I'm fairly new at this. We have a few months worth of the commercially available survival foods, but I see people mention using a vacuum sealer to do staples, either in canning jars or mylar bags, I know nothing about this process except that there's obviously a vacuum involved, What do I need to know? What machines are everybody else using? when I googled the subject, I found everything from 50 dollar Walmart units to 5500 dollar commercial units, Willing to learn
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Teach me about vacuum sealers
- Thread starter radarbob
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About a year ago, I picked up a Foodsaver V3230 at Walmart. It's been working ok for me so far but it hasn't seen 'heavy' usage either. I have also picked up a couple of accessories for it as well (both the regular and wide mouth canning jar things).
I can't really help much more than that....I'm sure others have thoughts/ideas/opinions on what are the best and worst options as far as sealers go.
Also, I got a lot of ideas on what to do with it from watching youtube videos....there's lots of them on the subject.
I can't really help much more than that....I'm sure others have thoughts/ideas/opinions on what are the best and worst options as far as sealers go.
Also, I got a lot of ideas on what to do with it from watching youtube videos....there's lots of them on the subject.
Individualist
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Vacuum sealers?
They "suck"
They "suck"
ToddDubya
NES Member
I've got a Food Saver that sees infrequent use. The biggest lesson I had to learn was to use the real Food Saver bags or rolls. I cheaped out and bought some other brand and they don't seal well, stuff punctures it, etc. Now I just buy the rolls.
Stuff like rice, pasta, etc. will punch tiny holes in the bags and break the vacuum, so you have to do something like put it in another bag first, then seal it in a vacuum bag. I find those are easier to store in mason jars. I freeze the rice for a couple weeks to kill any bugs or eggs that might be hiding in the rice and then put them on the shelf.
I've tried the ones for mason jars and you need to use two lids (the metal canning lids) to get a good seal. One might just be to take up space to allow for a good seal and then you can remove it, but I don't remember. I don't use that feature often.
If you're going the mylar route, you don't need a vacuum sealer. In fact a lot of people just use a clothes iron to seal up the bags.
I can say that I've pulled out meat out of the freezer after > year and it looks like the day I sealed it. I always write the month and year on the package just so I can rotate it easier. I love finding bright red ground beef that's been in there over a year. $$$ saved.
Stuff like rice, pasta, etc. will punch tiny holes in the bags and break the vacuum, so you have to do something like put it in another bag first, then seal it in a vacuum bag. I find those are easier to store in mason jars. I freeze the rice for a couple weeks to kill any bugs or eggs that might be hiding in the rice and then put them on the shelf.
I've tried the ones for mason jars and you need to use two lids (the metal canning lids) to get a good seal. One might just be to take up space to allow for a good seal and then you can remove it, but I don't remember. I don't use that feature often.
If you're going the mylar route, you don't need a vacuum sealer. In fact a lot of people just use a clothes iron to seal up the bags.
I can say that I've pulled out meat out of the freezer after > year and it looks like the day I sealed it. I always write the month and year on the package just so I can rotate it easier. I love finding bright red ground beef that's been in there over a year. $$$ saved.
I have a foodsaver from about 12 to 15 years ago. I use it quite often for storage and cooking.
I buy boneless short ribs from costco to make stew with and freeze them in packages big enough for a meal. I buy nuts on 3# packages and freeze them in about 1# packages.
I have a couple of immersion circulators for suos vide cooking. I cook steaks a lot, ribs and chicken do well also. I'm still trying to master veggies and other items.
A couple of tips I can share are:
put a double seal on the items when you are using the roll material. I've had the seal fail a few times. The sealer I have has a manual seal mode (essential if you are using rolls). After I seal the first edge, I pull it out about a quarter inch and seal it again.
If you are sealing wet foods or liquids, make the bag longer than you think. Once you put the food in and try to seal it, the liquid will creep up towards the edge you are trying to seal. If it makes it to the heating element, it will never seal properly.
I buy boneless short ribs from costco to make stew with and freeze them in packages big enough for a meal. I buy nuts on 3# packages and freeze them in about 1# packages.
I have a couple of immersion circulators for suos vide cooking. I cook steaks a lot, ribs and chicken do well also. I'm still trying to master veggies and other items.
A couple of tips I can share are:
put a double seal on the items when you are using the roll material. I've had the seal fail a few times. The sealer I have has a manual seal mode (essential if you are using rolls). After I seal the first edge, I pull it out about a quarter inch and seal it again.
If you are sealing wet foods or liquids, make the bag longer than you think. Once you put the food in and try to seal it, the liquid will creep up towards the edge you are trying to seal. If it makes it to the heating element, it will never seal properly.
Tip I read for sealing 'liquids': Freeze them first, or at least get it to thicken, then run through a vacuum sealer.
Golddiggie
NES Member
I have one of the V2840 models purchased years back. It came with the hose to connect to containers (and the Mason jar item). I use it daily to reseal the container with my coffee beans in it (put some of the 5# bag in there, the balance into two 2 quart mason jars). I recently needed to replace the gaskets for the vacuum part of it. After all the years I've used it, the seals were a bit compressed. I probably stored it in the 'sealed' position, where I shouldn't have. Still, replacement seals can be had for cheap money (easy to change). I typically get the pint and quart size bags, but also have the full width rolls (for when I want to use them).
I like the wet/dry fast/slow options. Plus it has the [mentioned earlier] manual 'seal' button for using rolls. You can also use that to stop the vacuum part of the process and do a sooner seal of a bag.
I've used it to store primal meat cuts before (when getting them). Most recently was when I broke down a whole [beef] tenderloin into steaks. Any meats that I plan to freeze, get vacuum packed first. I've pulled items out of the freezer from a long time back (over a year in some cases) with zero issues due to being frozen for that long.
