Setting Up a Food Fermenting Station

If you continue down the road of food fermentation, you will likely find that you are using the same supplies and going by the same setup each time. This may lead you to want to create a food fermenting station. You can do this easily enough, and if you do it correctly, you can make it easy to store when you are finished and easy to take out when you are ready. Here are the supplies for your food fermenting station and how to set it up.

Large Plastic Container

The first thing you need to set up a fermenting station is a box to keep everything in. You can do this with a large plastic storage container or just plastic container from the dollar store. What you are looking for is something deep enough to store all your supplies and keep them clean and safe when they are not in use. You also want the box to be able to slide into a storage area easily so keep in mind where you will be storing the container.

Flat Dry Surface

It goes without saying that you will need a flat surface to work on, but you also need one that can stay dry during your work. You don't want to do this too close to a sink or too close to the stovetop. You don't want humidity to build up or temperatures to go off while you are in the canning or bottling process. Instead, work off of an area like a kitchen table or island bar that is a bit removed from the direct heat or water in the room. Consider using a few dry tea towels as well. This will prevent glass from breaking if you set down heavier jars to hard.

Sanitizing Station

One thing you may not think of having as part of your food fermenting station is a sanitizing area. You need to sanitize everything you use. Your jars, your rods, your temperature gauges, and anything that will come in contact with the fermenting foods must be sanitized. This is true even of the items that you may not have used in the previous session and have been stored in the container. Make sure everything is properly sanitized and dried. 

These supplies will help you make a beginners fermenting station that is suitable for a home or small apartment. You can build on it as you use it more and more and create a more permanent option that may even contain a storage area for a dark warm fermentation area underneath. 
