The Key to Self-Sufficiency! Food preservation - Fowlers Vacola.

[@Begining2013]

I really love that you showed how to use an old fowlers stove top unit. Thank you!

[@whatever-ql5ns]

Excellent demonstration. I’m just plucking up the courage to start using the Cavola I bought on eBay .

[@annesmith8700]

Thanks for this. I loved the simple explanation. Can’t wait to try it now!

[@leereadman9940]

I REMEMBER WATCHING MY MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER DOING THIS. WOW NOTHINGS CHANGED.my nan had 6 giant plum trees we ate plums till we looked liked them but we loved every mouthful TFS

[@andrewproctor7177]

I've just found my grandfathers Fowler's vacola unit and im going to do my first canning of home made marmalade today. Thankyou for the thorough tutorial!

[@natashawillis346]

Thank you for all your information as I usually just use ball jars but we just bought a hundred of these jars and lids and rings galore from a estate sale, I didn’t know how to use them except from distant memory from my nan’s kitchen, I have just started a big veggie garden to be more self sufficient for our family. So Thank you for all your hard work in these videos.

[@jaleonar63]

thanks for the advice, I back doing bottling this year, just done big plums, and apricots, and jam and nectar, and puree, 2 days at it and feel so proud, only one jar siphoned Used tow boilers, the old one like yours but plugs in and larger, it left black marks on the lids and clips, ( now idea what did this) that batch was plums and few jars of apricots to fill unit. All other jars went in the quick plastic unit, which you get to a boil then take jars out and drain. Taken me since covid started to realize our food supply is in jeopardy, time to be prepared. So vegie garden in, and next item is beetroot, and more beans

[@homesteading]

Sounds great! Yes. it not unusual to get black stains from plums. Remember low acid foods (vegetables, etc.) need to be processed under pressure (unless pickled.)

[@rubygray7749]

I love my Fowlers Vacola unit! Must have hundreds of jars. Now that I proven that they can also be used in a pressure canner, I can bottle so many more things too - dog meat, chicken drumsticks, corned beef, pork, dried beans, soup stock, lamb, bacon, soups, milk - whatever normally takes so long to prepare for a single meal can be prepared in many jars at the same time, and will safely last for years. The only problem with pressure canning in Vacola jars is that the rubber rings definitely do go soft and stretchy from the much higher temperature, and must not be used again for bottling.

[@homesteading]

How do you handle the cool down process when you put fowlers jars in a pressure cooker?

[@rubygray7749]

Hi there, You must leave them in the pressure canner (it is a supersized, purpose-made type of pressure cooker) until the pressure drops to zero, before even attempting to remove the jiggler. You can then open the pressure canner, and remove the bottles to a board or cloth covered bench (to prevent cracking from temperature shock) with tongs, but the contents will still be boiling inside. I do this if I need to use the canner again, but my preference is to leave them in the closed unit until it cools right down. It's a great investment!

[@homesteading]

Thank you.

[@rubygray7749]

Woolies currently have a special on corned beef. My fridge died a year ago, so my plan is to buy up big and preserve me some silverside in Vacola jars in the Presto Pressure Canner! A size 20 bottle holds 500g of meat, enough for 3 days' meals for one, and an excellent option for the fridge-deprived. I think 12 bottles will fit in this canner, although the much more expensive All-American canner does a much larger version which holds double decker batches, perhaps a bit trickier with Vacola's lid clip system, but I think could be managed. Oz Farmer is the company which sells these and many other items for Aussie farmers & homesteaders. I waited for a super sale price, with no postage, to get a good deal. For a larger family, the size 27 bottle would hold about 650 g of meat I guess, the size 31's take a kilogram, and the size 36 which were discontinued in 1976, but can still be found in perfect working condition for pennies at our tip shop, hold 1.25 kg of meat. Definitely worth looking into!

