Sichuan Paocai Pickling Kit (2.5L Glass Jar for Lacto-Fermentation)

The Jar
Years ago, we carefully carted home a Sichuan-style pickle jar from Chengdu, after having seen them in restaurants and homes and eaten their refreshingly tart and uniquely flavorful contents, called paocai. At home, we then learned to make pickled vegetables the Sichuan way, which forgoes vinegar in favor of souring over time through a salt brine and lacto-fermentation. We discovered just how easy and delicious it is, not to mention how probiotically good for you.

We have imported several different paocai jars over the years. Unlike our previous glass jars, which were mouth-blown, this version is machine-made. With this model, we have opted for a perfected shape and durable thickness. Note that the body of the jar has seams on each side, as it was made in two parts—which all factories seem to do nowadays.

Also note that Chinese manufacturers have moved to a slightly more elongated form and a more sharply defined moat, as compared to the older designs shown full of pickles in the photos here.

The Salt
Zigong well salt, 12 oz

The key ingredient for pickling brine is salt, and while kosher salt or any iodide-free salt will work, serious Sichuan picklers will use nothing but their local Zigong well salt. This legendary salt comes from brine deep under the ground in Zigong, Sichuan, site of the world’s very first brine wells, drilled in 252 BCE! For literally millennia, Sichuan cooks have sworn by this salt, for its purity, nutrients and, in the modern era, its lack of added iodide and anti-caking agents, which they feel ruins the taste of salt and the food it’s used in. Especially for pickling, where iodide can kill fermentation, serious cooks insist on this Sichuan salt.

And old-timers will also tell you the coarser the salt the better. According to the salt company, the extra-large grains of our pickling salt allow a sustained release that penetrates vegetables more efficiently and results in a brighter color, crispier pickle and less spoilage.

Sichuan Pepper
Da hong pao Sichuan pepper, 1 oz

Along with salt, Sichuan picklers usually add high-proof baijiu (Chinese liquor, optional) and sugar to the brine, as well as Sichuan pepper as a subtle flavor enhancer. We include a small bag of our da hong pao Sichuan pepper in this kit.

Recipe Card
A beautifully printed large-format recipe card with instructions will get you started on your first batch in your new pickle jar.

The detailed recipe card included with the kit will walk you through your first batch. We also have two detailed blog posts that provide additional information, photos and trouble-shooting tips:

Sichuan Lacto-Fermented Pickles (Paocai, 泡菜): Starting Your First Batch

Sichuan Lacto-Fermented Pickles (Paocai, 泡菜): Maintaining a Brine Long Term

Don't panic when the water turns cloudy and takes on the color of the contents or when you hear little burps of escaping gas. Those signs mean that fermentation has begun and you're on your way to pickles! As you master the art of pickling the Sichuan way, your goal will be a "forever" brine that remains sour but fresh and pleasant for months—or years—to come: Vegetables in, pickles out, in an ongoing cycle of fermentation.

Our Deep Dive on Making Chinese Pickles and Ferments also includes ideas and recipes for serving and cooking with your fermented vegetables:

• Take cabbage and thinly-sliced veg out after as little as 2-3 days to eat as a side dish, chopped and doused with chili oil if you wish
• Remove harder vegetables like daikon, green beans, carrots, celery, celtuce or cauliflower in a week or more, when they're soured to your liking, and eat as a side dish or noodle topping
• Ferment dried er jing tiao chilies to make Sichuan pickled peppers (pao la jiao)
• Pack Chinese mustard greens into the jar with a dry brine and eat the soured suan cai in a week or more in a stir-fry, noodle or soup
• Veer from the Chinese path and make sauerkraut, kimchi or other ferments
  

Care:  Wash the body of the jar by hand, utilizing a brush or sponge with a handle.

Never add boiling water directly to the jar; cool brine before adding.

Material: body, cap and insert all made from lead-free glass

Size: 9.5 inches (height) x 7.5 inches

Capacity: 2.5 liters (10 cups)

Please read product description and size carefully, as we must charge a restocking fee on cookware returns.