Ohio Stoneware Crocks – 1 to 10 Gallon Stoneware Crocks for Sale

For generations, a stoneware crock was where the sauerkraut, pickles, lard and cured meat went. These Ohio Stoneware crocks are still made in the USA in Zanesville, Ohio, in the traditional straight-sided shape with a cream glaze. Some people call them stone crocks, ceramic crocks or pottery crocks; they’re all the same kitchen workhorse. Choose from six sizes, from a 1 gallon crock for a small batch of kraut up to the 10 gallon crock that serious fermenters and gardeners rely on. Every crock has a lead-free, food-safe glaze and is safe in the microwave, oven and dishwasher. Add a matching lid, preserving cover or weights to finish the set.

• Made in the USA by Ohio Stoneware
• Lead-free, food-safe glaze for fermenting, pickling and brining
• Sizes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 10 gallon, with the size stamped on each crock
• Matching lids, preserving covers, weights and straps for every size
• See them in person at our Hillsville, Virginia store

Shop crocks by size ↓  |  Size chart  |  Lids, covers & weights

Choose your size

Shop Stoneware Crocks by Size

1 GAL

1 Gallon Ohio Stoneware Crock (#1)

Our smallest stoneware crock. It’s sized for a trial batch of sauerkraut, a jar’s worth of pickled eggs, or a countertop crock for utensils and dry goods.

Add a 1 gallon lid or weight

$21.49


ID#: Opco02429

2 GAL

2 Gallon Ohio Stoneware Crock (#2)

The most popular size for home fermenting. A 2 gallon crock holds about 10 lb of shredded cabbage, one or two heads, which makes it the go-to sauerkraut crock for most families.

Add a 2 gallon lid or weight

$25.99


ID#: Opco02436

3 GAL

3 Gallon Ohio Stoneware Crock (#3)

A family-sized crock for sauerkraut, dill pickles or kimchi, holding about 15 lb of vegetables.

Add a 3 gallon lid or weight

$38.99


ID#: Opco02443

4 GAL

4 Gallon Ohio Stoneware Crock (#4)

For gardeners putting up a real harvest, holding about 20 lb of cabbage or cucumbers.

Add a 4 gallon lid or weight

$52.99


ID#: Opco02580

5 GAL

5 Gallon Ohio Stoneware Crock (#5)

A large stoneware crock for big batches of pickles and sauerkraut (about 25 lb of vegetables), brining, or bulk storage of flour, sugar and dry goods. Like the traditional crocks it’s modeled on, it has no handles, so add a 5 gallon crock strap to carry it.

Add a 5 gallon lid, weight or strap

$58.99


ID#: Opco02450

10 GAL

10 Gallon Ohio Stoneware Crock (#10)

The classic #10 crock, our biggest seller and most-searched size. It holds 40–50 lb of cabbage for bulk sauerkraut, and it’s big enough to brine a holiday turkey or cure a ham. About 38 lb empty.

Add a 10 gallon lid, weight or strap

$107.49


ID#: Opco02467

The 10 Gallon Crock (#10 Crock)

The 10 gallon stoneware crock, often called a #10 crock after the gallon number stamped on the side, is our most popular size. It’s big enough to ferment 40 to 50 pounds of cabbage, brine a holiday turkey or cure a ham. Plenty of customers use one as a farmhouse umbrella stand or planter, too.

• 10 gallon crock with lid: add the 10 gallon crock lid to keep dust out of stored food.
• For fermenting: add a 10 gallon preserving weight to hold vegetables under the brine and a preserving cover to cover the crock.
• To move it: it weighs about 38 lb empty and far more when full, so a 10 gallon crock strap makes it much easier to carry.

Sizing

Stoneware Crock Size Chart

A good rule of thumb is about 5 pounds of shredded cabbage or vegetables per gallon of crock. Leave the top quarter empty for brine and a weight.

