I was talking with a friend who had just gotten her first vacuum sealer including the attachments for sealing jars and I was telling her about some tips and tricks I have learned over the years. She said, “You should write an article about that!”
I discovered the value of vacuum sealing food years ago. Generally speaking, we buy our meat twice a year when the local stores have their big meat sales. I always go with the large family packs for extra savings and just split them up into smaller portions. I started out with a pretty basic set up from Seal-A-Meal that I used for a couple years before deciding that I needed something with more ‘oomph’ to it. I ended up with a Food Saver which I talked about in another article and haven’t looked back since. Along the way, I have vacuum sealed all sorts of things and through trial and error, have learned some things that make life easier and cuts down on wasted food even more.
Using a Canning Lid Attachment. The first type of ‘canning’ I did was by vacuum sealing jars of dry foods such as rice, yeast, and beef jerky. The wide mouth attachment works really well. I haven’t had much issue with it, regardless of how full the jar is. When it comes to the regular mouth jar sealing attachment, most people struggle to get it to seal right. One of the tricks I have learned is to use two lids instead. Simply place two (2) lids on the jar and then seal as normal. The extra lid adds height and allows for a much easier time of it. If you are using regular mouth sized jars, you may find that no matter what you do: it won’t seal. I have found that if the jar (regular mouth) is 75% full, it will seal but anything less and you may want to tear your hair out from frustration. I once used some paper towels to help make up the difference and it helped (I was jarring up some dehydrated bananas which tasted just fine later on).
Dry Sealing Area. I cannot stress the importance of having a dry sealing area. To be clearer, what I mean is after you have put your food in the bag and are ready to seal it, make sure the area where the seal will be is completely dry. You basically want to make sure the top 2-3 inches of plastic is dry. Even in my really nice vacuum sealer I have run into problems with moisture preventing the seal from being complete (therefore wasting your time and resources). There may end up being some pinholes that you cannot see and will not notice until months later when you go to pull it out of the freezer and it is full of air (likely freezer burnt, too!).
For Sealing “Wet” Foods. Sometimes you cannot get away from really ‘wet’ food. No matter how much you may pat it dry or let it sit out to air dry, it remains slimy and can be a real nightmare to get to seal properly. Plus, all those little bones you find in salmon can ruin the hard work by popping a hole in the bag! One of the things we do is buy Glad Press and Seal cling wrap. Now, I have to give credit where it is due and it was Mister Dreamer who learned this wonderful trick when he was helping to package up some salmon last year.
No matter what, fish is slimy and can make vacuum sealing a nightmare. Prepare the fish (or whatever meat) by rinsing and patting dry. Before you seal it, wrap it in a layer of the Press and Seal first. All the salmon in the title picture was done this way. The extra layer of protection makes the fish last even longer, keeps you cleaner, and helps to ensure your hard work will not be in vain. The Press and Seal will seal against itself even when wet which is what makes it one of my favorite and useful tricks!
Never Buy Bags from the Manufacturer. When we first got the new sealer, I went bonkers and used the little coupon found in the box. I ordered an insane stock of bags and while it has paid off when compared to prices now…I have learned the folly of thinking you will get the best deal from the company that actually makes the item. Sure, you can buy them at pretty much any large chain store but why bother with it? Ordering them online will save you far more money in the long run, even with a coupon! Another thing to consider is that sometimes the pre-cut bags are cheaper than the rolls.
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The tip about using Press N Seal is a wonderful idea. I probably would have never thought of it. Thank you. BTW, I love The Saturday Survival series.
Thank you on both accounts! I’m glad you enjoy the serial, I love writing it!
Love the idea of using the press and seal. One thing that I do is to “flash” freeze “wet” items on a cookie sheet then pack them into the vacuum seal bags. Or for something real wet like spaghetti sauce, use cheap zip bags, freeze flat on cookie sheets, then cut off the zipper portion, then slide the whole bag into a vacuum seal bag and seal. Don’t forget as long as you aren’t sealing meat or using the bag to reheat an item, you can re-use the bags after cleaning them.
