One Gallon Locavore Fermentation Crock
One Gallon Locavore Fermentation Crock
This is the BMW of crocks, with the German design of a deep water-seal at the lip, but formed with feminine style. One gallon of volume is small enough to fit comfortably in your kitchen, yet generous enough for a family or small professional kitchen. The lid has an integrated handle, and three-part burnished weight stones have ample room to be placed and removed. Each color has a glazed interior that meets or exceeds industry sanitation standards. The darkest color pictured is Moroccan Sand, and the lightest is White.
One of several projects that I do with my friends at Mudshark Studios in Portland, OR, this crock has been hand-cast and finished with care at a local small business. By contracting this tiny factory, I am able to provide a large volume of a nearly identical product, so if you are a retailer interested in placing a bulk order of this item at a wholesale price, please contact me!
I will continue to hand-throw porcelain crocks of the same design in a smaller scale, available here.
~ A total weight of 8 pounds includes 1.5 of weight stones. The crock itself measures 8x8x11" ~ The one gallon of useable volume is measured to the bottom of the stones, ideally placed on the veggies at the narrowest part of the neck, which allows for proper “head room” within the vessel for liquids to expand above the stones.
~It comes with printed instructions for care and use ... find the text of the care guide below~
enjoy!
Care of your crock
Your fermenting crock is made of durable vitrified stoneware. With normal care, it will serve you and your loved ones for generations. The lip and flange are the delicate part, but you can lift the jar by the neck without concern. Just to be safe, I would take care with a wooden mallet inside the crock: I crunch up the veggies in a bowl with my hands and then pack them in crock with the flat of my fist. If you are excited about vegetable fermentation but not sure how to do it, I recommend the book "Wild Fermentation" by Sandor Katz. He also has a website by the same name.
The stones are sized to rest just at or below the inside of the neck. When you pack your pickle into the crock, allow for the stones to end up there. The foods will expand and the stones will press them down again because they have locked against the neck. If you choose to fill it partway, you can place a wide uncut leaf across the top of your brined veggies before placing the stones on top of it, so that small pieces don’t float up between the stones. Be sure there is an inch of brine above the stones.
For fermenting, place the lid on the jar and fill the flange with salt water. The water becomes a seal against unwanted bacteria. Unless you live in the desert, there should be enough water volume to not evaporate for about a week. Top up as needed.
I use my crocks constantly and never have troubles with mold. If I have a good inch of brine above the stones, I often leave the veggies in there for weeks without trouble. Roots in particular can go for months in a cool part of the cupboard.
Clean the jar with soap and hot water by hand, or it can go in the dishwasher if the weight is distributed around the lip. Please do not pour boiling water in the crock or subject it to any thermal shock (like putting it on a range). The glaze is impervious to water and does not require any kind of sanitizing.
If purchased from me directly, you may return (at your expense and in the original packaging) undamaged jars within 3 months of purchase for a full refund. Should you find a functional defect in the work, I will refund your purchase entirely upon receipt of proof of defect.
By purchasing this product, you are helping a local potter support herself and maintain vitality in contemporary crafts, so THANK YOU! I still make crocks out of porcelain, but this one is slip-cast by my friends at Mudshark Studios in Portland, OR. Working with a production studio allows me to reach more people while feeling proud to provide quality that is American-made.
If you have any concerns or questions whatsoever, please do not hesitate to contact me. If you would like to keep in touch, send me a message, and I will send you a quarterly email newsletter.
Enjoy!!