0 Cultured Mondays - A Switch to Harsch Crocks and Pickl-It Jars

*Update - Please take a minute to read an additional post that I wrote today (5/9/12).  After doing some more reading, and looking at Sandor Katz's response, I am looking at a way to still ferment in mason jars using a glass weight.  While it may not be as superior as the Harsch and Pickl-it, I am hoping that it will still make good ferments and I will be able to still ferment several things at a time without having to buy all new equipment.  While that may work for our family, I do believe that some people need the strict anaerobic environment to heal their guts and would be better off using the Harsch and Pickl-it exclusively.  You just need to decide where your family falls.*





Honestly, I've been dreading making this move...throwing stuff to ferment into a mason jar is so quick and easy, but some recent research has shown that mason jars are not making clean ferments.  Now I have to figure out how to use the pickl-it and I need to lug out my large Harsch crock.

I bought my Harsch crock about 4 years ago when I first started fermenting, but ended up tucking it away as it was heavy and frankly a bit of a pain to use.  I had not heard of pickl-it jars or I probably would have just bought a few of those to start with.

Harsch Crock via amazon.com

But, we LOVE sauerkraut in the house and the Harsch is large enough that I can make a huge batch and since I have it, I will use it.  If I had known about pickl-it, then I would have just bought their 5 Liter Jar, seen HERE, which is a lot cheaper (and I am hoping easier to use) than the Harsch crock.

(I did find this review that had a helpful side by side comparison for pickl-it and the Harsch crock.)

This change has come as the result of some research done by fellow Nourished Living Network member, KerryAnn at Cooking Traditional Foods.  Basically, KerryAnn's research has shown that ferments need an anaerobic environment to create the best healing probiotics for your gut.  Mason jars do not provide this, and often breed molds and yeasts into your ferments.  If you would like to read more about this here are a few links to her posts.

*Salt and Lacto-fermentation
*Three Important Facts About Fermenting
*Knowing My Lacto-Ferment is Finished
*Pickl-it Question and Answer Video
*Lactic Acid Bacteria vs. Probiotic Pills
*How to Use Pickl-it
*Lactic Acid Bacteria and the Mason Jar
*Controversy: Pickl-it Vs. the Mason Jar

I hope you find these posts helpful and are not discouraged to continue to ferment foods.  It is a bit overwhelming leaping into new territory, but you are not alone and my next few Cultured Mondays posts will take you on my journey as I switch over to a new kind of fermenting experience.

I am looking forward to reaping the healthy results of my hard work!  So, stick with me and you may find you want to do it too!

(Featured on Healthy Home Economist, Homestead Revival, Real Food Forager, GNOWFGLINS, The Nourishing Gourmet)