Seal me up, baby! Vacuum talk

(Running from stupidity) #1

It’s an important part of sous vide, I claim.

(Jane) #2

I love my vacuum sealer! I use it for a lot of my garden veggies, too.

The last roast I vacuum sealed it was great to pull it out of the freezer and throw it in my Sous Vide tub, set the temp and timer and faghetta bout it!

(Running from stupidity) #3

This is the BEST thing. Vacuum seal everything you got from the butcher - say, maybe, 6kg of rump steak - throw it in the freezer, then the sous vide, done. All the vacuum sealing done in one hit, put the thing away, sorted. It’s awesome.

(Running from stupidity) #4

Also, has anyone got/used a chamber vac? I’m really tempted…

(Mike W.) #5

Would LOVE a chamber vac. For now I’ll stick with my foodsaver and 2 gallon ziplocks.

(Running from stupidity) #6

Aye. I need to do a bit more research (partly into the low-cost bags, they’re so much cheaper, supposedly) in order to see if it’s worth coughing up the big bikkies. I’m having a few niggles with my current one, but that might be because I just need to buy the wider rolls to accommodate the bigger pieces of steak I’m using these days:-) It might be that the narrower and thus longer bags aren’t a good way to do it, and wider might solve the issue.

Either way, I REALLY want a chamber vac :slight_smile:

(Mike W.) #7

Does your current system use premade bags or rolls? I have both 8” and 11” rolls.

(Running from stupidity) #8

Both, but the rolls are cheaper, so I use them :slight_smile:

I need to buy some of the wider ones in order to give it a crack with them. The narrow ones seem to have trouble with allowing all the air out sometimes because the steaks take up too much of the width and the machine thinks it’s done when it’s not, the steak has just created enough of a seal.

(Doug) #9

I don’t have either, yet, but am tempted too. With more freezer space, I’d go for it. Bulk bags are cheaper, like 1/3 the cost of the ones for external vacuum sealers, and you usually get a much better vacuum which means less air (and perhaps moisture) in the bag, thus much less chance of freezer burn.

One drawback is that they tend to be slower than external ones - having to evacuate all the air from the entire chamber, rather than just sucking air out of the bag. I can’t see myself doing enough bags in one day that it would matter, but some people would feel the difference.

Among chamber vacuums, I’d get one with a regular oil-containing vacuum pump. There are ‘dry’ ones, but they tend to wear out sooner and get hot during operation, greatly limiting them in repetitive use.

(Running from stupidity) #10

Agreed. OTOH, we turn freezer stuff over very quickly, as we have a smallish freezer (two drawers under the fridge part, so maybe a third of a 400l fridge?) and we just eat a lot of stuff out of there :slight_smile:

I can’t see myself doing enough bags in one day that it would matter

Yeah, same.

Among chamber vacuums, I’d get one with a regular oil-containing vacuum pump. There are ‘dry’ ones, but they tend to wear out sooner and get hot during operation, greatly limiting them in repetitive use.

Ah, good to know that bit of info.

(Mike W.) #11

I have a vac pump. Maybe I should just make one

#12

We’ve been using Vacuum Sealers for many, many years. But to be honest, after some time, found we weren’t using them as regularly as we used to. … But after going Keto 6 months ago, we started using them a lot more again. Plus, my Son actually bought me a new one for my Birthday back in October. has the roll like our older model, but also has the retractable handheld sealer that works with the ziplocks with sealer, which I’m finding quite nice. (use this for cheese’s and stuff right now) Take it out, slice some off and reseal it in just seconds) Thinking of even getting some more of these. I can see it being quite useful with anything you’re in and out of regularly, and will definitely keep it a lot fresher. Here’s the link to the new one we got.

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(Eric - The patient needs to be patient!) #13

I use mine all the time. But more on keto as we are pre-cooking a lot. Ground up 2 big, fatty chuck roasts and sauteed it today. Sealed them up. Tomorrow will stew several pork butts aka carnita. Will seal bone broth next weekend.

Going to make my fist chicken liver pate soon. Not sure I can seal that up and freeze it but I an going to try.

#14

Some things can be still be sealed, but may require tightening up in the freezer first. I’ve heard some speak about freezing Broth, and had to freeze it first, and once hard enough, then seal it. … Cheese Cake can be done the same. Simply put in the freezer for 2 to 4 hours, once tightened up, vacuum seal.

(Eric - The patient needs to be patient!) #15

Yes I freeze some things and then seal. I have a sealer that allows me to pulse the vacuum and then seal. So now I can seal stewed meat and not have to drain the juice. When I can get a weekend without the threat of wet weather I am going to smoke 4 to 6 pork butts for pulled pork BBQ and seal and freeze them in 2 lb bags.

(Running from stupidity) #16

Yeah, we just put it in ice-cube trays, freeze it, then pop them out into ziplock bags.

#17

Yeah, well, since I see you reside in VA, next door to me. Good luck with that! :smile: It’s been one of our wettest years in some time. And trust me, since my last 28 years of my 35 total service time with my department have been in the Storm Drainage Maintenance Division, I have to monitor storm events as part of my work. Sometimes it’s just easier to get wet, and weather be damned. :slight_smile:

Yep, I’ve heard others mention that one as well. Great idea too. :slight_smile:

(Eric - The patient needs to be patient!) #18

It has been a crazy weather year. Others have suffered, we have just been wet, wet, wet. I’m expecting it to be a snowy year. BTW - I was born in Baltimore and have relatives scattered across Maryland and southern Pa.

Last night actually had a dream about my uncle’s store in Carroll County (Gamber). The store is long gone now.

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#19

Yep, sadly, a lot of them old country stores are gone now. There’s still a few here and there that somehow still exist, but overall, not many. Nice that you have a good picture of it, since it’s not easy to find sometimes later. And personally I’m not a fan of all those larger outlets, so it’s nice to have places like this close by. But don’t think there will be much longer. And sadly along with it, a lot less service overall. :slight_smile:

#20

Well my Russell Hobbs vacuum sealer arrived this arvo :slightly_smiling_face: Will take a day or two to get acquainted & practice on some of the acres of cavalo nero that has run amok in the veggie patch. Worst case scenario - I lose some kale.