where am I?
Preserves
Answer
Thank you for your enquiry - it's good to hear from you again. In your wonderful climate, a 3 oven with Module sounds like the perfect specification for total flexibility.
You can certainly use your George Fowler Lee & Co bottling apparatus, although I understand that they went out of business here in Reading in the UK about 20 years ago, so the rubber square-section seals for their own bottling jars are no longer available. I imagine you have been using other brands of jars with their steriliser, thermometer and lifting tongs, etc.
For the best results with regards colour and texture, fill the jars with cold water or syrup to within half an inch from the top and then cover with the lids and clamp down if of the hinged spring type. For jars with metal or plastic screw bands, tighten and then slacken back a quarter turn. Then place on the false bottom in the steriliser and cover the jars with cold water to come an inch over the top of the jars. The water then needs to be brought slowly to the relevant temperature called for by different fruits over a period of between 1½ - 2 hours. On the Aga, place on the Simmering Plate and monitor the rate of heating. Even if the base of the monel metal Fowler steriliser isn't of the normal heavy Aga type, over this length of time it will gradually come to temperature. Obviously, if necessary move to the Boiling Plate for some of the time if you need to increase the rate of heating, or partially offset the steriliser on one of the hotplates if heating too quickly. When the desired destination temperature is reached, hold for the stated time for the size of jars being sterilised for that particular type of fruit. Alternatively, straddle the steriliser across two burners on the Module.
The second method gives good results but with not such good colour and a slight loss in texture. Here the jars are filled with boiling water or syrup and they are then placed in the steriliser as above, but then very hot but not boiling water is poured in instead, and then the water brought to the destination temperature over a shorter period of time, typically 15-20 minutes. The processing time once the temperature has been maintained are also different, so follow reliable tables given in your favourite preserving book.
Note: whilst some earlier Aga books suggest oven processing fruits using the Simmering Oven, this method is now no longer recommended in the interests of food safety. The reason for this is that sterilisation could be found to be incomplete and therefore reliance cannot be made on this or any other oven jar sterilisation technique in the parent Aga. The Module ovens, however, could be used for oven sterilisation of jars if you are a fan of this method, following the instructions given in your preserving book.
With regards to your chutney-making, some Aga recipes cut a neat corner where the pan, once it has been cooking for a while, is transferred uncovered to the floor of the Baking Oven, either directly or on a grid shelf, and the mixture cooks down with little supervision, before being finished off for testing back on the top of the cooker. Obviously this needs to be an Aga pan which has no plastic handles. You will also notice that in The Aga Book by Mary Berry, Mary helpfully shows how the Simmering Oven can be used to render citrus peel tender with many hours' gentle cooking in a covered pan. The sugar for marmalade and jam can be quickly warmed in a roasting tin for a few minutes in the Roasting or Baking Oven and then it is ready to add to the tender fruit with the pan on the Simmering Plate. Once this is dissolved, when the pan is finally transferred to the Boiling Plate you will find that an Aga preserving pan will immediately produce a lively rolling boil and cooking to setting point is particularly fast - test in the usual way. A tray of jars can be placed to warm through in the Simmering Oven when the pan is removed and they will then be ready and hot for you to pot the finished preserve.
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I met you at a cooking demonstration in Melbourne, Australia at The Aga Shop in Prahran. You will be pleased to learn that I have an Aga now - it is a 3 Oven Aga with a Module. I would very much like to do some preserving with the 3 Oven Aga this summer. We have an abundance of fruit and vegetables on our property and I am keen to preserve quinces, plums and make various chutneys. Can I preserve using the Fowler Preserving Apparatus or are you able to advise me how I do this with my Aga?