Fermentation Containers

[tp4tissue]

They're crazy expensive.  tiny one is $38

Only millionaires can afford to eats dat sauerkraut

What do you guys use ?



Updat_
My Build thus far.... (using on hand containers)   Thoughtz ?

Having trouble keeping the cabbage under the Juice, because I don't have weights that can fit in there that's wide enough.

I'm thinking this is probably good enough because the carbon dioxide should displace enough oxygen, I just have to release it here/there slightly.  Do I even need the plastic wrap, without it, I don't have to release everyday, it'll do it on its own no ?

Yellow, plastic wrap

Red, Cap forms water seal, edge is under water.

Dotted line, rubber band

Basement temperature: 70 F, 21 C

[kajahtaa]

Dad always used glass. Don't clamp down the lid unless you enjoy glass.

[tp4tissue]

do they splodz?

[fohat.digs]

You don't need fancy stuff. People did this for millennia before refrigeration (and of course had no idea about microbes). Centuries ago they filled up a barrel with whole heads of cabbage and topped it up with salt water, then waited a few months.

I use glass casseroles (so I can see the progress of my project) and turning the tops upside-down is ideal for both weighting and sealing during fermentation (put it on a pan in case it bubbles out). If you can find glass tops with minimal doming that is preferable.

After a week I just put it in regular jars in the refrigerator (not fully tightened).

[noisyturtle]

You don't need some fancy container. Use Ball glass jars like people have been using for 200 years dude.

[tp4tissue]

Updat_

My Build thus far.... (using on hand containers)   Thoughtz ?

Having trouble keeping the cabbage under the Juice, because I don't have weights that can fit in there that's wide enough.

I'm thinking this is probably good enough because the carbon dioxide should displace enough oxygen, I just have to release it here/there slightly.  Do I even need the plastic wrap, without it, I don't have to release everyday, it'll do it on its own no ?

Yellow, plastic wrap

Red, Cap forms water seal, edge is under water.

Dotted line, rubber band

Basement temperature: 70 F, 21 C

[fohat.digs]

Why not use a cylinder without a "neck"?

Using Pyrex casseroles with their lids upside-down works spectacularly well. If I need more weight than the lid itself, I can set a glass of water on top. I have been doing it that way for years and could not even conceive of a system that works better. No doubt or waste, minimal maintenance, extremely easy clean-up, plus you can watch it easily, especially on top where the bubbles and problems might form.

BTW - I have quite a few of them in various sizes, so I never run out of room and can keep downsizing if necessary if the volume decreases significantly (but that is seldom necessary, after brining and squeezing they are usually very close to final volume for the initial fermentation after 24 hours).

This is the absolute Bible of fermentation and cannot be recommended highly enough :
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30006171-wild-fermentation

[tp4tissue]

trying to reduce the diffusion of oxygen, because at the moment, I don't have weights.

I might try it another way in the next batch when the cucumbers come in.

this one's already in there, trying to figure out if the barrier is working correctly etc,

I figure over time, the CO_2 should displace oxygen, even though I have to manually vent.

[fohat.digs]

I don't have weights.

Never tried it myself, there are people who use baggies full of marbles (or whatever) and water to weight the top of the vegetables and conform to the container.

[tp4tissue]

Saw the bags on youtube as well,  slightly hesitant because plastic bag, acidic environment, full contact for 3 weeks ... hrrrm.....

[fohat.digs]

Next time have your gear on hand and clean before you start. Duh

And I presume that your instructions said to use distilled or filtered water. Tap water has roughly the same amount of disinfectant as swimming pool water.

[tp4tissue]

Internet is in and out on tap water, many user report identify as "lazy" but "never failed, works the same"

[fohat.digs]

Surprised that TP4 doesn't have a water filter.
A pour-through with replaceable charcoal filter is quite cheap and gets almost all of the caustic stuff out.

[tp4tissue]

Thought about getting ReverseOsmosis water for a long time,  But Tp4 doesn't trust those filter companies.  You have all these filters, which run in plastic casings, and fixtures,  These are a branch of UN_Regulated plastics and manufacturing processes vs Municipal pipes (which have plastic lining, but regulated and known).

[fohat.digs]

You don't have to make everything expensive and complicated.

Sometimes very simple and cheap solutions are entirely adequate.
 

[tp4tissue]

Over 99% of the bacteria in the gut are anaerobes (wikipedia)...   Hrrrrm.......... /interesting.

[fohat.digs]

99% of the bacteria in the gut are anaerobes

That is why the vegetables need to stay under water during fermentation. If they get above the water line the airborne beasties are not so pleasant.

[tp4tissue]

Taste test just now, WOW, it's already extremely sour, more so than the store_bought, must've done it right, smells perfect, clean, refreshing.



Ate a fist size amount with rice just now,  If Tp4 does not report within an hour, he is ded.

[noisyturtle]

Send me some pickled red onions, tp!

[tp4tissue]

Send me some pickled red onions, tp!

This is incredibly easy NT, it's so fast too, didn't think it would mature this quickly. There's no way literate hughmahns such as ourselves could screw this up.

[tp4tissue]

/Alive,   feel great... no stomach ache,

[fohat.digs]

didn't think it would mature this quickly.

I like it younger rather than older, usually start tasting after 2-3 days and eating portions after 5-7 days.

Of course there are people who say that 3 weeks is not long enough.

[tp4tissue]

what happens at 3 weeks ?

[fohat.digs]

what happens at 3 weeks ?

3 weeks, 3 months, whatever. The process peaks and then has a long tail.

