# vac Sealer



## CrankYanker (Aug 20, 2011)

Anyone have any good recomendations for a vacuum sealer. Not looking to spend Hundreds. Just something to do fish and venison.
Thanks.


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## alex-v (Mar 24, 2005)

Figure out the most you can spend on the unit and then add about 10-15%.

My recommendation is to not buy the least expensive model.

Also, keep in the mind that the plastic bags can be pricey. If you plan on eating that fish within 6 months then it is not necessary to vacuum seal it. The venison will remain tasty for 6-9 months if properly wrapped so again you will not need to vac seal that either.

The advantage to vacuum sealing is that it helps to keep the food from freezer burn for up to 5 times longer than normal packaging and it can keep foods fresh up to 5 times longer in the fridge.


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## CrankYanker (Aug 20, 2011)

Valid point. Now that you mention it... my freezer is about dry right now anyway! So venison doesn't stick around to long. Definitely not over a year. I have had good success double wrapping chops in suran wrap then freezer paper. Hmm.... Got me doubting the need for one now!


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## jonesy16 (Sep 19, 2011)

[ame="http://compare.ebay.com/like/320890451135?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar"]Brand New in Box FoodSaver V3880 Food Saver Vacuum Sealer Kit with Seal Roll Bag on eBay![/ame]

I received this one for Christmas and love it. No issues yet, takes a little bit of time tinkering with it but once you have the system down vacuum seal everything my friend. Good luck on your purchase!


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## omni22 (Feb 3, 2010)

Pony up for a Weston, you'r kids will use it as adults.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## alex-v (Mar 24, 2005)

CrankYanker said:


> Valid point. Now that you mention it... my freezer is about dry right now anyway! So venison doesn't stick around to long. Definitely not over a year. I have had good success double wrapping chops in suran wrap then freezer paper. Hmm.... Got me doubting the need for one now!


Not sure if your "suran wrap" is a brand name I am not familiar with or if you meant "Saran wrap". Saran is the brand name of the plastic wrap that started the use of plastic to cover bowls or protect foods.

Your method of wrapping is the best one around for general, normal length storage in a fridge or freezer. Wrapped tight it will reduce the possibility of freezer burn, but not necessarily prevent it. Frequent opening of the freezer door is the biggest culprit.

One of my main reasons for using a vacuum sealer is for storing meats in the fridge. I will get several times the storage life so I can put some sales to good use. Yesterday was a purchase of a slab of baby back ribs. I divided it up into 3 pieces and vac sealed each one. Two in bags and one in a vacuum seal container for fridge storage.

Another use for a vacuum sealer is to store meats while they marinate. Mix the marinade with the meats and them vac seal in meal sized portions. While they are in the sealed bag they can continue to marinate. I have done this with chicken and pork, especially the chicken. A independent supermarket has chicken breasts on sale for 69 cents a pound. If I wait I can find them on sale for $1.09 or very rarely for .99 cents so this is a good price. I might get one bag and vac seal them with different marinades.

Do a google search on aging meats. You will read that most of our meats are now "wet aged" instead of "dry aged". With a little bit of extra reading and some experimenting with a vacuum sealer you can wet age cuts of beef to get more flavor and a tenderer cut.


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## MiketheElder (Jun 23, 2003)

Alex, I'm assuming that you are only using the sealing element on the vacuum sealer for your marinade process. If I tried to use my FoodSaver in vacuum mode there would be a heck of a mess to clean up.


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## alex-v (Mar 24, 2005)

MiketheElder said:


> Alex, I'm assuming that you are only using the sealing element on the vacuum sealer for your marinade process. If I tried to use my FoodSaver in vacuum mode there would be a heck of a mess to clean up.


Put the meats in the marinade and coat well. You can then put the meats into a smaller container and into the freezer. When the outside of the meat starts to freeze put into the plastic bag and vac and seal. But, yes, it is best if the vacuum sealer can separate the sealing step from a vacuuming step.

I also have several containers designed for use with vacuum sealers.


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