KefirkoVegetables Fermenter (1.4L) - Ferment Fruits, Veggies, Make Kimchi, Sauerkraut & More - BPA Free Materials (Blue)

I love this jar. Perfect for my foray into fermented foods. 👍👍👍

Thick glass jar with tongs/masher, filters, lid and recipe booklet are included in this fermentation pack. The instructions are easy to follow for making sauerkraut. This is my first attempt and it was simple to do. You can either use a vegetable peeler or sharp knife to cut the cabbage into thin slices or a mandolin or even a food processor. I found a veg peeler and sharp knife were fine. It is recommended that sea salt is used instead of iodised table salt as the iodine can inhibit the beneficial bacteria in cultured vegetables.This convenient kit gives you confidence in fermenting vegetables if you are new to it. You could use large kilner jars and a potato masher and a lid but, would need to release any gas build up regularly by unscrewing the lid. This Kefirko kit takes the guessing out of things. The sauerkraut can take as few as 3 days to be ready or left for a week. The longer it is left the stronger it gets. When it is to your taste the fermented vegetables can be put in an air tight container and stored in the fridge to slow down fermentation.

I am new to the world of fermenting, so this is just the start of the journey for me.The kit consists of a large fermenting jar, tongs/pounder, a glass weight and a large spring. There is also a decent, well illustrated booklet with plenty of information and recipes.I washed all the equipment as advised. I am trying the booklet recipe for sauerkraut. I cut up a cabbage very finely (perhaps too finely), mixed in some salt with my hands, and then pounded it with the pounder. The instructions talked about liquid covering the cabbage when it was placed in the jar, but I could not anticipate where this liquid was going to come from, but once I had placed the cabbage in the jar and pushed it down with the pounder the liquid was there. It must have been a combination of the salt and the pounding that brought it out. The glass weight went on top of this to ensure the cabbage is always submerged.The lid goes on top, and a white silicone ‘button’ in the middle of the lid is pressed gently a few times. This is supposed to remove the air from the top of the jar, so I am trusting it works. You can also turn the silicone ‘button’ to point to the date that you created your ferment.A further clear lid goes on top of this. The lid is designed to allow the relase of carbon dioxide buiding up in the process, and the clear lid has a little carbon filter which is hoping to lessen any unpleasant odours produced.I am going to leave it for a few weeks and see what happens! You are encouraged to taste samples along the way to see how well it is working. I am happy to not be totally successful the first time. The booklet does suggest that things can vary depending on the natural bacteria that is contained on the vegetables, the temperature where the jar is stored and the amount of salt that is used.It will be interesting to find out what the finished product is like, and I hope to try and the different recipes, and improve my technique as time goes on.

My daughter really likes this fermenting jar and wants to claim it so she can make pickles and kimchi in it. However, I too like this jar and want it for pickled eggs and wine. So, one jar, two people and many uses. The easiest (and most peaceful) solution is to give this jar to my daughter nand buy another one in the hope she won't claim that too.The jar itself is made with a strong and thick glass. The lid has a hole with a filter in it, to let gas escape. That makes this jar, although small, better than a demi john that requires a rubber bung and an air trap. As gases build up and the pressure needs releasing this jar simply releases the gas as it forms, through the filter that allows gas out but no air in. A demi john works similar, the air trap allows the gases to pass through the water and be released but stops air and contaminants in. Both products have one enemy and that is fruit flies. When fruits are fermenting the little fruit flies will try to get into the source of the gas and feed but the filters will prevent this.The fermenting jar comes with the lid and spare filters, as well as a fruit / vegetable plunger. the other thing that is included with this jar is a user manual that also9 includes a very good recipe book and my daughter is quite keen to start with the kimchi recipe. The recipes are clear and concise with the added bonus of allowing for the freedom to increase / decrease some of the ingredients according to one's own taste, unlike other recipes that are to the taste of the writer with no consideration for the taste of others.I am recommending this fermenting jar as apart from the good recipes that are included, the jar itself is of good quality and value.