TOOLS TO PREPARE VEGETABLES FOR FERMENTATION

Fermenting vegetable does not require specialized equipment, there are some tools that can make preparing and fermenting even easier!

1. A Quality Knife or Food Processor

   There are a few different ways to prepare your vegetables for fermenting. Whether you are grating, chopping, or slicing, a good quality knife or food processor is key.

2. Pounding Tool

   If you are fermenting sauerkraut or other veggies that ferment in their own juice, you’ll need some sort of pounding tool to help break apart the vegetables and compress them together in the fermenting vessel.
   

   

Fermentation Jars and Containers

There is no shortage of options when it comes to choosing a container for fermenting your vegetables, fruits or condiments.

Glass Containers: Easy to Find

Glass is one of the best options for fermenting vegetables because it doesn’t scratch easily. Glass such as canning jars are relatively easy and inexpensive to obtain.

LIDS AND AIRLOCKS FOR FERMENTING

How you cover your fermenting vegetables can be the difference between a perfect batch of crunchy pickles and moldy cucumbers. An ideal cover will keep oxygen away from your vegetables but still allow the gases produce from fermentation to escape.

1. Lid with Airlock: Popular Choice

Using a jar with an airlock in the lid is a popular option fro fermenting vegetables, and many designs are available.

For use with wide-mouth canning jars, “Pickles Pipes” and the “Perfect Pickler” are great choices! Wide-mouth canning jars come in a range of sizes, from half-pint to half-gallon.

Fermenting vegetables with an airlock lid greatly reduce the chance of mold or kahm yeast formation, no burping required.

2. Tight Lids: Less Chance of Mold, More Burping Needed

Using a canning jar or other glass jar with its lid tightly closed is another option when fermenting.

-Advantage: tightly-sealed lid is that explosure to oxygen is reduced, so the chance of mold or kahm yeast forming on the surface is reduced.

-Disadvantage: The jar requires more attention. When using tight lid, you will need to burp the fermenting kar daily. As vegetables ferment, carbon dioxide can build up. You’ll need to burp the jar to release excess pressure and avoid overflow or explosions.

3. Cloth Covers: Sufficient but May Lead to Mold

For smaller jars, a paper filter secured with a tighter rubber band or canning lid ring works well to keep pets out  and allow fermentation gases to escape. For smal or large containers, a tight-weave dish towel, secured with a rubber band is sufficient as well.

-Advantage: easy to peek in or sneak a taste of the fermenting vegetables at any point.

-Disadvantage: mold or kahm yeast forms more oftern on the surface of the vegetables.

4. Fermentation Weights

To keep your vegetable submerged, you can use any object that is clean and free of glues or other chemical coatings.

 

The Best Lids We Recommanded for Fermentation 

WHOOSH Easy Fermentation –

makes product for wide mouth Mason jar sizes, find out on Amazon.

WHOOSH Fermentation Lids   –available for wide mouth Mason jars only.