Do I need a vacuum sealer and bags to go with a sous vide?

#1

So after reading the Another....which one thread! , I am so tempted and there are some cheapish options available on Amazon. Can you use any old bag or do you really need to vacuum seal in proper bags?

(*Rusty* Instagram: @Rustyk61) #2

From the way I understand it and all the YouTube videos I’ve watched, the ziplock bags work fine if you use the Emerson method of removing the air.

#3

Sucking out with a straw? :smiley:

(*Rusty* Instagram: @Rustyk61) #4

Watch this…it helped me!

(Brian) #5

I think Rusty meant “Immersion”. :wink: You just lower the bag slowly into the water and let the weight of the water displace the air in the bag. Seal it up when you’ve gotten the water level to about the top of the bag.

I just use ziplock freezer bags. They’re thicker / heavier than the storage ziplock bags and I was told they hold up better. So far, I’ve never had a bag break or leak.

I use a tallish pot that I attach the sous vide to, it has a clip that holds it to the side of the pot. And I attach the top of the ziplock bag(s) to the other side of the pot at the top with a clothes pin. (How’s that for high tech?! LOL!) And then I’ll typically cover with a piece of plastic wrap since I don’t have any kind of a lid that would work.

It doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. :slight_smile:

(*Rusty* Instagram: @Rustyk61) #6
(*Rusty* Instagram: @Rustyk61) #7

Damn predictive text!!!

(Brian) #8

LOL!! You’d laugh at the arguments I have with my tablet when I type out exactly what I intend and it “helps me” to find better words.

(*Rusty* Instagram: @Rustyk61) #9

I’ve learned APPLE does’nt understand my curse words!

#10

Ah, that is why Google was of little help :smiley:

I was wondering about a layer of bubble wrap or polystyrene? I am also a fan of DIY cheapo solutions!

Autocarrot is so interfering!

Thanks guys - really helpful.

(Banting & Yudkin & Atkins & Eadeses & Cordain & Taubes & Volek & Naiman & Bikman ) #11

Ziplocks are good to about 158*F. Anything above that, on a longish cook, you will want something more sturdy.

Ziplock freezer bags will go weak at the seams at higher temps on long cooks.

I have a foodsaver, but I use a lot of quart, gallon and two gallon bags.

(TJ Borden) #12

I don’t know if this was intended as a joke, but it’s funny.

I was lucky enough to get a vacuum seal machine for Christmas a couple years ago, and I’m glad I have it.

Not just for sous vide, but just for long term sealing of meats for the freezer. They last WAY longer than ziplock.

For the sous vide though, yeah, the immersion method works just fine.

(Miss E) #13

I personally wouldn’t use either of thosem Could you cover it with an upside down plate or something?

#14

You can find huge rolls of vacuum seal bags online for cheap on places like amazon and eBay, at least I have.

#15

Yes I must admit I have been considering one for ages for this reason alone.

:smiley:

Yeah sure, was just thinking out loud.

(Sophie) #16

On my long cooks, so far ribs and brisket, I’ve used my vac sealer. I didn’t double the bag on the brisket and I wish I had. I cover the top of my stock pot with plastic wrap and I use a bath towel wrapped around it and secured with clothes pins to keep the heat/moisture in. Works pretty good, looks weird - don’t care.

#17

Oh great idea - thanks. Who cares what it looks like - it’s all in the end result.

(Chris W) #18

I have and prefer to use a vacuum sealer, but I have, in travel situations, used freezer bags and the immersion method with great success as well. The immersion method works best if you suspend the bag in the hot water for a few seconds to soften the bag before forcing the air out. After a few bags of practice my technique and effectiveness improved, and you can re-try as much as you want with zip-locks. That said, I have never sous vide cooked above 140F, so I likely have not experienced the problems with higher temps.

(Todd Allen) #19

I’ve been using and quite happy with these reusable silicone bags
https://www.amazon.com/Reusable-Silicone-Preservation-Container-Versatile/dp/B01MYRWIBV

There are quite a few options for these such as bigger ones that could take a large piece of meat whole though I’ve managed to fit everything I’ve wanted into 1 or more of these quart sized bags.

(Jeannie Oliver) #20

I recently received an Anova Sous Vide as a gift, along with a large bin with a fitted lid to use with it. I plan to use the device for large cuts, such as brisket, pork butt and turkey breasts. I would be interested to know if anyone has run into problems cooking large cuts this way. And has anyone found that a Foodsaver doesn’t work with large cuts.