Vacuum Packer

[grahamc]

Have been considering buying a vacuum packer. Can anybody please tell me:

a) If it is worth using for short term freezing i.e. slightly longer than long term in the fridge.
b) If I put a sponge cake or some blackcurrants in a vacuum bag, will they become squashed?
c) If I wish to freeze a made-up dish, e.g. stew or curry, will the bag take it?

[roseway]

Assuming that you're talking about a cheap home vac-packer then:

a) I don't think that it will extend the maximum freezing time, because that is dictated by chemical changes in the food which change the texture and flavour. It will however improve the quality of the freezing by removing most of the moist air around the food.

b) I'm not sure about sponge cake, but I'm sure it won't squash berries.

c) The bags are fairly heavy-duty polythene, so they will hold liquids perfectly well, so long as you can arrange things so that the liquid doesn't spill out while you're sealing it (a few seconds).

Eric

[roseway]

I've just re-read the questions, and I realise that in (a) I answered a different question to what was asked.

I would say that it's hardly worth bothering for short-term freezing, unless you're freezing something which would really benefit from keeping as much moisture out as possible.

Eric

[Wohoki]

Vac-packing does reduce freezer burn considerably, so if you are freezing fish and cooked meats it might be worth thinking about.

[grahamc]

Thanks Eric and Wohoki. Your replies are very helpful. Still not sure if it is worth the expense. I used to be indecisive..................

Graham

[pokerpete]

Thanks Eric and Wohoki. Your replies are very helpful. Still not sure if it is worth the expense. I used to be indecisive..................

Graham

You're all mixed up and confused here. Basically you are covering different systems with the examples given to us.
Firstly there is the straightforward vacuum packer.
Secondly the cake scenario relies on nitrogen gas flushing, and sealing.
Thirdly, your method for keeping meals etc. is called cook-chill, and usually requires a liquid nitrogen tunnel to get the temperature down quickly.
I think you should aim at your primary objective, and follow that method.
Anyway good luck with whichever path you decide upon.

[dougal]

Have been considering buying a vacuum packer. Can anybody please tell me:

a) If it is worth using for short term freezing i.e. slightly longer than long term in the fridge.

There is an advantage for longer term storage. Things store longer and deteriorate less quickly. For short duration freezing, isn't most of the damage to the food caused by the fact of freezing, rather than anything else - so the VacPak isn't going to make much difference - *unless* you accidentally leave it in the freezer for rather longer than you intended! As Wohoki says freezer 'burn' (caused by drying) is minimised.

b) If I put a sponge cake or some blackcurrants in a vacuum bag, will they become squashed?

Atmospheric pressure is about 15 psi. Even if you can only get down to about 1/3 of that, that means there's 10 psi of pressure crushing whatever is in the bag. That would mean, on a 4"x3" piece of sponge cake, a force of about a hundredweight...
Interesting you should ask about fruit... (see below)

c) If I wish to freeze a made-up dish, e.g. stew or curry, will the bag take it?

Sure you can use the bags to freeze cooked dishes once they are cold. Just be careful about sucking gravy/sauce into the 'vacuum' tube! Depending on the bags you use, you can reheat as 'boil-in-the-bag.

And then there's "sous vide"...
This is *very* trendy. It means vacuum sealing your ingredients into the bag and usually cooking them in it - very very very gently (usually for rather a long time, in a precisely temperature controlled waterbath, like 62C �1C). In catering practice, the cooked stuff might well be chilled for extended storage, but domestically, foodies might go practically straight to finishing and dishing.
http://www.davidrowan.com/2005/09/trend ... times.html
There's an interesting New York Times article here (just sit through the advertisement) which may give you some ideas about fruit, and things other than freezing. For example, marinading is much quicker under vacuum...
And then here's a guy using vacuum to raise a souffl�
http://www.alacuisine.org/alacuisine/20 ... sous_.html

[grahamc]

Thanks to both pokerpete and dougal. I have to say I expected either yes or no answers. Had no idea the subject was so complicated. Think I might just forget the whole idea.

Graham

[saucisson]

a) no
b) maybe
c) yes

I can elaborate if required
Dave

[dougal]

a) no
b) maybe
c) yes

I can elaborate if required
Dave

[BBQer]

On the berries and the liquid items, put them in the bag and into the freezer just long enough to freeze (support the bag with the liquid in it so it doesn't spill, of course) and then take it out and vacuum seal it, then return it to the freezer.

That way the berries don't crush and the liquid doesn't suck up into the machine.

[grahamc]

Thanks dougal and BBQer, your replies are most helpful. Given the wealth of information in all the replies, I think I have come to the conclusion that I just don't cook enough casseroles and fruit to justify having a vacuum packer at all. However, I have found it a fascinating exercise in co-operation.

Thanks again to all who replied with helpful information.

Graham

[dougal]

Can this *possibly* be any good
Link
at �4.99 ???

{It looks like a plain sealer to me, I can't see any vacuum facility... despite the title.}

[saucisson]

I vote sealer only Dougal, it looks just like ones I've seen elsewhere. It's a good thing to bring up though, because it might be of much more use to grahamc than a vacuum sealer.

They can be used to seal salads, cakes, crisps, soft fruit etc to extend their lives. You can seal leftovers away for the freezer too. You can reseal frozen pea bags so you don't lose your peas and reseal sweet bags so the kids know when to stop.

Dave