Vacuum Sealing (Your tips) and tricks
 

This thread has spawned from the earlier request about cheaper vacuum sealing bags. I got to searching the Interweb for more tips and tricks. There is alot out there. Please use this site to post things you have done with Success and not success... I will go first:

Went camping and efore we left I made Biscuits for BnG's Created a bag put them in after cooled in ziplock bag then Mada bag and put the Buscuits in there and just sealed it not Vacuumed. Was able to keep them in the cooler without getting them wet. Also did similar things with our clothes to keep them dry.

Went to dollar store and got 30 hard plastic non throwaway plates. After a large meal made extra on purpose get out some plates and make homemade Teevee dinners. For example Thanksgiving afterward plate up some turkey smooshed taters and a veggie Prefreeze the plate and vacuum sea! Tevvee dinner for later.

What have you all done?

Why are you vacuum sealing ants? :confused: :-D

When I am vac-u-sucking soft things (like raspberries, etc.) I freeze them on a cookie sheet on wax paper first, then vac-u-suck.

When we buy a lot of spares, I fab into SL's , wrap each rack with cling wrap and vac pack 3 or 4 to a bag with a piece of freezer paper between, and freeze. EZ separation, and can reuse the bags. When I'm vac packing wet meat, I fold the top of the bag over a few inches, drop the meat in, unfold, and place some paper towels over the meat to absorb the juices when vacuuming.

I seal tatoe chip bags almost everyday! Wife get them 55 gallon Tatoe chip bags from sams. Then they get down to over half I cut and seal them so there is no reason to have that much empty bag. :tsk:

Also make several gallon of chili at a time Then freeze in 1 person meal then seal. If people do this a lot every time it will save you money and time. I will tell you with three kids sports and activities, it is a godsend for them to go to the freezer on a rush day. Usually 5 days a week get what they want heat it up. It saves me time from cooking too.....

Marty:

The only time I used vac-u-sucks was last September when you and I were bagging up all the shredded pork and beef using your equipment.

I think I will stick with zip lock bags

Yeah I like it better when doing smaller batches not like 50 bags at a time. Also when your not in a time crunch either.

55 gallons in a bag????:shocked::shocked::shocked::shocked::shocke d::shocked: Where do you even store something that big? :shocked::shocked::shocked::shocked:

I always put a description, the weight and the freeze date near the top of each package with permanent marker.
I store them standing up in rows in the downstairs freezer so I can see what's in there without too much digging.
I try to keep the older stuff on top or in front.
I take a trip to the downstairs freezer at least once a week and move what I'll use that week to the upstairs freezer, picking from the oldest first.
There's been a lot less waste since I started doing this.

In our walkin Pantry I created. Its 4.5 feet deep by 8' high by 5' Wide. There are 5 shelves to the left. Now that what I call a pantry.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3..._/100_1811.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3..._/100_1803.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3..._/100_1867.jpg

40% of all food produced in the USA is thrown away! :shock::shock: Great job sir! Now I don't have to buy more stamps to send the stuff to starving children in third world countries.:shock::shock: I will still support every effort though to help them....:thumb:

You can also use the vacuum sealer to "speed marinade", I did this with a flat iron steak the other day. Just like Campbell's soup, mmm mmm good!

I have a FoodSaver and I am wondering how do you seal things with alot of moisture? Sometimes things I think are relatively moisture free, the moisture gets pulled up to the seal and leaves gaps in the seal.

When I'm vac packing wet meat, I fold the top of the bag over a few inches, drop the meat in, unfold, and place some paper towels over the meat to absorb the juices when vacuuming.

rumor has it that there is a brethren member, who will go un-named, that keeps a collection of all his old girlfriends' undies in vac sealed bags in the freezer. just sayin..... ok, i'll go to the woodpile now :)