vacuum sealer uses beyond Meat processing/Storage....?

[rbljack]

After making brats last year and using zip lock bags for freezer storage, i found out that didn't work well after about 2 months in the freezer. Decided to upgrade and bought a vac sealer over the weekend before I make the next big batch of brats. I would have preferred a chamber vac, but I dont have the room, or cash to throw down on that right now. Instead bought the best external vac I could afford for the time being.

Im now looking at some tips and tricks for what to use it for besides just vac sealing meats. Lets here some of the other uses for the vac sealer. Randy newberg mentioned vac sealing meals for simple boiling at the truck, so that sounds like a good idea.

For those familiar with the "butthole sandwich", how well do those worked vac sealed for hunting trips? I think that would be a great use. I also vac sealed some of my first aid kit items that wont be used unless its a severe emergency. I put all of that into a vac sealed bag to contain/protect/waterproof them and it also cut down on space some.

 

[Marbles]

You can vac seal bulky items you want smaller such as wool socks or gauze. You can of course vac seal any food item, depending on your sealer. Mine does soups and such well, then lay flat in the freezer and they stack well. I have opened freeze dried meals prior to a hunt and vac sealed them. This does two things, it eliminates bulky packaging and the food will still be good for a few weeks; and it lets you add seasoning or fats, such as putting a pad of butter in oatmeal.

For long term storage, you could even vac seal guns.

 

[JMF]

I vac seal my game bags to reduce the bulk.

 

[loganwayne]

same as above i also do a 6'x6' piece of plastic to use to layout meat on to keep clean or to field dress on. an emergency kit depending on where you are hunting (space blanket, fire tender/starter, lighter, matches maybe a small flashlight)
seasonings used for summer sausage, if i dont use it all vac seal it or just reseal the bag it came in.
premixed pie stuffing
all my seeds for my garden, anything i dont use goes back in freezer in a vac bag.
vegetables' from the garden

 

[justinspicher]

I have used vacuum sealers for all kinds of stuff:
med kits
Fire kits
Ammo
Kill kits
Lunches/dinners

Your imagination is the limit, maybe the size of what you’re trying to vacuum seal….

 

[999delta]

The tip I would give is freeze brats before vac sealing. I take bags out of freezer and but in 150 degrees Sous Vide for 90 minutes, brown in hot skillet. Perfect every time.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

Vac sealers are like winches...the only limit to their use is your imagination.

 

[rbljack]

lots of great inputs here!

 

[Tod osier]

The tip I would give is freeze brats before vac sealing. I take bags out of freezer and but in 150 degrees Sous Vide for 90 minutes, brown in hot skillet. Perfect every time.

Use the exact procedure.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

I vacuum seal clorox wipes and keep them in my pack for cleaning up after gutting or taking apart a critter.

 

[BBob]

The tip I would give is freeze brats before vac sealing.

Use the exact procedure.

Question: How are you freezing the brats before vac sealing? I'm trying to picture how to go about this. Do you bag them, freeze and then vac and seal? I think if I try to freeze as a large batch they'll freeze/stick together and I'll have a mess. If you'd explain how you do it it would be much appreciated

 

[999delta]

I put them on a cookie sheet and freeze them. They will get deformed if you vucuum them first.

 

[ozyclint]

I seal my spare AA batteries before flights. Airlines don't seem to like loose batteries floating around, especially Li.

 

[Tod osier]

Question: How are you freezing the brats before vac sealing? I'm trying to picture how to go about this. Do you bag them, freeze and then vac and seal? I think if I try to freeze as a large batch they'll freeze/stick together and I'll have a mess. If you'd explain how you do it it would be much appreciated

I freeze in the bag lined up with their partners in the bag spooning each other. Once frozen overnight you can seal. The bag and meat gets frosty inside when freezing, so if you pull the frozen bags out long enough ahead so the frost melts or dunk on hot water you get a real nice seal. More steps to keep track of, but not much more work. I want maximum bag contact with the meat to eliminate freezer burn. Lately I've been dunking in hot water after sealed, every bit of frost melts and bonds the bag to the meat.

Pics of traditional style venison brats with the bag tight to the sausage (frozen sausage has thawed a bit on the very outside to give a good bond).


Antelope breakfast.


Finished product just for fun.

 

[Jimbee]

If you try to seal little baggies of smokeless powder for a muzzleloader it could get exciting.

 

[Jethro]

I have some emergency fire starter sealed but not vacced. I cut vac sealer bag down to about 1/3 palm size. 3 sides sealed. Stuffed in vasoline soaked cotton balls and then just sealed the 4th side with out sucking the air out. Been in my first aid kit for over 10 years. Never used it.

 

[Slugz]

I make these. Last long and cheaper than the packaged.
Salami
Parm cheese
Garlic stuffed olives
Crackers

 

[cnelk]

I use my vacuum sealer to reseal bags of chips, cracker sleeves or any similar type of bags to preserve freshness

 

[Mike Islander]

The tip I would give is freeze brats before vac sealing. I take bags out of freezer and but in 150 degrees Sous Vide for 90 minutes, brown in hot skillet. Perfect every time.

My maple venison sausage can get pretty stiff if cooked completely in a skillet. I'm going to try this method...and I can already tell it will keep the links way more tender!

 

[BBob]

I freeze in the bag lined up with their partners in the bag spooning each other.

Thanks much for the details! I had decided to do it this way but those extra tips will be very useful