Food Saver Tips

[streaker69]

I use my food saver a lot, here's some tips to help you get the most out of yours.

1. Long term pasta storage is fairly easy, but you can't just vacuum pack it, or leave it in it's original box. Many times the boxes you pick up from the grocery stores can contain pasta weevil eggs. Over time they'll hatch and be munching on our pasta before you open it. What I do when I stock up on pasta is freeze it for a least 3 days. That will kill the weevil eggs. Then, if it's short pastas like elbows, shells or rotini they can be stored in mason jars and vacuum sealed or just in buckets with gamma seal lids including a desiccant pack and O2 absorbent. Long pasta can be stored in regular food saver bags on the Gentle/Dry setting.

2. Things like Salt, Pepper and other dry goods can be vacuum sealed in mason jars using the jar sealer accessory: https://www.amazon.com/FoodSaver-T03...4368212&sr=8-2 These come in both wide mouth and regular sizes and you only need the normal canning type lid. If you're careful not to bend the lid when you open it, they can be resealed with out any problem. The only caveat is that I've found some vintage jars do not work with this accessory mostly due to the thickness of the lip.

3. Bag storage and dispensing, for that check out my post here http://www.jedidiahstolzfus.com/vacuum-bag-dispenser/.



4. For storing things like sausage patties or links, I remove the thin plastic that the stores used and then slip the entire styrofoam package into the food saver bag and seal it up. That keeps the foodsaver from squishing the sausage too much during sealing, plus it make storage easier as they stack nicely in the freezer.

5. For storing ground beef, I will just toss the beef into a bag and push it just flat enough that I can get the bag into the machine and seal it up. Then I squish the entire package down flat so it stacks nicely in the freezer.

6. Electronics, like external harddrives that have important data on them can be sealed in the bags for long term storage with a desiccant pack.

Post your tips and uses.

[Walleye Hunter]

I just take the stuff out of the store packaging, rinse it off (obvious stuff does not get rinsed like burger and sausages) and wrap it tight in saran wrap, ensuring that it is sealed. Then I toss it in the freezer. The tight wrap prevents freezer burn and keeps the food good for a lot longer than people expect.

[Hodgie]

I do not have the canning attachment for my vacuum sealer so after I freeze small pasta for 3 day's I can just vacuum seal it in normal bags correct?

For sausage which I just bought a crap load of two weeks ago because of big sales I just put in the freezer for 2-3 hours to firm it up some then seal it. The packages it came in from the store were way to large to freeze. I like to freeze 6 to a bag since it will feed my family about 2 meals at a time without any waste.

What Bran bags are you using, this thread reminded me to order more today, I typically just use the 11" wide ones.

[Walleye Hunter]

IMO the key to freezing meats is to remove as much air as possible and meats that are frozen in the store packaging will freezer burn and freeze dry.

[streaker69]

I do not have the canning attachment for my vacuum sealer so after I freeze small pasta for 3 day's I can just vacuum seal it in normal bags correct?

For sausage which I just bought a crap load of two weeks ago because of big sales I just put in the freezer for 2-3 hours to firm it up some then seal it. The packages it came in from the store were way to large to freeze. I like to freeze 6 to a bag since it will feed my family about 2 meals at a time without any waste.

What Bran bags are you using, this thread reminded me to order more today, I typically just use the 11" wide ones.

These: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Hodgie]

These: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I actually had those in my cart but was waiting to see your response, they are $6.00 cheaper then the ones I have now and now I know they are good.

[akley88]

if your vacuum sealer allows it i always prefer a double seal just encase.

[bogey1]

if your vacuum sealer allows it i always prefer a double seal just encase.

I do two-three always. The heat bar is the first thing that gets weak.

[eatmydust]

You can vacuum seal ammo in your Food Saver for longer-term storage. Mentioning for a friend.

[bogey1]

You can vacuum seal ammo in your Food Saver for longer-term storage. Mentioning for a friend.

My 50cal primers a vac sealed.