Are vacuum seal units worth it over ziplock freezer bags?

W

wahoowad

Knows what a fatty is.
Joined
Nov 28, 2017
Location
Charlott...
Name or Nickame
PookieBoo
Just the 2 of us here, and the missus doesn't eat much of the meat I smoke, so I put half of what I smoke in the freezer. Typically I use basic ziplock bags - sandwich, quart or gallon depending on how much I have to freeze. Sometimes I'll wrap the meat in plastic wrap first, or use a tupperware tub.

Maybe my taste palette is undeveloped, but I don't ever recall having an issue with the defrosted meat. Sure, if I dig it out after 18 months it might be all freezer burnt (and this happens :icon_blush: ) but usually I am getting to it within a few months.

Curious if I'm really missing out on something with the use of these vacuum seal units to make it worth having one more appliance stuffed in my kitchen cabinets?
 
A few years back I bought a super duper awesome vacuum unit.....used it some, but put it away and never use it.

Freezer bags & double freezer bags work great for my small family.
 
I double freezer bag meat more than I seal. To me the value comes from everything else I seal. I think it paid for itself just in keeping chips and cereal fresh. We used to throw out stale stuff all the time. Now we just reseal it the bag it came in. Anything that is in a bag can be resealed.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 
Check your local Craigslist for a used vacuum sealer. I found mine for under $15. I use mine when cutting down primals, dryaging, brisket, and pulled pork. The bags also work great for reheating. Portion out pulled pork or brisket to meal size and toss in the freezer. When you need a quick meal you can grab the bag and throw it in a pot of hot water and you will have food ready to eat in minutes.
 
pjtexas1 said:
I double freezer bag meat more than I seal. To me the value comes from everything else I seal. I think it paid for itself just in keeping chips and cereal fresh. We used to throw out stale stuff all the time. Now we just reseal it the bag it came in. Anything that is in a bag can be resealed.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Is there a particular brand or model?
 
I have a $40 food saver. I love it. I get freezer burn when I use just freezer bags. I don’t when I vac seal.
I have no idea about the $200 units. I’ve had mine for over 2 years and I am extremely happy with it. Like WeberWho mentioned I use it to reheat pulled pork a lot. I use my Anova sous vide to reheat pulled pork or cook frozen fish.
I recommend it whole heartedly.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
I got a $70 foodsaver on Amazon prime day last year. Use it for meat and leftovers all the time. Buy 6lbs of ground beef at Costco for $3.30/lb ($6.99/lb in the grocery). Seal 3lbs into 1lb packs for tacos or chili or meatballs. Make and seal 3lbs into hamburger patties. Do the same with porkloins sliced into steaks, and other large volume packs.

Also works great for leftovers. Cook an 8lb pork butt and get 4lbs of meat. Eat 1lb for dinner and vacseal the rest into 1lb packs for tacos or chili and some 4oz packs for lunches. Ribs into 4 bone packs I send home with my mom.

Cold smoked cheese.

Lasts forever...fresh as the day you cooked it or bought it.

Edit:photos model 3240

o0cFaU7l.jpg

R1CkjCol.jpg

cJMxry3l.jpg
 
Last edited:
I have had less expensive food savers and now the 15" Cabelas "Commercial".

They are certainly worth it for me. Batch cooking (cold smoking bacon, grinding sausage, processing a deer, etc...) makes it worth it to me. Now add in that I buy in bulk and seal into serving sizes, sous vide, reheat my bbq in it, etc...

Most useful tool besides my chefs knife in the kitchen.

TIP : Have a sealer and like fresh guac? Make the guac, vac seal leftovers when done. It will last weeks in the fridge with no browning. Cut the tip of the bag and pipe out the guac next time you want it. Reseal when done, repeat.


Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 
I've been through a series of sealers over the last 10 years or so. The current one is 7 years old and holding. They definitely do a better job (IMO) than zip-locks, and the food will last longer in the freezer.

Tip: if you can get one that uses regular food-safe bags rather than the the special chambered ones (yeah, Foodsaver, I mean you), you'll save a bundle of money. Enough money to cancel out double the price of the device in a not very long period of use. Price the bags, and you'll see.
 
