I'm doing a canning demo at my farmers' market, and I'm demoing Linda Lou's Sweet Pickle Chunks. Because it's a 9-day recipe, I'm doing switchouts -- which means starting four batches several days apart. I started one batch two weeks ago and canned this past weekend. Then I started another batch Saturday, will start one tomorrow, and will start the final one on Sunday at the demo. So I'll have one batch jarred, one batch at 5 days, one batch at 9 days, and one batch I'll start Sunday at the demo. Which means that this year I'll have four batches of Linda Lou's Sweet Pickle Chunks, (actually five, since I'm planning to start a double batch on Sunday at the demo if I can get enough cukes that morning at the fm) which I'm hoping will give me enough for the year! :)

At the demo, I'll start the double batch, and after pouring the boiling water over the whole trimmed cukes, I'll put that away and pull out the batch that's at 5 days. I'll drain and cut into chunks, make the brine and pour it over the chunks, then put them away and pull out the batch that's at 9 days. I'll drain and reheat the brine, fill and process the jars, and while they're processing I'll set out samples from the batch I processed this past weekend. :) I'm looking forward to it!

It's going to be quite a production because I don't have access to electricity or running water, and while we're trying to find a camp stove to provide a second burner, we may only have one propane burner which I'll have to use to first bring the water to a boil, use the boiling water for the first batch, put the jars and lids into the boiling water, pull the water off and make the brine for the second batch, bring the brine for the third batch up to the boil, then put the water back on and bring it back to a boil while I fill the jars. :D Wish me luck! The propane burner is from a turkey fryer, and the friend who is lending it to me (and will be there to help) promises it's PLENTY powerful enough to get the water back to the boil by the time I've got the jars filled even after having been off the heat long enough to make the first brine and bring the second brine back to the boil.

You are a much braver person than me. this sounds like a big project and with an audience to boot.

Yes, I'm a little nervous. When they first asked me to do it, we thought we'd have electricity. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Wind shields are easy to construct and almost mandatory - the thread here on propane cooking outside has photos of mine in it. The heat sources will be a problem possibly - many turkey fryers don't get hot enough and heat control on them can be difficult.

Too late now I know but there are much simpler recipes with less complex staging to use for demos. When we do them we stick with recipes that only have 2 stages max and work with smaller batches.

I do wish you good luck. Be prepared for many, many basic questions. :)

Dave

Not too late for appropriate recipes -- I'm supposed to do three more canning demos this summer! I'd love suggestions. I do want to do one pressure canning demo if possible, was thinking of doing spaghetti sauce for that. I chose this recipe because it's fairly reliable, produces an excellent product that most people like, and seems like a pretty safe choice for beginning canners. I don't mind the switchouts -- I've got three hours I can use, so time isn't really an issue.