[@DangerVB]

@Martha Curtis Meat you feed to the dog...... Not meat from a dog

[@tonyfletcher1718]

Great video. Exactly the instructions i was looking for. The only thing i was wondering is how to get the lid off when you want to eat it without damaging it? Thanks for posting

[@SandraMcRitchie]

5:30 how to put rubber rings on 4:25 semi-cooked food instead of raw, 8:00 level of cooking 4:55 rubber rings 8:15 home made plunging tool for 3 inch bottles, just use back of ladle for larger jars, makes sure to get air out Leave 1/2 inch gap at the top 9:55 clips 11:34 double clipping 11:55 Fowler's Vacolar pot and thermometer from cold takes one hour to get to temperature 12:45 92 degrees celcius about 200 Farenheit. 45mins for smaller jars 1 hour for larger ones 14:30 taking jars out, generic lifting tool 15:00 let sit to cool for about 12 hours. 15:25 removing clips and testing seal

[@daveeh2930]

Thank you, that's amazing.

[@Ncantes]

Awesome....I live in the states.....have you ever used mason jars in your canning?

[@tigee]

excellent... thank you for sharing your insights.

[@lavenderlily2568]

Hi John, do you use the same temperature and length of time for bottles of tomatoes in the fowlers boiler. 92 degrees c for 45minutes? Thank you this video is such a useful resource. Much appreciated.

[@homesteading]

Yes, I use the same temp and time for any fruit in the same size bottle.

[@lavenderlily2568]

@@homesteading thank you. Tomorrow morning will be my very first time bottling tomatoes (grown by me) and using fowlers jars to do so. 🤞Really appreciate your videos. I'm on the island too.

[@johnf993]

Thank you I found this vid helpful

[@loeysmob]

Thanks for the video. I have been preserving for about 10 years now. It's the only way to preserve. We heat our's up on the outdoor table, especially in summer when it's hot. I was also please to see you double clip the jars, I have always double clipped. I find that on acidic fruits like tomatoes you need to use the stainless steel lids otherwise they corrode.

[@homesteading]

You're welcome. Yes, I wouldn't suggest anyone use the cheaper tin lids...you will only buy them over again and spend the same or more in the end as buying the SS lids!

[@loeysmob]

That's it. I learn't preserving from my mother in law, if we wanted the benefits of fruit in the winter we had to do the work. Even my kids help. It's rewarding to be able to open a bottle of peaches mid winter for dessert.

[@homesteading]

Couldn't agree more!

[@rubygray7749]

I much prefer the stainless lids too, but I make a compromise for some things. If I'm pressure canning meat for me or the dogs, dried beans, vegetables or low-acid foods, or if I know I will be particularly ccareful not to invert the bottles and get fruit juice on the inside of the lid, I will go with the cheaper option. If they are carefully treated, and smeared with vaseline or coconut oil in between uses, they should be fine for many years. But when that surface is scratched and fruit juice contacts it, a black liquid can drip down on top of your fruit when you open the lid. Doesn't taste nice, but it can be carefully removed with a spoon. The amount of things I preserve, I just can't afford all stainless lids. Also, they do tend to sink in the centre a little, especially if double-clipped, which can prevent them from sealing eventually.

[@campbellmercer1725]

Hi John, I tried your method and I find that even pre-heating the plums that they separate in the jar - so I end up with the fruit at the top and the liquid at the bottom. Is there any way to prevent this (as the top plums tend to go brown over time). Also I often have a red colour in the water of the FV unit which suggests that the plum juice has boiled over. I had it on 92C but does this indicate that it actually boiled ie - got a bit too hot?

[@JosyJo14]

Good Afternoon, I have bought the same water bath canner but it is ever so rusty, wondering if I can save this for preserving fruit.... ( bought it at the op-shop) that had a heap of lids , bands and gaskets ( they’ll need to be replaced) curiosity with the timing of the preserving jars #31 jars. Cheers

[@homesteading]

#31 would be 45min @ 92 Celsius . Only #36 need more - 1 hour.

