I've been engratiating myself with the neighbors by giving away some of my wsm wares but I'd like to try vacuum sealing it and freezing it. The most common sealer are the food saver brand but the reviews are all over the place, from greatest ever to piece of junk. One model has 5 stars and a very similar model has one star. Any advice? There is also a crowd sourced vacuum system ( no bags) that I keep hearing about and the Cabellas one gets good reviews but is more expensive. So people who have one, what's the deal? Thanks
vacuum sealers?
- Thread starter Sandy B
- Start date
Mike Drewery
TVWBB Super Fan
I am on my second food saver. I had one for over 10 years and it served me very well for storing my Q. I only replaced it cause it was starting to fail pulling a good vacuum. I am not sure what model I bought recently, I got it at BJ's and I expect many years of service from it too.
Jim Lampe
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Sandy, i have the food saver brand for over 3 years without a problem.
if it breaks or stops working, i'll probably buy the same.
i can't imagine the very expensive brands doing any better a job than the 100buck food savers.
Sam's club here in Wisconsin sells them along with a box of rolls for making bags.
if it breaks or stops working, i'll probably buy the same.
i can't imagine the very expensive brands doing any better a job than the 100buck food savers.
Sam's club here in Wisconsin sells them along with a box of rolls for making bags.
Thanks Jim,
If you get a chance can you post the model #? Its three years old so its probably been replaced but still. The o e thing that scares me is that a lot of people had one for a long time that they loved but it died and they got a new one expecting the same experience and were disappointed when it died three months later.
Its not like Mitsubishi that makes all kinds of electronics, they make one type of product and some are revised as great some as paperweights.
Jim thanks,
I should have said when you get a chance, I did not expect you to do it right away.
Dave from Denver
TVWBB Wizard
I have a foodsaver it works great.
Rick Body
TVWBB Pro
I have a small foodsaver that my mom gave me for Christmas probably15 years ago. I used it for a long time, then forgot about it. About a year ago I pulled it out and found the gasket missing. I went and got a piece of door weather strip and jury rigged a gasket and it is still going strong to this day.
I have used it to for things other then food saving also. One time I took 2 heavy duty 3 mil garbage bags inside of each other and cut them to make a waterproof seat cover for my kayak. I used just the melt strip on the food sealer to melt and seal the two layers together. Worked like a charm !
Of course I realize this helps you none since as you pointed out, it is an older model, but hey, I'm here to share
I have used it to for things other then food saving also. One time I took 2 heavy duty 3 mil garbage bags inside of each other and cut them to make a waterproof seat cover for my kayak. I used just the melt strip on the food sealer to melt and seal the two layers together. Worked like a charm !
Of course I realize this helps you none since as you pointed out, it is an older model, but hey, I'm here to share
Robert McGee
TVWBB Gold Member
Earlier this year, I got a book, The Complete Vacuum Sealer Guide by Roger Sehr:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B004VF6BHQ/tvwb-20
I found it well worth the minimal cost. It explains a LOT and I found it quite useful. He leans heavily towards the rather expensive sealers but I ended up getting a Food Saver Model V 3880 at Costco. i don't remember exactly what I paid for it but it was affordable. I also learned that there are less expensive places to buy replacement bags. Menard's (a building supply firm) has the best prices and a good selection. YMMV
At any rate, a vacuum sealer is a VERY useful tool for use alongside a good smoker. We ALWAYS smoke more than needed, put the leftovers in portion sizes in the Food Saver and freeze. Then a wonderful meal is just minutes away until you run out and have to run the smoker again. It makes all kinds of sense for us to do that (we are empty nesters). If we have unexpected guests, we are always ready, whether it's ribs, pulled pork, or smoked chicken.
FWIW
Dale53
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B004VF6BHQ/tvwb-20
I found it well worth the minimal cost. It explains a LOT and I found it quite useful. He leans heavily towards the rather expensive sealers but I ended up getting a Food Saver Model V 3880 at Costco. i don't remember exactly what I paid for it but it was affordable. I also learned that there are less expensive places to buy replacement bags. Menard's (a building supply firm) has the best prices and a good selection. YMMV
At any rate, a vacuum sealer is a VERY useful tool for use alongside a good smoker. We ALWAYS smoke more than needed, put the leftovers in portion sizes in the Food Saver and freeze. Then a wonderful meal is just minutes away until you run out and have to run the smoker again. It makes all kinds of sense for us to do that (we are empty nesters). If we have unexpected guests, we are always ready, whether it's ribs, pulled pork, or smoked chicken.