Complete your crock

Lids, Covers, Weights & Straps

Looking for stoneware crocks with lids? The crocks are sold open, and every size has matching accessories:

• Crock Lids: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 10 gallon. Keep dust out of stored food and dry goods.
• Stoneware Preserving Covers: cover the crock while it ferments.
• Stoneware Preserving Weights: keep vegetables under the brine.
• Crock Straps: 1, 2, 3, 5 & 10 gallon. A carrying handle for heavy crocks.

How it works

How to Use a Crock for Fermenting & Pickling

1. Wash the crock with hot water and mild soap and let it dry.
2. Pack shredded cabbage (or cucumbers) with salt, pressing down to release the juices.
3. Make sure everything sits under the brine. Set a preserving weight on top.
4. Cover with a preserving cover or cloth and keep the crock somewhere cool, around 60–70°F.
5. Taste after a week or two. Once it’s the way you like it, move it to jars and refrigerate.

Around the kitchen

What Can You Use a Stoneware Crock For?

Before refrigerators, a stoneware crock was the main food storage container in an American kitchen. They still do all of those jobs today:

• Fermenting: sauerkraut, kimchi, half-sour and dill pickles
• Brining and curing: a holiday turkey, corned beef or country ham
• Dry storage: flour, sugar, cornmeal, potatoes and onions
• Around the house: utensil crock, ice bucket, umbrella stand, planter or farmhouse decor

In Stock at Our Hillsville Store

Want to see the sizes side by side before you buy? Every crock on this page is on the shelf at Red Hill General Store in Hillsville, Virginia, along with lids, weights, water crocks and jugs.

Ohio Stoneware crocks, water crocks and jugs on our shelves in Hillsville, Virginia.

Questions & answers

Ohio Stoneware Crock FAQ

What sizes do Ohio Stoneware crocks come in?

1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 10 gallon. See the size chart for what each one holds. Every size has a matching lid, preserving cover, weight set and carrying strap.

What does “#10 crock” mean?

Crocks are stamped with a number showing their capacity in gallons, so a #10 crock is a 10 gallon crock and a #4 crock is a 4 gallon crock. Ohio Stoneware still stamps the size on every crock, as you can see in the photos on this page.

What size crock do I need for sauerkraut?

Plan on about 5 lb of shredded cabbage per gallon, leaving the top quarter of the crock for brine and a weight. A 2 gallon crock suits most households. For a whole garden’s worth of cabbage, step up to the 5 or 10 gallon.

Do the crocks come with lids?

No, crocks are sold open. Matching crock lids are available for every size, or get the fermentation crock kit with the cover and weights included.

Do Ohio Stoneware crocks have handles?

No. Like the traditional crocks they’re modeled on, they’re straight-sided with no handles. A crock strap gives you a secure carrying handle, which is worth having on the 5 and 10 gallon sizes.

Are stoneware crocks the same as ceramic or clay crocks?

Stoneware is a type of ceramic. It’s clay fired at a high temperature, which makes it denser and less porous than earthenware or other clay pottery. That’s why a stoneware crock can hold brine for weeks without seeping, and why most fermenting crocks are stoneware.

Are Ohio Stoneware crocks safe for food and fermenting?

Yes. They’re made with lead-free, food-safe glazes and are designed for sauerkraut, pickles, kimchi and other fermented foods. Old antique crocks can have unknown glazes or hairline cracks, and that’s why many people ferment in a new crock.

Are they made in the USA?

Yes. Ohio Stoneware crocks are made in Zanesville, Ohio.

Can I put a crock in the oven or dishwasher?

Yes, they’re microwave, oven and dishwasher safe. Avoid sudden temperature changes, and hand-wash the large sizes, which won’t fit a dishwasher anyway.

Do you ship crocks to Canada, Alaska or Hawaii?

Not at this time. Because of how crocks have to be packed, we can’t ship them to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico or Canada.

What is my antique crock worth?

We sell new crocks and don’t appraise antiques. Age, maker’s mark, stamped size, decoration and condition all affect value, so a local antiques appraiser is your best source.

You might also need

Finish Your Crock

Fermentation Crock Kit See options

Crock Lids See options

Preserving Weights See options

All Ohio Stoneware Shop the line