After having one (especially for this long), I can't imagine NOT having one. Well worth the money spent. I would recommend getting a good one. Don't go cheap on this and it will last you for a long time. I also wouldn't use a brand other than FoodSaver.
I like the wet/dry fast/slow options. Plus it has the [mentioned earlier] manual 'seal' button for using rolls. You can also use that to stop the vacuum part of the process and do a sooner seal of a bag.
I've used it to store primal meat cuts before (when getting them). Most recently was when I broke down a whole [beef] tenderloin into steaks. Any meats that I plan to freeze, get vacuum packed first. I've pulled items out of the freezer from a long time back (over a year in some cases) with zero issues due to being frozen for that long.
After having one (especially for this long), I can't imagine NOT having one. Well worth the money spent. I would recommend getting a good one. Don't go cheap on this and it will last you for a long time. I also wouldn't use a brand other than FoodSaver.
![[laugh]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/012.gif "Laugh [laugh]")
Poor man's vacuum sealer hack. Put your items in a Ziploc bag and seal a Ziploc bag three quarters of the way. Place in deep bowl of cold water with the unsealed part up. You can get past 90% of the air out. There are some YouTube videos on this. Way better than just putting food in a Ziploc in the freezer. With no cost or maintenance of a vacuum machine sealer and special vacuum bags.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO_lcL7Ibgo
Mike
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO_lcL7Ibgo
Mike
If you use it like we do, (buy meat in bulk/ garden and vac seal it so it lasts longer and maintaining taste ) Then you need a bigger unit. we bought the no longer available commercial unit from cabela's. (like this)
http://www.cabelas.com/product/CABE...?categoryId=734095080&CQ_search=vacuum+sealer
Like a welder the duty time is key. Once a unit heats up too much it won't work right. if you make your own bags do it separately from the sealing of the food. (the unit will heat up quick from the fast cycle time of making bags.)
Wet stuff, again pre freeze or you will be sucking the liquid up into the unit.
The rule I made when buying the big unit was anything that goes in the freezer gets bagged. we had some 2 year old pork chops a few weeks ago that where like new. so well worth it if you have a big freezer.
As far as doing dry goods you can make or buy a vacuum canner like this- http://vacucanner.com/index.html
I have made 2 (one for us and one for my bro in law) from a flea market pressure canner and $20.00 of fittings and a vac pump. (you can buy on ebay or harbor freight) great for doing beans,rice etc in canning jars. (not for foods with oil or liquids in them like stuff you would conventionally can.
http://www.cabelas.com/product/CABE...?categoryId=734095080&CQ_search=vacuum+sealer
Like a welder the duty time is key. Once a unit heats up too much it won't work right. if you make your own bags do it separately from the sealing of the food. (the unit will heat up quick from the fast cycle time of making bags.)
Wet stuff, again pre freeze or you will be sucking the liquid up into the unit.
The rule I made when buying the big unit was anything that goes in the freezer gets bagged. we had some 2 year old pork chops a few weeks ago that where like new. so well worth it if you have a big freezer.
As far as doing dry goods you can make or buy a vacuum canner like this- http://vacucanner.com/index.html
I have made 2 (one for us and one for my bro in law) from a flea market pressure canner and $20.00 of fittings and a vac pump. (you can buy on ebay or harbor freight) great for doing beans,rice etc in canning jars. (not for foods with oil or liquids in them like stuff you would conventionally can.
Palladin
NES Member
I use a Foodsaver 2450, with rolls from Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Weston-Vacuum-Sealer-11-Inchx18-Feet-Clear/dp/B002FZ865O/
have a freezer full of food, meats, chicken, fish, etc.
have a freezer full of food, meats, chicken, fish, etc.
Not everything I seal is going into the freezer. Some gets put into the immersion circulator to be had for dinner. But you are correct, you can pre-freeze some items. Liquids, breads, rolls, bagels, etc. can be frozen before you seal them.
One other trick is to use the sealing process to "marinade" meats or macerate fruits or veggies. This usually takes less than an hour to do and forces the liquid (and flavors) into product which you can then cook as normal.
Golddiggie
NES Member
I've used the vacuum containers to marinate items before... Works pretty well. IF I want to do something quick that is. Never tried to brine something in that (could be worth a try).
BTW, the replacement seals for my V2840 were less than $10 for two full sets (Amazon Prime). IF you don't leave the unit in the locked/sealed position, the seals will last many years before you need to change them. I screwed up and left it in the wrong position for years, which made me replace them. Seals like the day I got it now.
If you get the rolls, or use bags with enough free space, you could put liquids in them, seal close to the top, freeze, then vacuum and re-seal once the liquid is now a solid. Or freeze that item in a container then remove from container once frozen and vacuum pack. Plenty of choices.
I would advise you get a FoodSaver with the port for the hose setup too. Not just for use with sealing bags. Gives you more flexibility. Even if you don't think you'll use that now, you might want to several years down the road. I would recommend NOT using the sealing containers with things like flour though. Seems hit/miss there since the fine particles can mess with the seals. I'm going thru flour fast enough that a good latching container works well (at least two 5# bags a month).
I have a Foodsaver that gets pretty regular use. I forget what model but it's a vertical model. For the bags I always buy Foodsaver brand usually from Bed, Batch and Beyond with one of their coupons($5 off $15 or 20% off one item). One of the main things we use it for is sealing up coffee. I will buy 25lb bags at a time and bag it up in to smaller bags. The coffee stays pretty fresh for a few months. Some beans are pretty gassy and will blow up the bags a bit but I have yet to have one actually go kaboom on me. Also has worked well for meats and such. I have been tempted to seal up some ammo a few times but haven't done that yet.
