Spending time with Dad & Peggy finally convinced me that it's time to join the FoodSaver vacuum-packing revolution.
That and all the damn frost-bitten food in my extra freezer that I won't get to enjoy.
Apparently, there are a couple other systems (FoodSaver says they are the "original"), but it took some searching and an article on vacuum sealing to help find the competition.
All I saw in stores was FoodSaver (@ Target, Kohl's, Sear's, CostCo, Sam's Club, etc.). Anyway, I bought one. But, there were definitely issues to consider before jumping in.
First issue: Cost
It's an expensive investment, and you need to be sure you'll use it, but I got a great deal on the system from Kohl's during a 25% off coupon sale thingee. I got the FoodSaver 800 for $97 and a 3-roll pack of 11" wide x 18' long rolls for $18.75 ($.35/foot is the cheapest I've seen anywhere for this amazingly expensive material, apparently it's made with gold. Who knew?).
You'll notice the bags are really expensive, I've seen the average price per foot at around $.45-$.50. But, you can reuse the bags, or so they say. I haven't tried yet, but I've seen Gramma Peggy do it and it works pretty good. Bags also go well in the dishwasher, apparently. My experience is that they flop around, try just hand-washing them.
Next, there's convenience in using the FoodSaver. Here's my results with several food items:
Blueberries: Verrrry juicy, so blue juice ends up in the vacuum chamber for you to clean out. Annoying. But, it worked.
Pretzels: bready & cheap. The problem here is simply that the bags are actually more expensive than the pretzels. So, no real point in using the bags for this large, fluffy items.
Crab Legs: Got them from Alaska, very expensive, definitely a key use for the FoodSaver. But, they are also pointy, so they went through a couple bags. I wrapped them extensively in paper towels. This worked to hold the sharp bits in, we'll see how it works when I finally defrost a bag.
Dry salami in fridge: We don't eat it very often, so for even stuff like this that will last a while, I still think it's worth it. No problems sealing, and now it'll last and be fresher and not dry out further.
Breakfast sausage: perfect, and now available to me anytime. Broke the package into 3 parts, FoodSaver'd two for the freezer and put a normal ziplock of them into the fridge for this weekend. We normally have turkey bacon, but Kathy's pregnant and not liking that stuff right now.
Asparagus: First blanched (boiled, then shocked in cold water) for a few minutes, then vacuum sealed. Worked okay, but I blanched too long, it was too soft (basically, fully cooked).
Final thoughts:
There is an inconvenience to pulling it out each time and setting it up. You'll really want to have a dedicated area for using the system.
It makes purchases of massive amounts of food at warehouse clubs (e.g. CostCo) more palatable and absorbable for a smaller family (but we're growing!).
The FoodSaver is also good for freezer organization. Firms everything up and makes it stackable and easier to fit more food in while simultaneously making it more accessible and easier to find.
Boiling: I tried it with my asparagus that I blanched. The boiling part was just fine, but there were two issues. First, I blanched too long before vacuum-sealing, so the asparagus was too soft, and 2nd, I prefer a bit of crispiness on the outside, so I still had to put them in the oven. Taste was great, and it was easy to find the slim vacuum package of asparagus in the freezer.
I was even able to reuse the bag for the remainder of edamame (soybean pods usually associated with eating Sushi) that we pulled out of the freezer last night for another meal.
Oh, and no, you can't use regular ziploc bags, the air doesn't fully come out of them before it closes. Also, the plastic is a bit thin and doesn't seal right using the heat sealer.
Finally, you need to weigh all this against the cost of NOT using the bags...
Me? Well, I just threw away probably $100 worth of items from the freezer because they had incurable freezer burn. Sandwich meat, cheese, steaks, and some fish. Dang. So, there's the cost of the system right there for ya!
Definitely worth it, my understanding is that this will also improve flavors for foods that you freeze for a long time. Obviously, I've only had the device a few days so can't confirm this, although I have spoken directly with people who can confirm it.
Posted by BilFish at March 12, 2004 09:59 AM