No matter what I do I just cant get it sealed properly
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Vac Seal and Sous Vide
- Thread starter Big George's BBQ
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The zipper 'freezer bags' I presume?
No. The Vac Seal bags
rexster314
is one Smokin' Farker
What type of bags and what type of sealer. Chamber or suction? Bags embossed or smooth?
Details?
Vac sealer- suction. Using their bags- smooth on one side. The machine is a flat one. Not one of the uprights
glitchy
Full Fledged Farker
If it’s a FoodSaver, it could just be the sealer, They’re kinda junk. I fought seals all the time with mine. I have no doubt chambers are the best, but I don’t have the space nor use mine enough to justify one, so I bought a Anova sealer. I have yet to have a single failed seal even the few times I missed hitting the seal button before juices made it that far up the bag. I always seal rough side up on the bags.
If food being vac sealed is high in moisture, I will add a folded or rolled paper towel between the food and seal area all the way across to keep any moisture away from the seal area. And wipe that seal area clean inside and out before sealing
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Moisten the foam 'sealing ring' with water and see if that helps.
EDIT - Or are you getting suction, but the heat band is not sealing, and you loose vacuum?
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It seals fine. It’s the suction that does not get enough air out
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Okay, then try moistening the sealing gasket with water. Then experiment with the position of the open end of the bag with respect to the little trough. I like to barely tuck the bag into the trough, smooth side of the bag is down.
The gasket might need replaced. I have taken it out and turned it over for better results.
Squeeze the sides to "puff" it up some.
Squeeze the sides to "puff" it up some.
If you are getting a good seal but are having problems with it not sinking in the water (due to not getting enough air out), you might want to try adding some weights to the bag. They sell stainless ball bearings specifically for that purpose but my guess is that something like a butter knife might well do the trick if you have one that’s the right size.
I have something similar to this which tends to hold the bags well enough even if there is a little air.
https://smile.amazon.com/EVERIE-Wei...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
I have something similar to this which tends to hold the bags well enough even if there is a little air.
https://smile.amazon.com/EVERIE-Wei...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
This. I think your gaskets need replaced as well. Worked for me.
Turn it over temporarily until you get new ones.
Thanks everyone Much appreciated
sudsandswine
Quintessential Chatty Farker
I’ve sealed at least a thousand pounds worth of meat since I bought my Foodsaver from Costco something like 10 years ago. The key is to manually intervene in the suction before it pulls so much liquid out of whatever you’re sealing that it dissipates the heat used to seal the bag, resulting in a weak seal. This one is my second Foodsaver model and it’s better at dealing with liquid than the first one. But I almost never get weak seals using it. However, I usually make a point to double seal the end of the bag out of precaution, but not necessity.
Chamber vacuum sealers are superior in that aspect since they don’t really draw a vacuum at one one of a bag, but each has their place. I still use my Foodsaver on things that don’t fit into my chamber vac, like a slab of ribs, or when I just don’t feel like rolling the cart the chamber vac is on out of the room adjacent to the kitchen.
IamMadMan
somebody shut me the fark up.
I agree with SudandSwine, try sealing manually.
Other things to try:
If you have to have liquids in the bag, refrigerate to thicken the proteins / sauces. If the liquid is a broth or stock, put the bag with the liquid into the freezer for about 10-15 minutes, then add your meat and seal.
Move your vac-sealer to the edge of the counter by a drawer. Put the bag in the drawer before inserting the end of the bag into the sealer. Let gravity be your friend, leaving no resistance for the escaping air.
Other things to try:
If you have to have liquids in the bag, refrigerate to thicken the proteins / sauces. If the liquid is a broth or stock, put the bag with the liquid into the freezer for about 10-15 minutes, then add your meat and seal.
Move your vac-sealer to the edge of the counter by a drawer. Put the bag in the drawer before inserting the end of the bag into the sealer. Let gravity be your friend, leaving no resistance for the escaping air.
txsmkmstr
is one Smokin' Farker
On my Foodsaver I've learned how to deal with the liquids using this trick. Start the cycle and immediately press and hold the seal button. The sealing process won't (or shouldn't) start until you release it. That way you're totally at the ready when the liquids start approaching the top of the bag.
Of course I tend to gravitate toward my chamber vac but prior to getting one that little trick really helped.
Of course I tend to gravitate toward my chamber vac but prior to getting one that little trick really helped.
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Guys, to eliminate any liquid issues just freeze your 'stuff' long enough for it to set-up. This works for meats, bacon etc. Everything holds it's shape. For delicate things like my cured and smoked fish that I don't want to crush, but don't want to freeze..., I use a grilling plank or a small plastic plate along with timing the 'seal' button.
jimstocks53
Take a breath!
I realize there is some security with using a vacuum sealed bag when cooking in a sous vide bath. But I have been using zip lock bags successfully for years without any leak problems. The trick of weighting down the bags (with a metal utensil) and closing the sinking bags as water pressure drives the air out has worked as long as I've kept the seal above the water with a wood-working clamp affixed to the side of the bath container. I've not felt it necessary to get a 'seal-a-meal' system - at least not for sous vide.
