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c/fermentation-stationjessica921jessica9211mo agoProlific Poster

Shoutout to my brother-in-law for a simple jar tip

He saw my kraut jars on the counter and said, 'You know, a loose lid lets gas out better than a tight one with a burp.' I had been cranking them down hard for years. After trying it his way, my last batch had zero mold for the first time. Anyone else find a small change made a big difference?
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4 Comments
harperr82
harperr8215d ago
@margaret879 I feel you on the dusty kitchen fear, but man, a super tight seal is like trying to keep your girlfriend happy by never talking about your problems. Burp the jar or else it explodes all over your counter. Learned that the hard way with a batch of pickles that sounded like a gunshot when I cracked the lid. Guess the gas needs somewhere to go, and it's better out than just building up into a science experiment. Snug but loose sounds weird, but it's saved me from cleaning kraut off the ceiling.
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margaret879
Tight lids have always worked for me... I worry a loose one would let in bad stuff from the air. My kitchen can be dusty, and I don't want any of that getting in the jar. A good, hard seal just feels safer to me.
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terryscott
terryscott1mo ago
Actually, a proper seal doesn't need to be cranked super tight to keep dust out. The rubber ring does the real work by creating an airtight barrier. You just need it snug enough to engage that ring without over-tightening.
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kai_chen2
kai_chen21mo ago
Oh that's interesting, because a super tight seal can actually cause problems. If you seal it too hard, the jar might not let any air out, and that pressure can make the lid buckle or even crack the glass. You want it just tight enough that you can undo it with a little force, not cranked down forever.
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