Had to pick between a 5 gallon crock or a bunch of quart jars for my first big kraut batch

I was making sauerkraut for my whole family and had to choose one way to do it. I went with the big crock because it seemed easier to manage one container. After 3 weeks, the whole top layer got moldy, and I lost about 3 pounds of cabbage. I think the surface area was just too big to keep everything under the brine. Should have started smaller with the jars. Anyone have a good method for keeping a big crock of kraut safe?

3 comments

3 Comments

matthew3391mo ago

Read about using a plate to weigh it all down.

sethh581mo ago

That "vague" tip is actually pretty solid once you get the feel for it. I use a small glass saucer or dessert plate that fits inside the mouth of my jar. It's heavy enough to push everything down but won't crack like a big dinner plate might. The key is just finding a plate from your cupboard that sits on the shoulders of the jar, not the rim.

maryh961mo ago

Honestly, what are you even trying to weigh down? I see that tip for pickling things all the time, but it never says what kind of plate to use. A ceramic dinner plate seems too heavy and might crack the jar. A small plastic lid might not be heavy enough. Tbh the whole thing seems kinda vague and I've messed it up before.