Guest guest Posted August 14, 2005 Report Share Posted August 14, 2005 Hello, I am planning to use a harsch crock to make sauerkraut but before I get started I would like to know how to clean the weights. Are they porous? Do I have to soak them in something to sterilize them? Also Heidi talked about using ramekins: Porceline is as safe as > you can get, btw, plus condiment cups would be made > of certified clay and glazes (it's only low-fired bright-colored > ceramic that has a problem with lead anyway, but they > do test for that stuff nowadays, and my clay is cert Could I use a creuset colored ramekin (if that I did not use the crock)? If I were to call creuset what would I look for in the way of certification - no lead in the glaze? I know I am supposed to break the cabbage leaves in order to release the juice but instead could I just juice the cabbage or a portion of the cabbage to get the juice? It it a matter of getting some juice in order to cover the vegetables or is it a matter of breaking each leaf inorder to get it to turn to sauerkraut? Thanks, Gail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 14, 2005 Report Share Posted August 14, 2005 >Gail: >I am planning to use a harsch crock to make sauerkraut but before I >get started I would like to know how to clean the weights. Are they >porous? Do I have to soak them in something to sterilize them? You can bake them in the oven to sterilize them if you feel the need. I just wash them, sometimes with baking soda. Don't use soap or anything antibiotic: clay absorbs stuff! The only issue I've found is: don't store them in the crock. Wrap them in a towel so there is plenty of air circulation, and keep the lid of the crock up on something so air can get in. Otherwise, the residual moisture can lead to mold growth. >Could I use a creuset colored ramekin (if that I did not use the >crock)? If I were to call creuset what would I look for in the way of >certification - no lead in the glaze? Anything made for food these days is lead free. Actually there were only a few items that really caused lead poisoning even in the old days, mainly low-fired clay items that were brightly colored. Stoneware is typically safe no matter what, but the manufacturers are very careful these days. You can call them to make sure. >I know I am supposed to break the cabbage leaves in order to release >the juice but instead could I just juice the cabbage or a portion of >the cabbage to get the juice? It it a matter of getting some juice in >order to cover the vegetables or is it a matter of breaking each leaf >inorder to get it to turn to sauerkraut? There is probably something to be said for breaking the cabbage, but the Korean recipes don't require it. Actually once I forgot some cabbage while it was in the salting stage and it started to turn into kimchi just sitting there on the counter! It will sour all on it's own ... the trick is to get the right amount of salt so it sours in a way that tastes good without being too salty (too much salt and it just turns into " salted cabbage " with no sour). I tend to be lazy, so rather than mashing the cabbage, I salt it to draw out the water (makes for crispier kraut), then add brine to make sure it is submerged. Or make a paste and work the paste all over the kraut, depending on the desired result. > >---------- > Heidi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 14, 2005 Report Share Posted August 14, 2005 We were looking at crocks today because we love sauerkraut and I want to put up a lot for this winter. Can we get by with just a plain 5 gallon ceramic crock or is the harsch crock that much better? Lynn S. ------ Lynn Siprelle * web developer, writer, mama, fiber junky http://www.siprelle.com * http://www.thenewhomemaker.com http://www.deanspeaksforme.com * http://www.knitting911.net Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 14, 2005 Report Share Posted August 14, 2005 Hi Lynn, I have not used the crock yet so I can't say. I tried to make kraut with just glass jar and had no luck but I am sure that operator error was a major contributing factor. Gail --- In , Lynn Siprelle <lynn@s...> wrote: > We were looking at crocks today because we love sauerkraut and I want > to put up a lot for this winter. Can we get by with just a plain 5 > gallon ceramic crock or is the harsch crock that much better? > > Lynn S. > > ------ > Lynn Siprelle * web developer, writer, mama, fiber junky > http://www.siprelle.com * http://www.thenewhomemaker.com > http://www.deanspeaksforme.com * http://www.knitting911.net Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 15, 2005 Report Share Posted August 15, 2005 >We were looking at crocks today because we love sauerkraut and I want >to put up a lot for this winter. Can we get by with just a plain 5 >gallon ceramic crock or is the harsch crock that much better? > >Lynn S. The problem with plain crocks, IME, is BUGS. If you don't have a good seal, or a net or cloth over the whole mess, then all those little fruit flies go straight for the kraut. The Harsch crock doesn't get bugs. Heidi Jean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 15, 2005 Report Share Posted August 15, 2005 > We were looking at crocks today because we love sauerkraut and I want > to put up a lot for this winter. Can we get by with just a plain 5 > gallon ceramic crock or is the harsch crock that much better? > Hi Lynn - We have had a Harsch Crock for about 9 months now and really like it. We have used it to make Sauerkraut, various varieties of kimchi, and are looking forward to making pickles in it. We have not had any problems with any batches of fermented veggies that we have made. I think that it is much easier to use than a plain old crock as you don't need to worry about bugs or skimming mold when fermenting veggies. - Ann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 15, 2005 Report Share Posted August 15, 2005 So let me ask you harsch crockers this, then: When the ferment is done, do you then put it up in jars or just eat out of the crock? Lynn S. ------ Lynn Siprelle * web developer, writer, mama, fiber junky http://www.siprelle.com * http://www.thenewhomemaker.com http://www.deanspeaksforme.com * http://www.knitting911.net Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 15, 2005 Report Share Posted August 15, 2005 > So let me ask you harsch crockers this, then: When the ferment is done, > do you then put it up in jars or just eat out of the crock? > > Lynn S. > Lynn - We put ours in quart or 1/2-gallon jars. Just make sure you have enough of the liquid in the jar to cover the veggies so that they do not oxidize. - Ann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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