You can spend a lot of money on specialized pickling crocks. Go ahead, be my guest. You’ll learn all about how your $25-$200 is buying you an ideal anaerobic environment in which to nurture your precious anaerobic bacteria…blah, blah, blah.
Me? I don’t need another unitasker in my kitchen. I like to be able to use a few things – bowls, food processors, knives, mason jars – in a variety of flexible ways to achieve my goals. And this isn’t because I have a teeny, tiny kitchen, it’s just that one trick wonders don’t woo me.
So here’s how to turn any mason jar into a damn fine Pickl-It style fermentation crock for about $10, or way less if you already have a reCAP Mason Jar lid (which you should, because they rock and are definitely not unitaskers).
To DIY a very serviceable lacto-fermentation crock, you will need:
- 1 airlock. $1.75 at your local homebrew store.
- 1 rubber bung (hee hee, I just said bung). $.90 at your local homebrew store. #6 is a good size.
- 1 reCAP Mason Jar Cap. (Wide month lids are coming soon!) $6.99 online.
- 1 Mason jar in an appropriate size to hold your ferment (you totally already have this, right?)
Step One: if necessary, go shopping at your local homebrew store. So fun, even if you aren’t a homebrewer. These places can be a bit intimidating at first, but just keep in mind that people at homebrew stores live for beer. Seriously. They are beer geeks. And like geeks of any stripe, all they want is for you to not laugh at the thing they think is cool.
So, here’s a secret: if you are a girl of even remotely serviceable appearance, and you show up at your local homebrew store and say the following: “I’m looking for whole leaf Amarillo for an all-grain 80 IBU IPA I’ve been perfecting,” you will have the rewarding experience of watching six homebrew-geeks trip over themselves in an attempt to assist you.
(By the way, Comic-Con people, don’t bother leaving nasty comments. I am Geek, garden-variety. I speak redshirt and Quenya and zucchini and I’m proud of it. I’m on your side.)
After you’ve browsed around, buy an airlock and a bung. Should run you about three bucks, all told.
Step Two: Get your homebrew loot home and put your airlock, bung and ReCAP Mason Jar Lid together in this order:
Viola! Now any mason jar is a fermentation crock. Seal off your ferment from nasty aerobic beasties.
Pat yourself on the back for the $15 or more you just saved. Don’t you love multi-taskers?
This post and lots more useful articles you might like are part of the Homestead Barn Hop on The Prairie Homestead.
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Love this! Anything to make fermenting easier and fun…..thanks for sharing!
Weighing down the ferment so the veggies are reliably submerged in the brine is the standard to achieve and not something to ignore. Veggies above the brine might not rot in a reliably anaerobic environment, but they won’t evenly ferment, either. The LABs require the liquid for mobility and high & dry veggies get no LAB love….
Hi,
When using the homemade airlock is the #6 bung the same #6’s used for carboys? And does the jar then need to be filled to the top or can their be a space and, finally, do the veggies still need to be fully submerged in the brine? I have just been using mason jars and some drinking glasses that fit perfectly into the standard lid with success. Looking to upgrade though.
Thanks
Do your lids not leak?
There are a lot of complaints on Amazon about the lids not making a tight seal.
But they are an excellent idea. I would buy them if they had a higher rating.
Thanks
Have you thought of using silicon plumbers tape?
Cheap to use and will easily last the time you need to ferment (mulitple opening ansd closing. Otherwise you can just use a silicon ring inside the lid. As you tighten it, it will create a watertight seal and can be used multiple times.
I know this is a good year later, but thanks for the idea! I was struggling with this exact problem … the need to make a fermentation setup and a severe lack of a desire to have yet another piece of cruft in my kitchen. I have tons of mason jars, and the reCAP + airlock idea is genius. Thanks to you I’m going to be producing kimchi and hot sauce out of my garden this year!
I have been making Kim Chee for five plus year now. Some batches were better than others and I had to play with the salt content to get it right. I use only mason jars. No airlock. The first day or two the bok choi sits in brine on the counter. Day two it get a real good rinse and then I add all the carrots, garlic, onions, ginger, cayenne, and a closely measured dose of salt. Once it is firmly packed in the jar on goes the lid and then in the fridge for at least two weeks. I have had it set in the fridge for 3 plus months and it seems the longer it is in there the better it tastes. I have done refrigerator salt fermented pickles too. They are delicious. Never had a carbonated pickle before.
Can you give some instruction on how much water to put in the airlock, how long to let ferment, etc.
OK I read through all these comments. Just bought the bung and airlock today. I just wanted to verify. Should I fill the airlock to the fill line with just plain filtered water? Salt water?
And definitely don’t place anything on top to push it down, right?
Hi Erica. Question. If you use an airlock like this setup, do you have to eight down your ferment so that veggies stay under the liquid or does using the airlock eliminate that piece. I am new to fermenting and weighing down the is the problem I have had so far. Thanks for the article. I is very awesome.
