# Question regarding simple syrup canning and use



## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

Please share recipes. 

We have several basil varieties growing and it seems a syrup would be a good way to preserve them. I dehydrate, too, but basil can be tricky to dehydrate, and since I want to use them in drinks (we have a lime basil that's out of this word, plus several lemon-y basils), a syrup would seem a good idea. (We also have a dozen mint varieties I'd like to try this with, too.)

What are your recipes? What sort of things do you make into syrups? How do you all can your syrups? I'm assuming water bath canning. What times? 

Davarm, I know on the dehydrating thread you posted about your candied oranges, and how you can the syrup that is a byproduct of that process. How exactly do you can it, and how do you use it?

Grimm, if I'm remembering correctly, your strawberry lemonade concentrate is a simple syrup, right? What is your shelf life for that? I keep seeing how a simple syrup is only good for a week, or maybe a month in the refrigerator, and I don't get that. It's sugar and water with a flavor added, how can the shelf life be so short? I'd love to know your experience.

Besides recipes and canning times, I'd also love to know how people use their simple syrups. Please share!


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## Lil_One (Jan 1, 2011)

Basic simple syrup: 1 cup of Sugar to 1 cup water / liquid

Heavy syrup is 2 cups sugar to 1 cup water

Light syrup is 1/2 cup sugar to 1 cup water

Add your sugar to your water and boil till sugar is dissolved. roughly 3 to 5 minutes.

If you would like to infuse herbs, fruits or others things add your herbs while the water is boiling turn off and allow to cool, strain you out the herbs, pour liquid into a measuring cup and add water to make up the 1 cup of liquid, add your sugar and boil till sugar is completely dissolved.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

goshengirl said:


> Please share recipes.
> 
> Davarm, I know on the dehydrating thread you posted about your candied oranges, and how you can the syrup that is a byproduct of that process. How exactly do you can it, and how do you use it?


When I can the syrup, I treat it like preserves/jam, I pour the boiling liquid into jars then put the lid on then turn the jars upside down to cool.

The boiling syrup is well over the temp required to kill off any microbes and I've never had any go bad done this way. Also, if you water bath or pressure the jars of syrup, the additional cook time could further thicken or even solidify the contents.

As for using it, pancakes and waffles are pretty good with it. I have also used it in baking to replace sugar, the recipes need a little tweeking when you use it that way but it works out pretty well. When I candy watermelon rinds, that also makes a pretty good syrup too and is pretty good on waffles.

I've never thought to try a basil syrup, I know that basil tea is supposed to promote "Mental Clarity" and I can use as much of that as I can musteer.lol As much basil as I grow, I need to experiment a little.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

Davarm said:


> I've never thought to try a basil syrup, I know that basil tea is supposed to promote "Mental Clarity" and I can use as much of that as I can musteer.lol As much basil as I grow, I need to experiment a little.


We have this lime basil that's out of this world. It's great used as a seasoning (especially w/ chicken), but I think it would also make a tasty drink. DH and I could really stand to be weaned from soft drinks.  I'm thinking it would be nice to have some syrups around to make into drinks to help with that. DH really loves the chocolate mint this year - kinda funny how the flavor is different this year than last year, less chocolate-y, really unique. We've been drying a lot, but I think it would be fun to make him a syrup and see how that works.

Would love to know your experiments - you are the experiment king!  I highly recommend growing lime basil and lemon basil. And lemon thyme is good stuff, too.

And thanks for the info on canning it. I was concerned about turning it into jar-shaped hard candy.  Any shelf life issues?


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

Lil_One said:


> Basic simple syrup: 1 cup of Sugar to 1 cup water / liquid
> 
> Heavy syrup is 2 cups sugar to 1 cup water
> 
> ...


That's what I've been coming up with - sounds like I need to stop reading and just start doing it! 

Do you have any favorite flavorings? And do you know the shelf life? I'm starting to think this could be a great way to have fruit drinks all year long, if there are no shelf life issues.


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## rhiana (Aug 5, 2013)

The only thing I can think of is Lemonade?

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/italian-lemonade-recipe/index.html

It sounds like a great idea though, I have more basil than I know what to do with.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

No shelf life issues I've found but none of the syrup I've made has been shelved more than 2 years before we've used it.

As for making a jar shaped piece of hard candy, been there-done that. When I first started trying to save the syrup I made the mistake of pressure canning a batch, fortunately it was only a few pint jars-it was a mess, thats why I posted the caution on it.

On top of making the hard candy, I tried boiling the jars to try and loosen it up so I could get it ou(wide mouth pints) and the jars broke in the pan while boiling.

Didn't want to just come out and say what happened and look like a total putz lol but if it will possibly save someone else the trouble then I guess I dont mind looking a little silly - Live And Learn!!:laugh:



goshengirl said:


> We have this lime basil that's out of this world. It's great used as a seasoning (especially w/ chicken), but I think it would also make a tasty drink. DH and I could really stand to be weaned from soft drinks.  I'm thinking it would be nice to have some syrups around to make into drinks to help with that. DH really loves the chocolate mint this year - kinda funny how the flavor is different this year than last year, less chocolate-y, really unique. We've been drying a lot, but I think it would be fun to make him a syrup and see how that works.
> 
> Would love to know your experiments - you are the experiment king!  I highly recommend growing lime basil and lemon basil. And lemon thyme is good stuff, too.
> 
> And thanks for the info on canning it. I was concerned about turning it into jar-shaped hard candy.  Any shelf life issues?


I'm going to try the lemon or lime basil next year, I've only grown "Genovese or Italian Broadleaf" basil in the past since we love "Lemon Chicken" I think we will give it a try.

Going to give some different mints a try also, I've tried growing apple and lemon mints in the past with limited success, they dont much like the direct Texas sun. Thought I'd plant it in with my peppers and let them provide some shade and see how it would go.


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## brightstar (Apr 24, 2012)

I make a mint syrup similar to what you're talking about. Just opened a jar from last year and still tasty. We add it to hot tea, over ice cream, basically everything lol. Did this with lemon balm as well.


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