This Fermentation Crock Solves a Tricky Problem in a Clever Way

Today I'm throwing a fermentation crock for kimchi, sauerkraut and any other kind of pickle. It gets a water seal lid to keep the good microbes in and weights to hold everything down. With multiple joints timing is everything so let's get into it. I'm using 2.5 kilos for the base and another 500 grams for the channel. I need 400 grams for the lid and I'll need another kilo for weights. I start by centering 2.5 kilos for the base and now I can flatten the top and then I push down into the clay. I'm using a robust clay with a bit of body. It fires to a warm buff color with some speckle and then I open out and I can start to form the walls. If you haven't already done so remember to subscribe to stay up to date with all of our new projects. I'm going to bring the walls up into a tall cylinder. I'm making quite a large pot in terms of volume around two liters and of course I'm taking into account shrinkage. I'm going to shape the walls so they curve in at the top trim around the base and then I wire through and set aside to dry. Now I center the 500 grams for the channel. Once the clay is centered I flatten the top of the clay and then I push all the way down into the clay through to the back and open the clay out into a donut and now I'm pushing down into the donut to create a channel. I open up the channel a little. This is going to be filled with water. The lid sits on top creating a water seal. I set aside to dry. I can wire through a little later. Now I take 400 grams of clay to make the lid. I flatten the clay and push down and open out. I form the walls and shape the lid. I check the size to make sure it's going to fit into the channel and trim around the base. I'm going to make the weights and the handle from the same piece of clay. So I center the kilo of clay and now I'm just going to section off a small portion of clay to make the handle and then I push down into that clay and form a very small dish and then I cut the handle off at the base and then I set aside to dry. I center the rest of the clay to make the weights. I flatten the top of the clay and then push down into the clay opening the clay out into a donut. I straighten the sides and edges and now I'm going to slice the clay in two. So the only way to get the weights into the crock is if they're in halves and then I wire through and set aside to dry. Now that the parts have dried to leather hard I'm ready to join them together. I score the rim on the base and then score the channel. I add some slip and then I place the channel onto the base. I blend where the two meet first on the outside and then on the inside and then I up end and trim. So I secure the base to the bat and then I just trim across the base and after a quick trim around the edge I can set aside to dry fully. Now I trim the lid. I center and secure the lid and now I just trim across the top and around the edge. I add the handle to the lid. I score and then slip and then I join together. I add a thin coil of clay and I blend. I put the lid on the base and set aside to dry. Then I bisque fire and I glaze. First I dip the lid then I pour glaze inside the base and I dip the outside and then I glaze fire. And the crock's finished. The lid fits and so do the weights. So that means it's time to make sauerkraut. Chop some cabbage, add some salt and pound together. Add it to the crock and pound a little more. Pound until the cabbage releases liquid and then I add the weights. The weights will hold the cabbage down underneath the liquid as it ferments. I add water to the channel. When I put the lid on this will create a water seal. After a week or so in the fridge the sauerkraut's ready. The longer you leave it the more sour it will be. For more useful kitchen items why not check out my steamer video and happy potting.