Foodsaver technique clarification

[G$]

I looked at some great FOODSAVER posts here over the last few years, and there was some terrific insight. I bought one (820) for myself a few weeks ago, and need to be saving about 30 pounds of pulled pork and pulled chuck roast from this weekend's smoke. I will be freezing it, and reheating it while camping. (I Plan to do boil in bag). Before I attempt this with a ton of meat at stake, I need some clarification on sealing and retainign juices.

So, for my education:
I would like to seal in as much juice as I can. I also understand that juice tends to be sucked in the vacuum sealerr, which is not so desirable. People have mentioned a paper towel near the top of the bag, but I think this would have negative effects on the reheating process, especially if boiling in the bag as I intend to do.

So I guess the question is, before I start the process, can I assume that with careful positioning of the bags (ie lower than the sealer and with the juices relatively low in the bag) i will be ale to seal pulled pork and beef and a fair amount of juices without the paper towel mod? If I put a smaller amount of meat in each bag, will it be easier to do? Thanks for any specific answers from those that have done the same thing.

[Samichlaus]

You can't pull a vacuum on a liquid in soft sided containment. You can freeze the liquid & toss in juice/marinade ice cubes, throw the sealed package into fridge so the ice cube can melt, then freeze the whole bag.

(I used to work with vacuum assist venous reservoirs.)

[G$]

Sami, makes sense, except .....

if air is lightter than 'food', and if air is lighter than 'liguid', and if I position the bag such that gravity dictates that air is at the top and 'food' and 'liquid' is at the bottom, and if a foodsaver is a low powered slow vacuum device that does not generate enough vacuum power to pull said food and liquid, would it not have a chance at working?

That being said, barring no other feedback, i may just follow your advice and go the "freeze then seal" route to be safe.

[Samichlaus]

A vacuum refers to a pressure measured with respect to zero pressure, not with respect to ambient pressure. Iif you achieve a vacuum in a non- rigid container, the position of the bag will be irrelevant, the liquid will be removed.

When I want to package up some raw meat with marinade I freeze the marinade in ice cube trays. Then seal things. It works well for me.

That said, I think you can get away with what you want to do. You're probably not dealing with very much liquid or a true vacuum.

[The_Kapn]

Sami is right on here!
If you want a lot of juice, just put portions of the product (juicy) into containers of the right size and freeze. Then put in bags and pull a vacume.

I just put my leftovers in the bag with little visible moisture and vacume. Boiling for 15-20 minutes gives fresh and moist results. Add a touch of sauce or AJ if you want it wetter

I guarantee you that if you have flowing juices in the bag, you will ruin the FoodSaver pump quickly--my neighbor will vouch for that

FoodSaver is a great gadget
TIM

[frognot]

Thanks for the tips & science lesson.

[nucleargeek]

learned a new trick today....thx guys

[kcquer]

That said, I think you can get away with what you want to do. You're probably not dealing with very much liquid or a true vacuum.

With a "home use" rig like a food saver isn't the goal really just to remove excess air that will promote spoilage rather than a true vacuum?

[jt]

I don't remember what model I have but it has the Instant Seal feature. So I position the bag a little lower than the foodsaver so that it pulls most of the air before it starts pulling the juice. When I see the juice start to get to the top I hit the instant seal button.

Lately I've been having a problem with the bags breaking while I'm boiling them. I'm using the Foodsaver brand bags. Anyone found a cure for this?

[tigger]

If you get a really "big" pump on that foodsaver, you can boil that juice on the kitchen counter. On the down side you will have a bag of jerky if you keep pumping on that thing.

Inches Vacuum
(Hg) Temp. Pressure Temp.
29" 71° F. 5 Lbs. 227° F.
25" 133° F. 10 Lbs. 240° F.
20" 161° F. 15 Lbs. 250° F.
15" 179° F. 25 Lbs. 267° F.
10" 192° F. 35 Lbs. 281° F.
5" 203° F. 50 Lbs. 298° F.
0" 212° F. 75 Lbs. 320° F.

[Solidkick]

Lately I've been having a problem with the bags breaking while I'm boiling them. I'm using the Foodsaver brand bags. Anyone found a cure for this?

No cure.......having the same problem.......we've gone to double and triple sealing the bag.

I use the paper towel method....no complaints at our house.

[willkat98]

Along the same lines, I don't bother freezing.

I refridgerate.

I unwrap a freshly smoked butt from the foil, pour the juice in the tupperware, and pull the pork butt and add to tupperware with the juice.

I push down the pulled pork firmly, removing air. then in the fridge.

The next day, the tupperware, sauce and all, is a hardened brick. the juice is like jellied on the bottom.

Get out the vacu-suck. Pull a little bit bigger bag than normal (to prevent any sauce jelly from coming back into the motor) put the meat in and suck.

Never have I seen even a hint of sauce/juice in the catch basin of the suck seal.

So freeze if you have time, but fridge also works

[fivelombardis]

Originally Posted by G$

I

So I guess the question is, before I start the process, can I assume that with careful positioning of the bags (ie lower than the sealer and with the juices relatively low in the bag) i will be ale to seal pulled pork and beef and a fair amount of juices without the paper towel mod? If I put a smaller amount of meat in each bag, will it be easier to do? Thanks for any specific answers from those that have done the same thing.

I guess its been said...but for my own satisfaction, I want to simplify it some for you. Just "partially freeze" the stuff you're gonna seal. It'll "harden" up the juices just enough to be able to seal it all, without having the juices run into the bag's seal, or the sealer itself.

Bob

[parrothead]

Originally Posted by fivelombardis

I guess its been said...but for my own satisfaction, I want to simplify it some for you. Just "partially freeze" the stuff you're gonna seal. It'll "harden" up the juices just enough to be able to seal it all, without having the juices run into the bag's seal, or the sealer itself.

Bob

Welcome 5lombardis.. Go to cattle call and reintroduce yourself. Where the fark have you been?

[jt]

Gonna try Bill's refrigerator method next time. Meat should still be pliable when it is vacu-sealed for the freezer.