[@michelerucker3755]

Those are unique bottles, I love the shape! I’ve never seen those copper looking clips you’ve put on top of each bottle! I’ve already looked on amazon to see if I could purchase them, but they do not carry them.☹️☹️☹️ lovely video, thank you😇😇😇

[@homesteading]

The clips are spring steel - the dark appearance is from the plum juice stain. The would be available from the fowlers vacola website - fowlersvacola.com.au/shop/preserving-accessories/preserving-clips

[@lindamilazzo9609]

I would like to know where you purchased the handle to pick up the jars when the cooking process is complete. I don't have the Fowlers one. Cheers

[@whatever-ql5ns]

Fowlers Vacola in Australia sell them. Check out their website. eBay also sell them.

[@cheriearcher7724]

Great video - but was hoping you'd show how to open one at the end. I preserved nectarines from our tree a year ago - but can't release the vacuum seal to get them out - any tips????

[@homesteading]

Fowlers do make a special tool...but we just use a knife (Not a sharp one!)and push it hard up under the lid, before gently lifting the lid, usually from 2 or 3 places around rim before it releases.

[@rubygray7749]

Fowlers recommend not applying any pressure to the lid as this will distort it and make it unusable, whereas undamaged lids can be re-used for decades. They tell us to pierce the rubber ring with a pointed knife, but of course that ruins the ring, and despite advice to the contrary, I do re-use my rubber rings many times too as long as they are not stretched out of shape or disintegrating. I use a blunt knife just under the rubber ring, and ease it up firmly but carefully, sometimes at several spots around the edge, until I hear that sharp intake of air. If the lids are hard to remove, it is because you have such a good vacuum seal, and your food is safely preserved inside, so that's a good thing!

[@noelenejephcott6954]

Thanks for asking this question as i've been wondering this too.

[@DangerVB]

I noticed no gloves for the bottling process. Not so much stain after they've been cooked? Loving your channel. When can we expect a book?

[@homesteading]

The main problem with stain comes with the direct hand contact in removing the stones. Glad you enjoy the videos. No book at this stage!

[@smokeytexx]

how do you calculate how many jars you need to have ready for a given amount of plums ie 5kg plums you will need how many number 27 jars .if you work it out by 1kg equals so many ml i suppose that would get you close but dont they reduce as you cook them

[@bevmills4116]

Great to watch you do your plums but unfortunately I couldn't hear you even though my volume was turned up fully 😊😊

[@homesteading]

Sorry about that...made that video before I had good sound equipment!

[@Inmyroom100]

I’ve made double the nectarine pure’ than my big pot can take in jars. Do I just put the bowl of pure in the fridge until I’ve preserved the first lot then pack the next lot of jars? Fowlers say you shouldn’t pack the jars and let the contents sit unpreserved for more than two hours. What do you do?

[@homesteading]

You are probably safe to refrigerate. But it generally doesn't take more than two hours for us to process a batch of bottles. Still we generally try to only make the amount that can be immediately processed at a time.

[@thedragonflygirl77]

Thanks for this. I've been watching lots of preserving videos lately, but theyremostly American, so it's nice to see it Aussie style 😊 Two suggestions: for the recording, it can be hard to hear you sometimes; you can buy wide mouth preserving funnels that would make your life much easier. Just Google "preserving funnel". There as little as $5 at Big W for a plastic one, but you can pay a bit more and get a nice stainless steel one. Thanks for your lesson! You've made me feel a lot better about being able to preserve fruit without adding sugar.

[@homesteading]

Thanks for the tips - that video was one of my earliest...before I bought a decent mic!

[@glorytogodhomestead3495]

Do you have a funnel?

[@willthomas87]

Good video, but hard to hear you mate. Consider a microphone. I just bought some Fowlers jars, thanks for showing me how to use them :)

[@homesteading]

Sorry about the sound, that video was back before I had good sound equipment!

[@iaingent1210]

Why not use a funnel

[@homesteading]

Yes a wide mouth funnel would work.