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

[Tod osier]

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

The only reason I freeze in bags is that I make too many sausages to put them on trays (they freeze together if you start to stack them in trays). I usually do 25 or 50 pounds, so freezing in bags works out for me. I just keep laying them in the freezers.

 

[BBob]

@Tod osier I don’t have enough room in my freezer to do trays (which is what started me thinking about how to do this) but I do have enough to get a lugger in there. Doing them in the lugger with bags stacked vertically will work perfect. I have 50lbs done and ready to freeze so I’ll give it a go in the next day or so.

 

[wapitibob]

I vac seal all the different "kits" in my hunting pack, first aid/extras/kill kit/etc. Game bags get way smaller.

bread/bagels turned to bricks

 

[Red Letters]

Vacuum seal tools, small parts, emergency kits, etc for saltwater boats

 

[MThuntr]

Not 100% food storage or even a full vacuum but I use my vacuum bags and sealer to make fermented hot sauces. Put your brine solution and peppers in the bag, suck most of the air out and seal. This will create air free conditions perfect for fermentation. This can be done for basically most fermented food processes.

I vacuum seal flour and other cooking ingredients when I buy in bulk. 25lbs of rye flour from a bakery supply is the same price as 3lbs at the store. Works for most food items. I even do it when portioning Costco runs...as a single man, I can't eat food fast enough plus this helps keep me from eating 65 egg rolls in a week since I know the box is open in the freezer.

I also use the sealer on my vacuum machine to seal mylar bags for homemade backpack meals.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

I've done camp pillows to keep them compressed. Keep the suggestions coming, getting some great ideas from yall!

 

[Tod osier]

Not 100% food storage or even a full vacuum but I use my vacuum bags and sealer to make fermented hot sauces. Put your brine solution and peppers in the bag, suck most of the air out and seal. This will create air free conditions perfect for fermentation. This can be done for basically most fermented food processes.

Great point! We vac them down on full vac, though. Here are habs after a few days.

 

[MThuntr]

Great point! We vac them down on full vac, though. Here are habs after a few days.

View attachment 654135

My machine gets mad at me for trying to do a full vac on these bags but I get it pretty close and then double seal like yours.

Recent concoction was blended serranos, 3% brine solution (I didn't measure the exact amount), a big scoop of jarlic (jarred garlic), and several big glugs of maple syrup. Ferment of about 3 weeks. Then Ninja blender it until it's smooth (adding vinegar to get the pH below 4).

 

[NRA4LIFE]

I vacuum seal A LOT of spices. I can buy them bulk online for 1/10 of what you'd pay at the grocery store.

 

[BBob]

I’ve been doing like a lot of you guys do. Buy bulk (lots of Costco) and repackage into smaller quantities. Bulk spices too. Rice, flour, etc… I find new uses for this new gadget seems nearly everyday.

Half of a big jar of salsa that gets frozen. Full vacuum. The other half goes into a smaller jar that fits better in the fridge.

 

[rbljack]

yeah lots of great ideas coming thru. I appreciate all the inputs. Im getting a lot of great ideas to use/implement. The "snack packs" of cheese/salami and olives made me hungry and so did the brats....LOL.

Important tip...when you ask the wife to make bigger batch of lasagna so you can try vac sealing some camp meals....make damn sure you don't go to bed without chilling the left overs (to be vac sealed the ext day).......ask me how I know. Oops.

 

[cnelk]

Did you know you can buy vacuum sealing bags that have a resealable [i.e ziploc] edge on one side?

 

[Dented]

Did you know you can buy vacuum sealing bags that have a resealable [i.e ziploc] edge on one side?

Huh?
Where? Never seen anything like this. Got a link? Got something you use and recommend?

 

[BBob]

Huh?
Where? Never seen anything like this. Got a link? Got something you use and recommend?

These are for chamber vac sealers. I've been using them a lot. Package dehydrated fruit and have an integrated zip-lock for after you open it. Very useful for lots of things like that.

vacuum sealer bags

Shop Vacuum Sealer Bags at WebstaurantStore, your resource for restaurant supplies and equipment. Order today for fast shipping, wholesale pricing and superior service.

www.webstaurantstore.com

Added note about sizing zip-loc vacbags:

The listed bag sizes are for the actual size of the bag not the functional size of the bag when using the zipper. Subtract about 3" on length for the actual usable length with zipper bags. 2" for the zipper end and 1" for the end that gets sealed. Example: On a 6"x10" bag the effective inside usable dimension is 5"x6"

8x10 zip bag example:

 

[cnelk]

Huh?
Where? Never seen anything like this. Got a link? Got something you use and recommend?

Just Google "resealable vacuum sealer bags" and take your pick

 

[NRA4LIFE]

For those of you that do mass quantities of sealing, check out Vacuum Sealers Unlimited for bag deals. Quite often they have free shipping and I have not found anywhere cheaper. Just to note, I buy bags in quantities of 500 or 1000. I do a lot of chamber sealing.

 

[BBob]

For those of you that do mass quantities of sealing, check out Vacuum Sealers Unlimited for bag deals. Quite often they have free shipping and I have not found anywhere cheaper. Just to note, I buy bags in quantities of 500 or 1000. I do a lot of chamber sealing.

Also check the WebRestaurantStore. They were cheaper than Vac Seal Unlimited when I purchased bulk a month or so ago. I think it was @Tod osier that provided that tip.

Commercial Vacuum Sealer Bags

By sealing your food inside one of these vacuum packaging bags, you can prevent it from going bad for much longer than you could with traditional storage methods. Food is placed in one of these bags, and then a vacuum sealer machine sucks the air out

www.webstaurantstore.com

 

[NRA4LIFE]

I vacuum seal all my brats raw. I use natural hog casings and any contortions that the sealer causes are taken care of by the casings while cooking.

 

[GoatPackr]

You can stack brats on a cookie sheet or in a tub for the freezer. Just put a piece of wax paper or the likes in-between them.
Something I do with large chunks of fish like halibut is I pre freeze and then run under water quickly then put in the vacuum bag. It freezes a nice layer of ice on it and if you get a small hole from a bone or it just happens. The ice will provide a small protection against air.

One of my favorite uses is marinating meats like large prime ribs. You can even do several pieces of chicken, fish or whatever and after a few days put it back in the freezer for later use. Just pull out and use.

Kris

 

[Axlrod]

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

We have something similar- a ten year old boy, he vacuums the bags empty. We never have to reseal!