Hope you had a great 4th!
Wendy
I admit I haven’t sealed wet items like sauce and whatnot because I thought it would be a serious hassle. YOU, Wendy, just changed all that. I do rewash the few bags that aren’t used to seal meat but that is what I use mine for most of the time. Thanks for the comment and following along on the blog!
Be sure to use a light bleach or vinegar rinse on those bags. I used to do just wash bags to be reused but found out that sometimes “stuff” gets left behind. And thank you for recommending the bagging material. From FoodSaver they are really expensive and only Walmart, around here, sells the bags, which I still feel is too expensive.
I also use my FoodSaver to keep socks, undies, etc. dry when we go fishing/camping/hiking. Since I have a multi-tool on my belt at all times it is easy to open the bags.
We have never had an issue with freezing spaghetti sauce. I make BIG batches at a time that will feed us 4 times, then seperate them into seperate meal sizes. I have even put warm sauce in a bag, used the WET setting on my Vac n Seal. Yea it sucks some of the fat and grease off the top but seals fine for us, never had an issue with sealing. I then just lay them flat in the bottom of the freezer and walk away until we are ready for spaghetti! I have also done this same method with Chili, slow cooked pinto beans and several other wet sauces and even soups.
1 trick to getting the wet to seal right is I hang the bag off the side of the counter, so all the sauce is at the bottom of the bag and let the sealer do the work. Once it seal, lay it flat and it will flatten out!
Hope this helps!
GooSe
That is awesome! I never considered letting the bag hang off the edge. I am definitely trying that. We can’t pressure can right now and this would be a great alternative. Thanks for the comments and suggestions, much appreciated!
That’s the same trick I use for liquid meals. I freeze, soups, stews, sauces, with no problems.
I’ve also used the trick when making Margaritas or other frozen drinks for parties. I make several bags ahead of time. Freeing me up to enjoy my guests instead of being stuck playing bartender.
Oh now that is GENIUS! Pre-making bags of margaritas, love it!
I have been vacuum sealing for years now, but only recently started vacuum sealing cooked meals and meal components for quicker dinner times. THANK YOU so much for this tip to scoot the sealer to the edge of the counter!!! I was able to salvage an unsealed bunch of bananas by making smoothies — I vacuum sealed in 2C portions and used your trick to seal them in bags and then froze. WORKED PERFECTLY!! I’m so excited.
I use cheap non zipper bags I find at dollar stores and salvage stores. (Have about 12 boxes now) Freeze wetter items overnight and then seal while still in the other bag so clean up is easier. This way I can put several items in one big foodsaver bag and take what I need and reseal.
nick I do the same thing with the zipper bags and then when the liquid is frozen then I seal it, it is great
I flash freeze my berries before I seal them …. keeps them from getting mashed
YES! We freeze ours as well. Cookie sheet, single layer. Doesn’t take too long and makes a huge difference!
Have you tried any bags other than Food Savers brand? I saw some on Amazon with a good price but afraid to try them.
I have tried the seal a meal and it worked pretty well. There is a link in the post that will take you to a reasonably priced seal a meal vacuum sealer. It is WONDERFUL to never toss out freezer burnt meat.
I use Cabela’s pre cut bags and they have worked great
Thanks for the comment! I am sure they work very well but I much prefer to cut my own. The per foot price on rolls of bag versus pre-cut is much lower. At least, it sure is in Southeast Alaska! 😉
As far as the bags go, there are several companies out there that offer discounted bags and are reputable. You can research the company itself, too! Find out if there is any controversy or serious complaints about them that would cause worry.
Yep, I have tried them all I think or atleast what is at my local grocerier and have had no problems at all, except sometimes the pork chop bones will but the thinner bag, so I try to make sure to lay them in the bag so it won’t poke through. I will have to try to press and seal for the salmon, maybe that will help.
When you have wet foods put a folded paper towel in the bag in front of the food but not where the seal is going to be …..works good.