First vac sealer was a Foodsaver model from 1995. That thing worked out very well, lasting for about 4 years. Got a newer model, don't remember the model # but was a commercial type with 2 pumps. Replaced the rubber seals after about 3 years, kept on going for another 4 years. That one finally gave up the ghost and we bought another new model that lasted about 8 years.Then bought one of the first Foodsaver 3800 series that we still have, the style with the automatic vac/seal function. This past spring bought a VacMaster 320 chamber vacuum.
To say that we're sold on vacuum sealers is an understatement. Never freezer burn, pecans that were vac sealed 3 years ago are still fresh and crunchy. Briskets smoked a year ago, once thawed, are just like I smoked them yesterday. Cheese lasts virtually forever. I'm eating some smoked cheddar that was done 4 years ago.
 
I dont really freeze any meat but I make a few days meals and seal them in the fridge. Its makes a huge difference. If it makes a huge difference in the fridge id suspect it would make a huge difference in the freezer too.

I have some $99 Food Saver I got at the grocery store. It works pretty decent but sometimes wont seal when liquid get in the seaing bar area. If you got the $$$$ a chamber vac is the way to go. Liquids are not an issue with them.
 
If short term freezing of leftovers is the purpose then no, ziplocs will do the trick. However for sous vide at higher temps, storing bulk spices/rubs, long term freezer storage, marinating, etc it's worth it in my opinion.
 
wahoowad said:
Just the 2 of us here, and the missus doesn't eat much of the meat I smoke, so I put half of what I smoke in the freezer. Typically I use basic ziplock bags - sandwich, quart or gallon depending on how much I have to freeze. Sometimes I'll wrap the meat in plastic wrap first, or use a tupperware tub.

Maybe my taste palette is undeveloped, but I don't ever recall having an issue with the defrosted meat. Sure, if I dig it out after 18 months it might be all freezer burnt (and this happens :icon_blush: ) but usually I am getting to it within a few months.

Curious if I'm really missing out on something with the use of these vacuum seal units to make it worth having one more appliance stuffed in my kitchen cabinets?
Click to expand...

If you are using items relatively quick and have had no issues with freezer burn, you shouldn't concern yourself with changing the way you do things.

However if you wish to keep foods for longer periods of time, a vac-sealer can be a good investment.

I'v found items in the freezer that fell behind things dated 2 years later. No freezer burn, no off taste, and one would think it was from yesterday. You get longer freezer shelf life of your foods with a vac-sealer.


My wife vac-seals a multitude of pantry items into dinner sized portions (dry ingredients). She divides homemade spaghetti sauce for other meals.
Meat can be divided into meal sized portions, left-overs can be sealed for another day for use months into the future with no off tastes. Left-overs can be sealed into meals or single serving portions for later use.

Best of all, reheating is easy, just drop the bag into a pot of hot water until serving temperature is reached. No guests? just serve from the bag for easy clean-up.

It's a matter of what you need, not what someone else may, or may not have.
 
If I'm storing for a known short term - a few weeks tops, I'll use zip-locs.

If I store for an indeterminate time, I always vac seal - no freezer burn or frost, no funky taste.
 
It is absolutely worth it. A Ziploc bag zipper is not truly airtight. I find that pulled pork and brisket that have been frozen in a zipper bag will taste bland and dry after a several weeks. Most of the smoke flavor is lost. If they are vacuum sealed, I can pull them out of the freezer a year later and they haven't lost any flavor or moisture.

A vacuum sealer is also great for storing raw meat that you buy in bulk when it's on sale. Vacuum sealed steaks and roasts will keep indefinitely in the freezer.

However, I won't re-heat cooked meat in a vacuum sealed bag. I'm too paranoid about the plastic melting or giving off fumes.
 
Totally worth it. I have a cheaper model for a lot of years, my dad just upgraded and gave me his food saver brand one. Freezer burn is non existent


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

cayenne
Vacuum Sealers: Need Recommendations (Brand, External vs Chamber, Bags)...?
2 3
Replies
42
Views
2K
txsmkmstr
T
PitRow
Recommendations needed: freezer alarm
Replies
11
Views
1K
nmeyer414
N
S
Buckboard ham
2
Replies
24
Views
900
stickman
S
Headgear
I May Have Ruined Some Wood!
Replies
19
Views
1K
Headgear
Headgear
K
Burnt Ends From Brisket Flat???
Replies
6
Views
554
frayedend
F
Back
Top