Finishing Syrup is Like Lace Knitting

The last stages of boiling maple sap into maple syrup are like lace knitting. They both take attention! And if you don't pay attention, you can get a mess.

I am in the final stages right now of boiling off. Last year I guess-timated if our maple syrup was "syrup" or not by looking for "thread stage", where boiling sap, dripped off a spoon, just makes a thread as it drips. This year I have a candy thermometer: syrup boils at 7 degrees over the temperature of boiling water. Our elevation is pretty close to sea level, so I am looking for 219 degrees F.

I have a timer set for five minutes, and every time it goes off, I check. We are getting closer, so I have a scalded canning jar waiting, funnel and filter cloth set up. It's easiest to pour the maple syrup while it's hot, and it goes from "syrup" to "sugar" very quickly at the end, so I don't want to be fumbling around for equipment.

There goes my timer again -- maybe I'll post a picture of a pretty syrup jar (knock on wood) later!

Lovely syrup:
Still warm and steaming up the inside of the jar.