This is a 5L fermenting crockpot made by Zaklady Ceramiczne Boleslawiec at their factory in Boleslawiec, Poland. This is the oldest and most reputable ceramics factory in Poland. It is made of porcelain clay with a food safe glaze, guaranteed to be lead and cadmium free. It is designed with straight sides and with a moat into which the lid is placed. This moat is filled with water and is a natural way of ensuring the pots are air tight, yet allowing the carbon dioxide, which is produced during fermentation, to escape.
Crockpots and fermented food have a history of being part of peasants’ fare. The pots have a slightly rustic appearance. Although they are beautifully finished, often they have tiny unevenness in the glaze. This in no way interferes with the functioning or hygiene of the pots, but to our mind adds character and charm.
Authenticity
Any product made at Zaklady Ceramiczne Boleslawiec is stamped with the company’s logo on the base. If it doesn’t have the logo, it isn’t authentic. Genuine Zaklady Ceramiczne Boleslawiec crockery is made of porcelain clay to a very high quality. It is also made to satisfy the European Union requirements for food containers. This guarantees that the glaze does not contain the heavy metals lead and cadmium. Other countries do not necessarily have these strict requirements. Marketing words such as “imported from … ” pretty much tell you that the product is not made in that country, which begs the question “Where was it made?” If you find a fermenting crockpot that says “Made in … “, do a bit more research to find whether other Australian importers of that pot also say “Made in …”. If they don’t, then it is likely the importer is mistaken and that does not originate from the exporting country.
Crockpot Weights
All crockpots come with 2 heavy unglazed ceramic weights to hold the vegetables down under the brine. Some people keep a couple of the outer cabbage leaves to lay on top of the cabbage and brine to hold down any tiny bits of shredded cabbage that float to the surface. This is not necessary, but you do end up with a couple of beautifully fermented cabbage leaves that you can use to make cabbage rolls. People ask us about glass weights. We don’t supply them. We’ve made sauerkraut for many years and have never had any problem with the ceramic weights. However, some of our customers have, either because the weights have been put away damp or they live in a very humid area. For instructions on how to care for your weights, see our blog article Caring for Your Fermenting Stones.
How many cabbages in a 5L fermenting crockpot?
Often we are asked how many cabbages fit in a 5L fermenting crockpot. A reasonable question for people about to venture on their first sauerkraut making exercise with their new pot. However, the question is a bit difficult to answer as it depends on the size of your cabbages. As a rough estimate, I would say that you need about 2 medium to large sized cabbages to fill a 5 L pot. A 5L fermenting crockpot will usually be large enough for a small family.
Another, related, question is whether it is necessary to fill a pot. Our answer is that it is advisable to do so. The more cabbage you have in the pot, then the less air. Turning cabbage into sauerkraut is an anaerobic process, that is the process requires no air. Mould however grows on the surface of moist organic material that has contact with air. To give the lactobacillus the chance to grow a good sauerkraut making environment that is hostile to moulds, you need to exclude as much air as possible.
Recipes
Look in the Recipe section of our Blog to find our collection of fermentation recipes.
Dimensions and weight of 5 L crockpot
- height with lid on: 32.5 cm
- approx. dry weight with lid on:
- height without lid on: 24.5 cm
- approx. dry weight without lid on:
- outer diameter : 23.5 cm
- outer diameter plus handles: 26 cm
- moat depth: 3 cm
- diameter of opening: 13 cm
- approx. fill height: 17 cm
- diameter of ceramic weights: 17 cm
- approx. weight of ceramic weights:
Note: The weights given here are approximate because there is a large component of the crockpot making process which is hand made. Our pots therefore vary in weight.
Health Links
If you are interested in how fermented foods can improve your overall health, you might be interested in the following links:
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/fermented-foods-for-better-gut-health-2018051613841
- https://www.eufic.org/en/healthy-living/article/fermented-foods-for-health
We’ve also found the following books on gut health and how that relates to overall health very interesting:
- “Brain Maker – the Power of Gut Microbes to Heal and Protect Your Brain – For Life” by David Perlmutter
- “Gut – the inside story of the body’s most underrated organ” by Giulia Enders
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