Steen's Cane Syrup

[Kouign Aman]

Yesterday, Katie Meadow wrote:

I have Lyle's on hand [....] and now I also have some Steen's cane syrup. Although they are both made from pure cane juice they taste very different; the Steen's syrup is thinner and has a mild to medium molasses taste.

7 years ago, Dave the Cook wrote:

Lyle's and Steen's are about as far apart as two things can be and still fit in the same category. The former is sweet, light and sunny; the latter is unctuous, dark and funky.

I find Lyle's bland & sweet to the point of pointlessness, and never thought of molasses as 'funky', but am now itching to try some Steen's.

Edited May 2, 2012 by Kouign Aman (log)

[JTravel]

http://www.saveur.com/article/Kitchen/One-Ingredient-Many-Ways-Cane-Syrup

Seems cane syrup is very up to date these days.

I picked up a couple of bottles of Roddenbery's Cane Patch Syrup,for $2. each at a closeout place. Just because I never had it. Turns out it is only 35% cane syrup so apparently I have still not had the real thing. I use it in smoothies and drizzeled on stuff.

[Mjx]

Yesterday, Katie Meadow wrote:

I have Lyle's on hand [....] and now I also have some Steen's cane syrup. Although they are both made from pure cane juice they taste very different; the Steen's syrup is thinner and has a mild to medium molasses taste.

7 years ago, Dave the Cook wrote:

Lyle's and Steen's are about as far apart as two things can be and still fit in the same category. The former is sweet, light and sunny; the latter is unctuous, dark and funky.

I find Lyle's bland & sweet to the point of pointlessness, and never thought of molasses as 'funky', but am now itching to try some Steen's.

I managed to completely miss those comments. I'm wondering whether the stuff exported to the US has a slightly different flavour profile to the UK syrup, which has a just the faintest saltiness to it, and tastes very rich and full. I think Dave the Cook's 'sunny' pretty much nails it.

[Kouign Aman]

Interesting thought. I'll ask someone to bring me a can from the UK. I'll only get it if baggage checking is planned.

[andiesenji]

Interesting thought. I'll ask someone to bring me a can from the UK. I'll only get it if baggage checking is planned.

If you don't want to order it from Amazon,

Lyle's products, both the golden syrup and black treacle are sold at Cost Plus World Market in the L.A. and Orange county areas.

I bought some last December at the Cost Plus in Brea. I'm pretty sure the stores around San Diego would carry the same items.

You can always phone and ask.

372 4th Ave

San Diego, CA (0.5 mi)

(619) 236-1737

Edited May 2, 2012 by andiesenji (log)

[KennethT]

I don't know if this qualifies, but I thought I once made "cane syrup" by adding water to Demerara sugar, then heating to thick syrup stage. Served with puffed pork rinds.... Tasted pretty good

[Katie Meadow]

Cajun Grocer carries Steen's and I ordered some other stuff as well. Their price for Steen's seemed good compared to several other on line sources, but I didn't do a very thorough search.

After tasting the Steen's alongside corn syrup and Lyle's, I can imagine subbing equal amounts of Steen's for corn syrup, or at least trying it before making an adjustment.

I bet Steen's is yummy on steel cut oats and I'm sure it will be great in my Chipotle Ketchup recipe. I never make candy, so I'm thinking I don't have to buy corn syrup ever again. Tasting the corn syrup by itself was thoroughly unpleasant; quite different from the experience of dipping into cane syrup.

[andiesenji]

I like cane syrup but my usual preference is sorghum molasses because I like the stronger flavor.

I know some people do not care for it but it combines so well with smoky flavors that I use it in most barbecue sauces.

I used to have a neighbor from Grand Cayman and she used a really thick black treacle that was much stronger than Lyle's for several of her recipes, including the best jerk pork I've ever laid a tooth on.

She would visit her home once a year and ship a gallon can (looked like an olive oil can) of the black treacle - plain metal, no label. She said the treacle was in 55 gallon drums and she had to take her own container to get it filled.

It had to be heated before it could be poured from the tin. When cool it was extremely stiff.

[Mjx]

Interesting thought. I'll ask someone to bring me a can from the UK. I'll only get it if baggage checking is planned.

If you don't want to order it from Amazon,

Lyle's products, both the golden syrup and black treacle are sold at Cost Plus World Market in the L.A. and Orange county areas.

I bought some last December at the Cost Plus in Brea. I'm pretty sure the stores around San Diego would carry the same items.

You can always phone and ask.

372 4th Ave

San Diego, CA (0.5 mi)

(619) 236-1737

The idea of picking some up in the UK is to compare it to the stuff you get in the US, prompted by my speculation that the exported Lyle's might have a different flavour profile than that sold domestically in the UK, coming out of this exchange:

. . . . I find Lyle's bland & sweet to the point of pointlessness, and never thought of molasses as 'funky', but am now itching to try some Steen's.

. . . . I'm wondering whether the stuff exported to the US has a slightly different flavour profile to the UK syrup, which has a just the faintest saltiness to it, and tastes very rich and full. I think Dave the Cook's 'sunny' pretty much nails it.

[slkinsey]

I don't know if this qualifies, but I thought I once made "cane syrup" by adding water to Demerara sugar, then heating to thick syrup stage. Served with puffed pork rinds.... Tasted pretty good

That's not really going to get you the same thing as Steen's, unfortunately.

The idea of picking some up in the UK is to compare it to the stuff you get in the US, prompted by my speculation that the exported Lyle's might have a different flavour profile than that sold domestically in the UK, coming out of this exchange:

. . . . I find Lyle's bland & sweet to the point of pointlessness, and never thought of molasses as 'funky', but am now itching to try some Steen's.

. . . . I'm wondering whether the stuff exported to the US has a slightly different flavour profile to the UK syrup, which has a just the faintest saltiness to it, and tastes very rich and full. I think Dave the Cook's 'sunny' pretty much nails it.

I don't think there is any difference between UK Lyle's and US Lyle's. As far as I know, it's the same product. Although I suppose it might be possible that the NYC groceries where I buy it are actually bringing in the UK version (Fairway has a largeish section of imported British products).

Anyway, I would say that my impression of Lyle's matches your own: faint saltiness, rich and full. Certainly with a much richer/fuller/more interesting flavor compared to something like light Karo.

But some of this depends on one's frame of reference. Lyle's is certainly "rich and full" compared to light Karo, but it's also "bland and sweet" compared to Steen's.