[tp4tissue]

Batch 2 underway.

in 4 separate containers.

3000g sauerkraut

850g yellow onion

700g cauliflower

600g celery

[fohat.digs]

I have never used cauliflower or celery, I lean towards root vegetables like daikon and carrots.

Peppers are good, both bell and hot.

[tp4tissue]

it's prolly fooooy, but Tp4 has slept extra well, and felt more alert each morning. Anaerobz p0wr ?

[phinix]

Jars, dude, jars.

Polish cuisine is famous from those fermented stuff, cabbage, cucumbers, etc
We use jars.

[tp4tissue]

750g cilantro started.

[tp4tissue]

/shower thought, 

so..... if we let the "bacteria" ferment. These natural bacteriae that are FROM the earth systems, do this in a "complex" and "synergistic" way. This process is then essentially Transplanted "INTO" our Gut Microbiome when we eat it.   

It's like importing labor + expertise into our stomach corporation, the kind and organization of which may have died/disrupted in the many bouts of antibiotic regimens everyone gets throughout life.

[phinix]

/shower thought, 

so..... if we let the "bacteria" ferment. These natural bacteriae that are FROM the earth systems, do this in a "complex" and "synergistic" way. This process is then essentially Transplanted "INTO" our Gut Microbiome when we eat it.   

It's like importing labor + expertise into our stomach corporation, the kind and organization of which may have died/disrupted in the many bouts of antibiotic regimens everyone gets throughout life.

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Yeah, I guess in theory you are bringing "support" into your stomache  :thumb:

[Halverson]

TP, you're one of the only reasons I like to keep popping onto GH once in awhile. Also Fohat's casserole dish style made me want to try that sometime.

[tp4tissue]

TP, you're one of the only reasons I like to keep popping onto GH once in awhile. Also Fohat's casserole dish style made me want to try that sometime.

[tp4tissue]

480g long beans

[tp4tissue]

Fresh chopped cilantro + sauerkraut    w/ h0t r1ce. 

(antioxidant + anaerobez) ^ Max  ,



 the only thing left now is for Tp4 to learn kungfu + buddism and become a shaolin monk.

[tp4tissue]

mildly concerned Tp4 is eating way too much salt, Mildly...

[tp4tissue]

Thinking bout getn' a Cold Press Juicer.  It's extremely physically intensive to beat up the cabbage by hand to extract enough Juice for Cover.

Thoughts ?

[tp4tissue]

A spoonful of peanut butter + kraut + noodles...

[tp4tissue]

According to this diagram the bacterial taxonomy is roughly complete at 14 days.  what happens slightly earlier or later is an interplay on taste that functions independently of the generally accepted "done_ness" of the ferment.

their setup was 21 C (considered a high temperature ferment vs 18c in more traditional industrial processes), @ 2.25% salinity,

_ overall hightemp vs lowtemp is a matter of cultural momentum, there's a difference but in the realm of subjectivity.

probably shouldn't eat it before 4-5 days though, because we see at day 2, there's still quite alot of Enterobacteriaceae, same (family) as salmonella, etc.

[tp4tissue]

Opened the cauliflower just now, woah..  Extreme sour, more than the previous Kraut batch,  it's fermented for ~1.5 weeks longer.  Eye squinting_ly so.

[fohat.digs]

Thinking bout getn' a Cold Press Juicer.

I love juice but have only ever used spinning grinder/extractor style. For me the huge restraint is the cleaning process, which is a large pain in the arse.

Of the ones I have owned (all <$100) the Jack LaLanne does the best job of juicing but is harder to clean. The Juiceman 2 does an acceptable job and since it is easier to clean that is what I use most often.

When I want the entire vegetable reduced to pulp, I give them a minute in my blender - I splurged hugely a couple of years ago and bought a Bendtec.

[phinix]

Thinking bout getn' a Cold Press Juicer.  It's extremely physically intensive to beat up the cabbage by hand to extract enough Juice for Cover.

Thoughts ?

Again, do it Polish old style - you step on it

[fohat.digs]

old style - you step on it

Yum, yum !

[phinix]

old style - you step on it

Yum, yum !

Back in the days, in villages, they would pick young girls to do it.
Obviously, they would wash their feet first.

I bet nobody would object, if these girls would do it...

[tp4tissue]

Back in the days, in villages, they would pick young girls to do it.
Obviously, they would wash their feet first.

I bet nobody would object, if these girls would do it...

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well that's that, everyone pack your bags, we're going to poland. I hurd they also have healthcare.

[phinix]

Back in the days, in villages, they would pick young girls to do it.
Obviously, they would wash their feet first.

I bet nobody would object, if these girls would do it...

Show Image

Show Image

well that's that, everyone pack your bags, we're going to poland. I hurd they also have healthcare.

Well, girls are beautiful, but healthcare has huge queues

[tp4tissue]

trying ferment 50% ginger + 50% cabbage.  We'll see , might die.

[phinix]

trying ferment 50% ginger + 50% cabbage.  We'll see , might die.

I would personally go less ginger, but if you like that, its cool

[tp4tissue]

opened up the full 21 day kraut.  wow,  eye squintingly sour @ max...

This batch was built without any added water via extensive mashing.

very concentrated flavor

[phinix]

opened up the full 21 day kraut.  wow,  eye squintingly sour @ max...

This batch was built without any added water via extensive mashing.

very concentrated flavor

Now add some grinded carrots, an apple, black pepper, sugar and you have yourself a nice polish sauerkraut salad