My first time boiling

[Maddogmusher]

So I think I made a mistake and filled my pan with 15 gallons of sap this morning. My pan is full. It is at 200 degrees right now. I have a barrel stove with a SS pan that sits on the cut out top. Was I suppose to only put a couple inches in the pan and add more as it cooks down? What can I do at this point? Take some off and finish it on my kitchen stove?

[Islander]

Way too much in the pan. You only want up to maybe 2-3 inches of depth at the most and periodically add more sap as it evaporates. I would scoop sap out and put it some kind of holding container that you can draw from to fill your pan as needed. I don't think you want to boil it on your stove unless your kitchen has a cupola. It wouldn't be a bad idea to pre-heat small amounts on your stove so as you add you never loose the boil.

[saphound]

"Was I suppose to only put a couple inches in the pan and add more as it cooks down? "

Yes. How far from your kitchen stove is your outdoor barrel stove? If not too far, you could start with a couple inches in your pan, and pre-heat a pot of sap inside all the way to boiling. Then when you add that, you don't lose your boil in the pan. Just keep doing that until you're out of sap. That's what I do. You could still do that now for that matter..if your pan is too full it will bubble and splash out of the pan if you ever get a good boil going.

Edit: Whoops, Islander beat me to it. ;)

[Maddogmusher]

Yes, I did what Islander said to do and opened the value and filled a big pot. I'll add that back in slowly. I will preheat in the house from now on & do it your way saphound. Thanks for the help, it is much appreciated. I'll be happy if I get a gallon this year, even if it will cost me $570 (equipment/supplies)