You ever have one of those moments where you ask yourself, “Why didn’t I think of that?” This is one of them. Thanks for the tip and comment Chuck!
I don’t understand?
With slightly wet foods, the paper towel will prevent the moisture from reaching the seal area. But in many cases it’s not enough of a barrier.
Hence the recommended use of the Press N Seal.
Another trick on sauces soups and other wet things put is the freezer just long enough to get hard then seal in sealing bag.
I am lucky that I found this web blog, precisely the right information that I was searching for!
That’s wonderful!
I must be doing something wrong, I get a good seal on steak, ground beef and chicken, still get freezer burn. What the H…?
How old is your vacuum sealer? Are you letting it go the full length of time and waiting until the light turns off? Other things that could keep it from sealing is too much moisture. If you notice there are a lot of juices in the bag, it may interfere with sealing. I always have a bag or two that just doesn’t seal right and when I find them, they get used first.
If you are getting a good seal but still freezer burnt in the bag, my next question would be about the consistency of the temperature. If the door is constantly opened, it introduces warmer air that will kick the freezer on. This constant warmth and then cooling will increase moisture and can have an effect on it. We have a chest freezer that our backstock is in and rarely opened. When the small freezer on the fridge is empty, we restock it. That method also helps on rotation and making sure you use everything up!
With moist foods, it may sometimes look like a good seal, but will come apart if you lightly tug on it.
That is usually discovered when you pick the packs up to put into the freezer, provided you’re paying attention…
Love..Love my vacuum sealer. Tried a little experiment..you know how everyone saves their wedding cake top and on your 1st yr anniversary you eat it….and gag on the first bite cause it’s stale and gross. Well I decided to save my first granddaughters baby shower cake to eat on her first birthday. After cutting and sealing and finally making a bag big enough to seal it in..I sealed it and put it in our outside freezer. Only to forget it because we were out of town on her 1st b-day. So we took it out on her second b-day and thawed it and rearranged some of the decorations and tried it….everyone thought we had just had it made…it was 2yrs old!! So definitely play around and seal things you never would think of.
HAHA!! What a great story! Thank you for sharing it. 🙂
I have used the FoodVac bags from Amazon and they work great. Another money saver if you have the automatic Foodsaver is to press the seal button, insert your bag until it makes the noise that it got it, then quickly back the bag out about an inch. It makes that first seal closer to the edge and thus wastes less of the roll bag. I always hated wasting that excess between the seal and the end of the bag. Of course you still have that big margin on the end you vacuum seal, but you do save on the other end.
I was using some marshmallows and chips the other day and decided to try resealing each bag in the Food Saver. Worked great. Then I tried resealing shredded cheese in the original bag. That worked also.
It may work but please be cautioned that those bags aren’t meant to be resealed, especially not in those sealers. They are rated for much thicker bags but whatever works best for you! Thank you for the comment!
After sealing either end I flip them over and heat strip each end again. That way if one does not seal 100% then the other seal protects my food!
I’ve done that a couple times myself. On those ones where you just want to be sure but not always. When we vacuum seal, it is usually a very large amount of food and I try to lessen the amount of time I need to let it cool. If I don’t, it can take literally all day to make the bags, portion, then seal the food up haha! Thanks for the comment and advice!
Going camping? Portion out food and seal meat, prepared veggies, and anything that you want to keep dry. Freeze the meat, chill the veggies before putting in cooler. Keeps for days with minimal additions of Ice. Onions for sure. You do not want to be the one who cut onions or garlic at camp. Your hands will smell ferocious. Cut them at home, portion, and seal them up!
We have even sealed metal products that we couldn’t afford to lose to rust.
I make my favorite meat marinades and freeze then in ice cube trays. I place steak in a vacuum seal bag an add a few “cubes” and quickly seal before they melt. When you thaw your steak for cooking it will marinate right in the bag.
That is GENIUS! Thank you so much for this tip!
OMG. Love this!
