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A. Before the advent of refrigeration, crocks were used in American kitchens to hold foodstuffs such as butter, salted meats and pickled vegetables. The crocks were invariably made of stoneware, a durable, economical ceramic that remains water-tight, even without a glaze.
What are ceramic crocks used for?
A crock is a pottery container sometimes used for food and water, synonymous with the word pot, and sometimes used for chemicals. Derivative terms include crockery and crock-pot. A gypsy’s crock is a (traditionally three-legged) cooking pot.
How do I identify old crocks?
An antique crock typically has a thick structural wall, often with a telltale bow in the center. Antique crocks feature very simple freehand-painted decorations, usually executed in cobalt blue ink. Stenciled or hand-drawn letters and numbers also appear on most old crocks.
What can you do with old crocks?
Fill a crock with scented pinecones to add subtle fragrance to a room. Place a medium-sized crock next to a fireplace or woodstove. Line up an assortment of crocks of different sizes along an antique workbench in your kitchen. Place a small artificial Christmas tree or feather tree in an old crock.
When were stoneware crocks used?
Red Wing Stoneware began making crocks in the late 1870s. Early crocks with side wall stamps are more valuable than those without it. Prior to 1896, all designs were drawn by hand on the crocks.
Are antique crocks safe to use?
It would be impossible to guarantee that an older crock was made with lead-free clay and health and safety should be your number one concern when pickling and fermenting. However, if you notice that your glaze is cracked but the clay is not exposed, you should be okay to continue using your crock.
What were 20 gallon crocks used for?
Large crocks, at least 20-gallon, were reserved for brining or curing meat after butchering. A brine was made of sugar, salt, and a small amount of salt peter or sodium nitrate, which was mixed into gallons of water.
How do I know if my stoneware is valuable?
Identifying Antique Stoneware and Finding Comparable Prices A shiny, glass-like surface with occasional bumps (salt particles) Simple hand-painted decorations (usually cobalt blue ink) Decorations were handcrafted beneath the surface of the glaze. Hand-drawn or stenciled numbers and letters.
How do you identify stoneware?
Stoneware has a coarse texture and is often decorated with a brown or gray salt glaze with blue decorations. Salt glaze is the tell tale sign of a piece of antique stoneware and it is recognizable by the salty or pebbled surface on a stoneware crock.
What can you do with stoneware crocks?
Stoneware crocks have many uses from the traditional use of preserving vegetables like cucumbers for pickles and cabbage for sauerkraut to more decorative uses like containers for potpourri, candy, magazines, kitchen utensils, cookbooks, pens and pencils, or candles.
How do you plant in crocks?
Put the shorter of the plastic baskets upside down in the bottom of the crock. This will act as a base for the other plastic basket and allow for soil drainage. Put the taller of the plastic baskets on top. Ideally, it will not fit snug in the crock to allow evaporation of water from the soil drainage.
When was stoneware invented?
Stoneware originated in China as early as 1400 bce (Shang dynasty). A fine white stoneware, Yue ware, produced during the Han dynasty (206 bce–220 ce) and perfected during the Tang dynasty (618–907 ce), has an olive or brownish green feldspathic glaze and belongs to the celadon family.
What were old stoneware jugs used for?
Stoneware was used for anything we might use glass jars or tupperware for today. It held everything from water, soda, and beer to meat, grain, jelly, and pickled vegetables, and was produced in a very wide variety of forms.
How do you clean antique stoneware crocks?
Remove layers of dirt and grime by soaking the stoneware in a mixture of 1 cup ammonia and 2 gallons of hot water. Allow the piece to soak for 24 hours, then scrub lightly with a soft-bristled brush. Remove pencil marks or remnants of silver and other plating with metal polish or a simple pencil eraser.
Do old crocks have lead in them?
The older crocks are certainly much cooler, but I can’t speak to who did and didn’t use lead. None of the new crocks have lead. I would say, if you can test them before you buy then that is your best bet.
Does stoneware contain lead?
Indeed, there have been cases of lead poisoning stemming from the use of stoneware and terra cotta. Even items labeled “lead-free” may still contain some lead, making your concerns all the more valid. While the FDA can’t totally ban lead, as it’s found in the environment, many potters have switched to non-lead glazes.
How do I disinfect my fermentation crock?
Cleaning Your Fermenting Stones/Crock Scrub the mould off as much as you can. Put the stones in a pot with a few tablespoons of vinegar and hot water or fill the crock with vinegar and hot water (not boiling). Leave overnight. Rinse the stones/crock.
What did they use Red Wing crocks for?
The large 60, 50 & 40 gallon crocks were used by chemical companies, large dairies and have seen the 50 & 40’s used for storing vegetables.
What were Red Wing jugs used for?
The Red Wing Stoneware Company made a vast array of mini jugs. These were used to commemorate conventions, advertise businesses and sold as souvenirs by various cities.
What is a cheese crock used for?
Similar to cheese fondue, this cheese crock is the perfect way to use up all those leftover cheeses that you find hiding in the back of the fridge.
