Don’t you hate it when you’ve waited patiently for a batch of fermented vegetables to be ready to eat, and when you open the lid, you find it covered in a fuzzy mold.
“Why did my fermented vegetables grow mold and spoil?”
“What did I do wrong?” are just a few questions that pop to mind.
Mold happens when oxygen comes into contact with the vegetables that break the surface of the brine.
“How do I prevent moldy fermented vegetables from happening again?”
Fermentation weights are an easy fail-safe method of preventing spoiled batches of your favorite fermented veggies.
This article will cover why vegetables need to be submerged below the brine. Ideas on how to make your own fermentation weights, what to avoid using, and recommend some high-quality fermentation weights that you can easily order online.
Why do vegetables need to be submerged in brine?
To prevent the vegetables from rotting, they must be in an oxygen-free environment (below the brine).
The carbon dioxide that is produced during the fermentation process rises up through the vegetables and pushes the oxygen that remains to the top, above the brine level.
The vegetables that peak above the brine come into contact with the oxygen and become contaminated from bacteria, Kahm yeast, and sometimes mold.
Mold and yeast can’t grow without oxygen.
Fermenting is a great way to increase your intake of probiotics and boost overall health. Just make sure you keep the fermenting foods submerged below the brine so the end result is safe to eat.
DIY Fermentation Weights
The following are some easy DIY ideas for making your own fermentation weights at home.
Fermentation weights can be created from the food you are fermenting, such as cabbage leaves, the cabbage core, and carrot sticks.
Cut cabbage leaves big enough to cover the inside of your fermentation vessel. You can layer strips of carrot or zucchini on top of the leaves to push everything down.
Criss-cross the carrot sticks over the top of the leaves to push everything below the brine.
Apples, daikon radish, or onion all can be used in a similar fashion.
Make sure to discard the veggies you use as a weight when you finish the fermentation process, replace them as needed, and NEVER eat them.
You can also use a small ziplock bag filled with water (or brine) to weigh down the vegetables.
Pebbles or rocks are often recommended, just make sure you wash them as best as you can first and avoid using limestone because the calcium in it can react with the acid in the ferment.
Homemade Fermentation Weights
Everyday kitchen items such as the following can serve as weights too:
- Shot Glasses
- Baby Food Jars
- Espresso Cups
- Dipping bowl
- Stainless Steel Portion Cups
Avoid using the following items as fermentation weights.
Avoid using knick-knacks from around the house, you don’t want to accidentally contaminate your ferment with lead. That goes for copper and brass objects as well. The acid and salt from the fermentation process can corrode and destroy both copper and brass, causing it to leach into the food.
Best Fermentation Weights You Can Buy Online
There are many varieties of fermentation weights to choose from online.
However, from experience I recommend sticking to glass weights because they are non-porous, which prevents smells and flavors from transferring from batch to batch. These are great for smaller batches of fermented foods.
With that being said, I do recommend the Humble House SAUERKROCK Fermentation Crock with weights because it comes in three larger sizes, 2 liters, 5 liters, and 10 liters.
Sometimes you just want to make a huge batch of kimchi or sauerkraut and messing with 20-quart size jars just seems impracticable. Go Big or Go Home. Right.
The weights are not glazed but very cleanable if done correctly.
Just be sure to pay attention to the size of the glass weight you are buying. The first time I ordered glass weights they were for a wide mouth jar, and at the time I only had regular size jars on hand. Not a big problem, since mason jars are generally pretty easy to find. But, just a little heads up: pay attention to the size of the jar you are trying to fit the glass weights into.
6-Pack Siliware Fermentation Weights with Handles
- ★BEST WAY TO KEEP FERMENTS SUBMERGED— Enough weight and flat bottom for keeping fruits & veggies under the brine without mold and oxidatiaon effectively, more reliable and convenient than DIY. Making the whole lacto-fermentation process much easier for both beginners and enthusiasts.
- ★PREMIUM QUALITY — Made of the food-grade glass as the same as mason jar, avoiding the breeding of bacteria and residual smell. It’s convenient for both dishwasher cleaning and hand washing.
- ★PRACTICAL HANDLE DESIGN — Just grasp the handle to easily take the glass weight out of Mason Jar without using tools.
- ★FITS ANY WIDE MOUTH MASON JAR — With a 2.7” diameter, it’s perfectly suitable for all wide mouth mason jars.
- ★100% MONEY BACK GUARANTEE — We have confidence in providing one-year quality services. If you are discontent with the product quality or usage experience, we will definitely provide a refund.
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Masontop Pickle Packer Kit
- ESSENTIAL TOOLS FOR THE HOME FERMENTER: Premium quality kraut pounder & pickling pebbles will convert wide mouth mason jars into low-maintenance vegetable picklers! Starter kit converts 4 jars for making nutritious sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles & more!
- 5 PC SET INCLUDES: 1 Natural Acacia Wood Pickle Packer & 4 Pickle Pebble Glass Weights. The ergonomically designed crusher easily packs veggies like shredded cabbage. The fermentation weights are made of non-porous glass to prevent spoilage.
- MAKE YOUR OWN DELICIOUS PROBIOTIC SUPERFOODS: Ferment vegetables (carrots, pickles & radishes etc.) in brine or use your acacia wood pounder to pack tasty dry salted ferments like sauerkraut and kimchi. Healthy for your gut flora and immune system!
- WEIGHTS HAVE FINGER GRIPS FOR EASY REMOVAL: Pickle Pebbles are easily removed by pinching the handy finger grip and lifting them out. Simply fill jars with veggies etc. & salt or brine and apply weights & airlock lids. Pickling has never been easier!
- FROM THE MASON JAR ACCESSORIES EXPERTS: Making your own fermented food is fun and easy when you trust the Masontops brand. This set provides you with the most essential tools to convert 4 wide mouth jars into efficient fermentation machines!
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Humble House SAUERKROCK Fermentation Crock with Glazed Weights
- Ferment food the traditional way with our water channel crock jar, lid and weights.
- 6 in. wide and 8 in. tall; Makes up to 4 standard size mason jars per batch.
- Fill the gutter with water to seal food from foreign matter like dust and dirt.
- Constructed of thick ceramic and finished with a lead and cadmium-free glaze.
- Make your favorite probiotic-rich foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles and more!
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Available in three sizes: 2 Liter (0.5 Gallon), 5 liters (1.3 Gallon), or 10 liters (2.6 Gallon) German-Style Water Sealed Jar for Fermenting Sauerkaut, Kimchi, Pickles, and More.
Hopefully, this list of ideas on how to keep your vegetables under the brine will inspire you to keep on fermenting. Take a minute to check out all the other supplies you’ll need, pick a recipe, and continue your fermenting journey!
