the lid. If it flexes up and down, it hasn't sealed properly and should be moved to the fridge to be used within one year. If the jar has properly sealed, remove the canning ring and store the jar in a cool, dark location for up to 2 years for the best quality. However, it likely will store much longer than that!
Did you try my recipe?Let me know how it was!