I seal de-headed shrimp with the tails still on. A folded piece of wax paper in the bag keeps the tails from poking through the bag.
I put folded wax paper over any potentially sharp bones on meat or chicken to prevent poke through, works pretty well
I use foods or bags to pack square dance can cans. They shrink down quite oily and fit overnight bag.
I freeze meat balls first, then vacuum. Also, I freeze fruits individually on baking sheet, then vacuum pack it. I also reseal chips, cheese, chocolate chips, etc in original packing. I cut off the sealing time, though. We process our own venison, so we have gone through a few FoodSavers. We just got the 4800. Eager to see how that one performs.
I freeze soups, chili in rectangular Tupperware enough for the two of us, freeze overnight and then put under water a little bit, slip food out and place put in vacuum seal bags. (I bought containers that fit great in our freezer door). One other thing is I like to use store bought vegetables for stir fry – I put the bag and all inside the vacuum seal bags after slitting the ends – now it pulls all the air out and you can tell what’s in the bag because you left the original bag on. No more freezer burn!
I never thought about taking stuff out of the tupperware and then vacuum sealing. This is a brilliant idea! Thank you for the tip!
We also dice / slice peppers freeze on a cookie sheet. Next day put say 5 cups in a larger bag – flatten them out and use side of a butter knife to put a defining line (4) so you can take out one cup at a time and reseal right away. Need to leave enough bag to cut and reseal 4 times, this takes less time at harvest time and you don’t have all the mini bags in the freezer.
Thanks for this your tips and tricks. Foodsaver vaccum sealer is very useful in storing food and keeping it fresh for long time. It is very helpful for me to keep my fruits and vegetables fresh. thank for your giveaway so much.
I don’t like freezing in plastic. What I have found works for me is pre-freezing items then placing them in wide-mouth canning jars and vacuum sealing them with reusable canning lids. Then just keep the jars in the freezer. Reseal whenever you pull something out.
I’m preparing some food for a 2-week paddling trip. I want to pre-cook chicken breasts and ground beef. Does it make a difference whether I freeze the cooked and cooled food, then vacuum seal, or cook, seal and then freeze?
For ease of packing, I would cook, freeze, and then seal. The reason for it is because the juices in the meat can (and usually do) prevent a good vacuum seal. Another option is to cook, cool, then wrap your portions into Press N Seal first, it will hold the juices in so you can seal, then freeze like I do with the fish. Hope this helps and thanks for the question!
I really love the information on this platform. it will help me save food and time. Thanks alot
I fold the top of the bag over so that it stays dry, better seal. I also place a small cutting board in front of the sealer. If the package is level, there is less chance of getting a wrinkle in the plastic to mess with the seal. Soups, I freeze them in containers and then remove them from container, bag & seal. Breads/cookies and the like, anything that could mush up, freeze first then bag & seal. Love my seal vac….
YES!! Love it. Thank you for the comment and sharing. I’ve not done the soups before but you can be sure I will try now! It would be wonderful to be able to take one out of the freezer, drop it into some water on a camping trip to heat it up, open and eat!
I used mine to make ice packs. First I fixed a 50%-50% mixture of rubbing alcohol and water. Then I placed the mixture in a freezer zip-lock bag and expelled the air ( a bit of fluid escaped as I finished the seal. Then I placed the zip lock bag in the sealing bag and sealed as normal. Place the bag in the freezer, and when in need of an ice pack, retrieve it from the freezer. It won’t freeze solid, so will conform to the area of the body needing an ice pack–and its in a tough bag that’ll hold up to repeated use. When warm, return to the freezer and repeat. I have several that can be rotated as needed.
This is AWESOME!! Thank you for sharing this with me/us!
I use mine to re-seal bags of potato chips, cookies, crackers etc…..
I’ve thought about doing that before, too. The thing is, the varied thicknesses and materials used by different companies aren’t rated to be sealed in my sealer and I would rather have stale chips than a ruined sealer. I use our sealer so much, it would be like cutting my hand off if I lost the ability to use it!