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Do we have anyone familiar with specialized refrigerators for Korean Kimchi?

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tkamiya:
I am not sure if there is anyone who is from Korea on this forum, but I have a question.

I love Kimchi.  So much so that my girlfriend and I make large quantity of them.  Kimchi making process is somewhat laborious and time consuming, so it makes sense to make a lot at once.  However, since it is a fermented product, usual (American) refrigerators can't stop the (fermentation) process from continuing. This results in less than a month, it becomes too sour to eat.  My typical process involves letting it ferment overnight in room temperature, and store it in usual refrigerator. 

Having said that, I read there is a specialized refrigerator in Korea that is suited for storing Kimchi.  Does anyone have any information of this?  My understanding is, this type of appliance is made to keep lower temperature, higher moisture, and less air movement.  Searching English Internet sites didn't yield anything and going to Korean site is not possible for I do not understand Korean language.  I've read in Kimchi refrigerator, it will last months - possibly all winter long.

I can adjust my usual refrigerator to colder temperature, to a point vegetable will actually freeze but obviously, this is not desirable.  So how cold should it be?  My understanding of physics is that moisture is related to temperature, so how is colder but higher in humidity actually possible?

By the way, I'm in Florida, so don't suggest Onggi, please.

PlainName:

--- Quote ---so how is colder but higher in humidity actually possible
--- End quote ---

'Dew point'


--- Quote ---The dew point is the temperature to which air must be cooled to become saturated with water vapor. It is assumed that air pressure and water content is constant. When cooled further, the airborne water vapor will condense to form liquid water (dew).
--- End quote ---

dl6lr:

--- Quote from: tkamiya on November 10, 2021, 06:08:24 am ---I am not sure if there is anyone who is from Korea on this forum, but I have a question.

--- End quote ---

Maybe ask her for tips: https://www.koreanbapsang.com/baechu-kimchi-napa-cabbage-kimchi/

tkamiya:
Thanks.

I'm asking Maangchi at www.maangchi.com. She seems to be a Kimchi expert.   

Ian.M:
I assume you found the wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimchi_refrigerator

The FDA recommend a refrigerator temperature of below 40°F (4°C), so it it likely that the difference between an ordinary refrigerator and a kimchi refrigerator, is that the kimchi refrigerator operates closer to 32°F (0°C), and does *NOT* have auto-defrost cycles.  If you cant easily obtain an imported kimchi refrigerator, consider a (new) laboratory refrigerator capable of operation down to freezing point, or convert a small chest freezer by fitting a higher temperature range thermostat.

The humidity in a closely covered container containing aqueous liquid will be at the saturation point so unless you are using open fermenters or storage containers the humidity in the refrigerator shouldn't be a problem, except managing the resulting condensation from air exchange when it is opened.  A  plastic changing room mat in the bottom of a converted chest freezer to keep your fermenters out of the condensation, with one corner cut out, + levelling it so it drains to that corner, then regularly using a sponge on a stick should manage the condensation well enough.

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