Growing up in rural Victoria, I was always impressed by a healthy stash of full Fowlers bottles. The rows of brightly coloured jars lined up on shelves and in pantries awaiting the onset of winter before they could be eagerly consumed inspired me no end. Why then has it taken me so long to catch on? Not until Jen and Pete, my tree changer friends in Victoria, served me bottled plums from their garden for breakfast last winter was I galvanised into action. Then I became slightly obsessed. In my first season I managed to fill no less than 100 bottles with tomatoes in various states, peaches, nectarines, plums and even garlic. How much can one person eat?
Thank goodness for dear friends all of whom had a Fowlers thrust into their hands at regular intervals. With promises of restraint (ha ha) this season I’ve already stashed away 50 jars and show no signs of flagging. I hope you all like fruit. A Bit of History The Fowler’s Vacola method of reserving is uniquely Australian and was developed by Joseph Fowler in the Melbourne suburb of Camberwell in 1915. An English migrant, Fowler was amazed at the produce available in Australia and sought to preserve it in the days before domestic refrigeration or supermarkets. The Fowlers method relies on the natural acidity of fruits and the process of heating steadily to a temperature of 92C over one hour to achieve a sterile and safe product.
The original preserving method used a stove top boiler and a thermometer to achieve correct temperatures for specified periods of time. This was a very successful method although laborious but these days the kits are all electric and very easy to use. Fowler’s jars are heat resistant and the rubber rings, lids and clips allow for air to escape during heating process and then create a vacuum seal once cooled. The Basic Process Two preserving units are available; the Simple Natural Preserving unit and the larger Professional Preserving unit both of which include a full instruction booklet. • Select the appropriate sized jar for the fruit to be processed, wide necks for large fruit, narrow-necks for smaller fruit. • Cut the fruit into pieces or halves and pack firmly into the clean jars adding liquid/syrup as you go to help minimise air pockets. • Fill the jar with liquid to within 12mm of the top.
• Apply the rubber ring to the neck of the jar making sure that it has no twists in it. • Place the lid on and then secure it with the corresponding sized clip. • Place the bottles into the preserving unit and fill with cold water. • Turn on the preserving unit and allow to process for one hour (with the exception of larger bottles which need 70 minutes).
Publicity Leaflet - Fowlers Vacola, Fruit Preserving Equipment. Publicity Leaflet - Fowlers Vacola. 365 Days of Creative Canning: History of Fowler's Vacola Jars. Fowlers bottled peaches (plus a severe case. I was in a canning frenzy. I gave away all of my Fowlers Vacola jars as the rings and lids are way to.
• Drain out sufficient water to be able to remove the bottles and then carefully do so as not to disturb the seal. • Allow to cool and then after 18 hours remove the clip.
Store the jars in a cool dark place. • Fruit in Fowler’s jars will last up to one year. Benefits of Preserving • Fruit can be preserved at its peak of freshness and ripeness. • Less than perfect fruit, which often has superior flavour due to not being picked, can be utilised thus avoiding unnecessary wastage. • The amounts of sugar can be controlled to suit your own tastes and preferences.
• The jars are reusable so there are no tins or plastic containers to be disposed of. Local produce can be enjoyed year round AND you will be the envy of your friends. Ideas for Preserving These are possibilities. • Gluhwein Pears – pears in red wine syrup with • cinnamon, orange and cloves • Stone fruits in light to medium syrup • Plums in syrup with spices • Figs with vanilla bean • Poached quince with orange • Stewed apple for pies etc • Tomatoes with extra virgin oil and red wine vinegar • Roast tomato sauce • Slow roasted garlic • Caramelised onions Mitre10 are stockists of Fowler’s Vacola products. Jars can also often be found in second hand shops and at organisations such as The Salvation Army and St Vincent de Paul. Clearing sales are also good places to find jars and many Fowler’s items are available on eBay. Happy Preserving.
Please treat other users with respect. Post with name calling are subject to moderation. Please report these if you see them. The NCHFP and the USDA have not approved any method for home canning (large amounts) of fats or any amount of dairy products, flour or cornstarch. Before taking any advice about canning please question whether or not it is based on science. Please be considerate and protective of the safety of new canners (and their family and friends) by speaking up if you see risky advice being given.
Canning and Preserving: A place to share recipes and discuss all types of food preservation including canning, freezing, dehydration, pickling, curing, smoking, salting, distilling, root cellaring, potting and jugging. Resources and FAQ: you first stop for all canning related questions,,,,, North Dakota State University. Cooperative Extension Service. Learn about the various methods of preserving game and fish.
Related subreddits: • New! • • - • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • New! University and Cooperative Extension Service Links: Food Entrepreneur Resources: Kitchen incubators are commercial kitchens where you can prepare your product in someone else’s certified kitchen. I've done some jam making and fermenting before but never canning. Does anyone here have experience with Australian Vacola jars? My specific questions are: I've heard the rubber seals are single use. How true is this?
Most of the clips I have are rusty. That's ok right because they don't come into contact with food? Some lids I have have spots of rust on the inside and outside. I guess this would be no good for the food? Is there anything I can do to save throwing them out and sending money on new lids?
For the 'boiler' can I just use a really big stock pot or do I have to use something that seals air tight for the water bath? Thanks heaps, I'm enjoying looking at what others are doing! Disclaimer - most of my Vacola knowledge is form helping my mother rather than use on my own • Invest in new lids to replace the ones with any rust on the inside. They are not that expensive compared to the jars.
You will be able keep reusing the new ones you get until they also go rusty. You can get the standard tin plated ones for $10-$15 a dozen, or for a little more you can get stainless steel ones which will last longer.
• The clips being rusty is less of an issue because, as you note they don't contact the food. As long as they still have enough 'spring' to clamp tight. • Technically the rings are single use. The risk of reuse is that they may not seal well. If you are willing to run the small risk of a couple of failures, go for a second use (my mum always did if they looked okay.
Anything that didn't seal we just stuck in the fridge and ate that week). How To Install Winexe On Centos 7 there. It is really just a trade off between the cost of the rings (~6/dozen) v the cost of a seal not holding.
You can buy these bits online, or usually at hardware stores. You can sometimes get the rings at the supermarket • You can just use a big stock pot. The new kits come with a thermostat but the old ones where just a big pot that you stuck a thermometer in to check temperature. The dimensions were wider and shallow than you would usually get in the same volume stockpot so you can fit more jars in at a time. (I think there is an insert so the jars don't sit on the bottom of the pan but i can't remember.) Cheap old style second hand ones show up on ebay/gumtree all the time if you get serious. The vacola gear isn't for pressure canning like is often discussed here, but is the same method as water bath canning. So the lid doesn't need to seal tight, just loose like a normal saucepan.
If you don't already have a copy, hunt down a vacola book. You can buy a new one at, but as it hasn't really changed in the past several decades, an old one would do fine. Check ebay/gumtree etc. The only thing to watch for if you go pre 1970s is it might not be metric, but the general instructions temps etc would be the same. Extra tip:if searching for more info on Australian websites, the terms used will be 'preserving' or 'bottling', rather then 'canning'. There are quite a few out there that will have recipes and instructions specifically to suit Vacola gear as this is by far the most widespread in Oz. Happy bottling.
EDIT found this useful link that includes how to just use a stockpot rather than a proper vacola pan.