FWIW
Dale53
Over the years, I have had more than one vacuum sealer, most of which were FoodSaver brand. You should be aware that FoodSaver was an independent company some years ago and now is simply a division of Sunbeam, I believe. After Sunbeam acquired them, they changed a lot of stuff and my old vacuum jars were quite a bit more robust than the new stuff.
That said, my latest machine, still made by the old out outfit (Tilia?) has done very well for a long time. It is one of those with a vacuum hose so that I can use the vacuum bottles and jar sealers, etc. Its only drawback is that it will not take a large enough bag. I use it a lot for small stuff.
I finally bought a Pro-2100 from www.sausagemaker.com. It is wide enough that I can cure a whole brisket in it, if I do not buy a super-huge brisket. It will take 15" wide rolls of cut-your-own bags. All I have to do is cut a bag long enough, place the brisket in the bag, add the spice and curing salt, and refrigerate for a wee and a half, or so. It is a lot of money, but the size makes up for that for me.
That said, my latest machine, still made by the old out outfit (Tilia?) has done very well for a long time. It is one of those with a vacuum hose so that I can use the vacuum bottles and jar sealers, etc. Its only drawback is that it will not take a large enough bag. I use it a lot for small stuff.
I finally bought a Pro-2100 from www.sausagemaker.com. It is wide enough that I can cure a whole brisket in it, if I do not buy a super-huge brisket. It will take 15" wide rolls of cut-your-own bags. All I have to do is cut a bag long enough, place the brisket in the bag, add the spice and curing salt, and refrigerate for a wee and a half, or so. It is a lot of money, but the size makes up for that for me.
Geir Widar
TVWBB Wizard
Some users expect miracles. Cheap vacuum sealers do not perform miracles.
I love my cheap food saver. But you have to be aware of what it can do, and what is incapable of doing. As long as you use it to do things it can do, it works fine.
If you try to make the unit to perform wonders, you will be dissapointed. For wonders, try religion instead.
As an example, if you try to vacuum a raw and wet beef ten times in a row, it will fail ten times. Put the bag and the beef in the freezer for three hours, it works great then times in a row.
Simple as that.
I love my cheap food saver. But you have to be aware of what it can do, and what is incapable of doing. As long as you use it to do things it can do, it works fine.
If you try to make the unit to perform wonders, you will be dissapointed. For wonders, try religion instead.
As an example, if you try to vacuum a raw and wet beef ten times in a row, it will fail ten times. Put the bag and the beef in the freezer for three hours, it works great then times in a row.
Simple as that.
Tim McCann
TVWBB Honor Circle
I unlike everybody else have had nothing but poor success with the Food Savor brand. All the problems I have are with drawing the air with moist foods in the bag. It seems to draw out the moisture(Blood) and loosely seal or not seal at all. Wife tells me we have had 6 different models over the past 5-6 years. The latest model is boxed and ready to go back to Costco. If I buy a bunch of steaks or ground beef, I separate out to place in a bunch of bags. 25% percent will seal down air free the rest crap. I might as well wrap in saran wrap! They will get freezer burn if not consumed quickly! Call to Food Savor and there support staff will tell you you MUST separate and freeze FIRST all opened bags with moist contents(meats,poultry,fish) then seal the bags closed. This is not what is said in the directions and infomercials you see! Kind of defeats the convenience factor! Models I've had were all over the price range the current model is $140. The next until I'm getting is going to be a commercial unit, not messing around anymore! When I go to Alaska fishing the processor seals my fish up. I have fish in the freezer for over a year, still tight as day 1 and tastes the same as the day I caught it!
Tony R
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
I'm going to try your method.
My Costco sold two Food Saver models. I bought the less expensive of the two for around $135 IIRC. No problems so far. Cooling the meat first does improve packing and sealing so I usually see the morning after I refrigerate the pulled meat. The meat stays pretty fresh for weeks in a 38F fridge and months in a 0-5 F freezer. It was a very good investment for me.