Well, I did buy four of the Re_Cap lids and extra rings…BUT all of them leak and I am sorry to say I cannot return them since they have been used. I have doubled up on the ring gaskets and they still leak. There is no way to get an air tight seal with the ones I have. I am sadly out $30 and am going to send them back to the company anyway…Sorry if this puts a crimp on your blog but since I bought them because of this article I thought you should know. I will have to look into other products and probably bite the bullet and go with a more expensive solution.
I understand if you decide not to allow my post…but people should know these things are not foolproof by any means. But I did enjoy your blog.
Best regards,
RonB
Use silicon plumbers tape arouns thread. If this does not work them the caps should be replaced as they are faulty.
R
Does this mean that no weight is needed in the jar to keep the fermenting vegetables submerged?
For years I have used msaon jars to ferment Kim Chee and to ferement pickles in. I do put them in the fridge and after about two weeks to a month they should be good to go. The longer you leave the kim chee ferment the better. I have one batch sit for 3-4 months and it is deliscious. With the right amount of salt your fermented product will be quite lively. I love the carbonated Kim Chee and Pickles. You may want to set the kim chee jar in a bowl upon initial opening though!
Enjoy!
what is the carbonated kim chee would like to know how make .
Just pack the Kim Chee into the jar as tightly as you can until the juice covers the kim chee at the top of the jar. That should be sufficient.
Just using the mason jars I have never had a leak issue.
do I leave plastic lid/cap on bubbler?
This is SO great! I have a home brew store just half an hour away! I have a question though. Do you think you could drill a hole in the white re-usable mason jar lids and will it work just as well? Thanks for your great idea!
Use silicon plumbers tape arouns thread. If this does not work them the caps should be replaced as they are faulty.
R
You most certainly can….or you can pay 5 times the amount and pay for someone to drill the hole for you. I use this meathod for raising yeast for brewing, fermenting, etc.
I bought two of the reCAP lids, ball jars and an air lock, chopped my veggies, sealed them and so far they’re bubbling away nicely.
Here’s my problem…
Both reCAP lids are completely unopenable, completely stuck. I’ve tried rubber bands on the bottle and cap, two people (one twisting the bottle the other the cap), and a commercial jar-opener which doesn’t even fit the lid becasue of the shape.
Any ideas anyone ? I’m physically fairly strong, they’re just completely stuck.
Thanks,
John.
John, try the old hot water trick? Run hot water around the ReCAP lid and it should expand enough to twist off. I would gradually increase the heat so that a sudden temperature change wouldn’t cause the glass to shatter.
Great idea. As an alternative to the recap lid you can make one from a screw cap milk or stock container, saves you the effort and cost of finding the recap lid check it out here. The only thing I would change is instead of tracing from the threaded lid, trace the actual cap insert it is the size that fits the screw cap.
http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2013/07/turn-a-mason-jar-into-an-easy-diy-dispenser.html
Seems great, my pickles are done. Now, how do you get the plastic lid off? I’ve tried hot water and twisting, I’m ready for a screwdriver and hammer but I am reluctant. Any ideas?
I have never tried fermenting veggies and want to try this weekend. I have a quart size Ball mason jar. It’s a regular mouth size. Is it possible to do it with a regular mouth jar? If so, what else do I need to do this? Ty in advance
Yes you can. It is not as practical for fermenting pickles and pickling green tomatoes etc as it is more difficult to pack and eliminate air bubbles, however this is not rocket science. It is pickling, somehting my grandmother did out the back of the house with a huge crock jar (anyone say anything about lead! :() and some foil over the top. For chopped stuff like cabbage it gives the same result. Just keep an eye on the air bubbles.
Your fermenting lid idea is clever.
However I simply punch a 1/2 inch diameter hole in the canning lid then pop in a grommet from the home brew store (.99 cent) then the airlock pops in to the grommet.
Its a little less costly.
Good blog keep up the good ideas.
Hello there, You have performed a fantastic job. I’ll definitely digg it and in my opinion suggest to my friends. I’m sure they will be benefited from this web site.
I am on a very low salt diet due to congestive heart failure. All of my ferments have been without salt; saurkraut, cucumbers pineapple, vinegar etc. The problem that I see is all of these recipes call for salt and I don’t have enough experience or knowledge on how to make these other things without salt. I need help here. Harold
Look up a book called The Art of Fermentation (or one of the newer editions). It does list some recipes. He (Sandor Katz) also has some stuff listed on his website.
First go at saurcrout. Ball jars. Sirlock with robber gromet. Fluid on one coming out seal. Day 1. Wish I could send pict. Is all lost.
This is my fermenting crock for my kraut, made with things on hand.
All you need are
1 gal glass jar filled with chopped cabbage and salt packed .
Place this in a larger pot
Fill pot with water to near the top of the glass jar
Place a large glass or ceramic bowl inverted over glass jar and inside the pot
So that the rim of the bowl isin the water asthe bowl rest on the lip of the jar.
Now it is hermaticaly sealed
If i did not describe this well i can send pics
want to say so excited. to hear of your ideas.then boom smashed went to webiste and said only pick it jars will work. if not then u could be doing more harm than good. . if cant afford the pick it. what u to do. use rock . wont do she said. . only thing is pick it. . . so discouraged help asap
All you need to make your own Kim Chee, Kraut, and Fermented Pickles is a regular mason jar. All of the other pickle it and other such devices seem meant to fail. I have had no failures using just the trusty old mason jar. Head spacing is probably the only thing you have to watch for. If you do not want to worry about it open your jar over a bowl to avoid a mess. I hope this helps!
