I finally got my kimchi to stop exploding by using a trick with a plastic bag

For months, every time I made a batch of kimchi, it would bubble over and leak all over my kitchen counter. I was using those fancy airlock lids, but they just didn't seem to work for my super active ferments. Last week, I tried something my grandma used to do. I filled a small zip-top bag with a bit of water and salt, sealed it tight, and placed it right on top of the kimchi inside the jar before screwing the lid on. The bag acts like a weight to keep everything submerged and also creates a seal that lets gas out without letting air in. It's been sitting for five days now with zero mess. I just burp the jar once a day by lifting a corner of the lid. Has anyone else tried a method like this for really fizzy ferments? I'm curious if it works for sauerkraut too.

4 comments

4 Comments

beth_singh3mo ago

Wait, it got on the ceiling?

michaeltorres3mo ago

My last batch of kimchi made a huge mess on day three. I had red cabbage juice running down the cabinet doors. Your grandma's trick with the water bag is smart. I'm going to try that next time because cleaning up sticky brine is the worst part. It makes sense that the bag would seal but still let pressure out. I bet it would work for sauerkraut too since that gets pretty fizzy.

susanb343mo agoMost Upvoted

My friend's sauerkraut exploded all over her kitchen ceiling.

victor_robinson23d ago

Oh man, I just gotta chime in here. The water bag trick is solid, but don't burp it by lifting the lid corner if the bag is just sitting on top. The bag can slide around and let air sneak in around the rim, which kinda defeats the purpose. Better to just loosen the lid a tiny bit and let the gas escape through the threads instead of disturbing the seal. I learned that the hard way when I got a batch that went moldy on top after doing the same thing.