I swear by fermenting in regular mason jars, no special lids needed

Most people say you need special fermentation weights and airlocks, but I think they're not always needed. In my experience, for veggies like carrots or cabbage, a simple mason jar with a loose lid works fine. For example, I make kimchi in a big jar and just burp it once a week instead of daily. This saves time and still gets good results. Some folks worry about mold, but I've never had an issue if I keep everything under the liquid. Your mileage may vary, but it's worth a try if you're short on gear.

3 comments

3 Comments

lilyanderson1mo ago

Seriously, I've done the same thing with pickles in a plain old jar! I just make sure the veggies are fully covered and screw the lid on fingertip-tight. It works out fine for me too.

lisa_reed1mo ago

Get so tired of hearing you need all that fancy gear to start fermenting. Love seeing someone else just use what they have. I do my sauerkraut in an old pickle jar with a coffee filter rubber-banded over the top. It works perfectly every single time, no weights, no special lid. The whole point is to keep it simple and actually make the food.

jade_hernandez27d ago

Oh man, I feel this! My first try I used a too-small jar and a random rock from my yard as a weight. Let's just say that batch had a... unique mineral taste. Now I just shove everything in a mixing bowl with a plate on top. If it's stupid but it works, it's not stupid!