I think this post is how I found my way to your website. But I just kept not making it to the brew supply store. I ordered the reCaps and have been using them for other stuff. Started fermenting whole radishes that I want to let go longer than the normal 3-5 days I do with thin slices of stuff…that I can get away with without an airlock. FINALLY went into the the brew supply place near me…I’m not sure why these places are intimidating at first, but they are! Once I went in, piece of cake. Airlocks are bubbling away as we speak. Great idea! An easy and affordable solution. And now I really want to brew beer. Whoopsie.
Thank you so much for the useful information.
Wow! So glad I found your site! I have all these materials, including a zillion Mason jars. So glad to repurpose existing materials (but I’ll invest in a new set of airlocks and bungs for the kitchen…my husband wouldn’t be too happy if I borrowed his beer-making materials)! SO much easier than investing in other materials I’ve seen marketed in my search for fermenting materials. This method will satisfy my needs. Thank you!
Hi Erica,
Thank you for this amazing information! This looks incredible and I can’t wait to try it.
I have one question though: what is the delicious ferment that is going on in the pictures? It looks really yummy!
Thanks for sharing your work-around for an anaerobic, fermentation crock!
Neil
How long will the fermented vegetables last if air locked? I am a prepper so the longer they will store, the better.
Will the airlock still do the job keeping mold out/air out if I open the lid and check the condition of the fermentation every week or so? Once closed up again will the fermentation gas push the oxygen out the airlock and again cause the desired conditions to help prevent mold? Or by opening the lid will just that be enough air to let mold start? Or can I assume people using airlocks don’t check for taste or consistency, are used to the time needed and never open the jar?
Hi Linda,
I struggled with the same concern. I bought all of the components as suggested to make some anaerobic fermenting but then a friend mentioned how botulism thrives in anaerobic environments. Once I discussed this with my “fermenting buddy”, who shared very useful page from the “Pickl-It” site, I decided to have the best of both worlds. I began to ferment with the anaerobic set-up but made sure that I used a good amount of salt and that there was enough liquid to cover everything. The only time I didn’t see this working properly is when there was vegetable material that was above the brine; in that case, there seemed to be unhealthy growth and I threw the whole batch away. Otherwise, my ferments have been successful with no negative side-effects.
Here is the Pickl-It page that explains their take on it:
http://www.pickl-it.com/blog/342/what-about-botulism/
Good luck.
Jude
Thanks for the reply but botulism is not a concern in fermented foods. Read previous posts and here is a link to a good explanation:
http://www.wildfermentation.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=3654
I was concerned that constant opening of the jar would make the airlock a waste of time and money. Why bother with an airlock if I’m opening the lid every couple days. From what I’ve read the mold that does grow on fermented foods is not harmful, in fact when fermenting fruit shaking the jar to distribute any mold starting at the top is required. And everything I’ve read said any mold that is white or black is not of concern, scrape it off and any of the veggies out of the brine should be thrown out but not the whole batch.
What is the difference between using an airlock and not using one? Maybe that is my question better defined.
If done properly, botulism is not a concern but it may still be a possibility especially in an anaerobic environment when the other required conditions are not met.
Here is what Pickl-It says about why they are promoting air-locked, anaerobic fermenting:
http://www.pickl-it.com/faq/165/pickl-it-airlock/
J.
ok where online can I find the air-lock piece and #6 rubber bung pie? I live central ny and don’t know of any homebrew stores
…maybe this was covered already, but I used a Ball brand freezer lid and cut a hole in it; then I used some of my spouses beer making supplies to make a fermenter. Works great.
I’ve seen many sets of instructions using various sized grommets and the water locks, but this is the first one I’ve seen using a bung.
Our company makes a one-piece valve to create a compact airlock. It is more expensive than the three piece water locks, but easier to use. We’ll provide anyone who asks with instructions on how to drill either plastic lids, or Fido lids to install our valves into (we make them for both). We sell the completed lids, but we are always happy to help our customers drill their own lids as well.
MISS LEADING – I added up your costs and see you forgot the shipping. And what about the gas spent going to the store looking for the parts. There is no savings compared to other kits on the market and I don’t have to piece anything together. Another thing I notice is you do benefit from the purchase of the lid. Actually this article is just a sales ad hidden.
I would suggest people just do a search for “lacto fermenting kit” and they will find many different sources of real fermenting systems that are complete and you don’t have to run around town looking for parts.
We skipped the bung and the special cap. We drilled a hole in the top of the jar we were going to use. Then put a rubber grommet inside the hole. look for the grommets that are 3/8″ X 5.8″ You can buy them for making your mason jars into sipping cups. The hole is just the right size for the airlock. We have re-purposed huge pickle jars (3 gallon) using this method.
Here is some information pertaining to the new waterless airlock system.
There are a few already on the market though the prices are pretty high. Google umbrella valve or waterless airlock