It it worth the cost and effort to Vacuum Seal Food?

[C ountry]

It it worth the cost and effort to Vacuum Seal Food?

How long of a shelf life could I expect from vacuum sealed food?

What vacuum sealers do you recommend?

What are your experiences with vacuum sealers and vacuum sealed food?

I guess it depends on what you are sealing. I vac seal dry foods and put in an oxygen absorber and a moisture absorber. But some dry foods shouldn't have an oxygen absorber. Dry beans, peas etc are best vacuum sealed with both absorbers added. Grains naturally have bug eggs in it to start with. Absorbers kill the bugs.

 

[sewerman68]

I vacuum sealed and froze 300 pounds of fish I caught in Alaska and 2 and a half years later when I was eating the last of it, it was still great.

 

[alleycat]

I love it….have a “cook weekend” every couple of months to smoke a butt, chicken breasts, bake a ham etc and freeze portion sized vac bags. Gives us tasty cooked meals on demand

 

[TRS]

Buy your bag material in bulk rolls, you can get thicker material and a greater variety of sizes and spend 20 to 30% of the cost of bags. It's best to buy the sample sets to see which brand works best with your sealer, before buying cases of big rolls. I have a 10/22 that's been sealed for almost 3 years.

 

[Whetstone]

Chamber vacuum sealer is the best method, you can seal liquids too. Once you use it, you‘ll never look back. And bags are cheaper than ziplocs. There is a link in post #7. A bit pricey but worth every penny. Good luck with your decision.

 

[Leveraction44]

Chamber vacuum sealer ... A bit pricey ..

A bit pricey - That is a big November Sierra.

 

[Leveraction44]

Do you seal anything besides food?

 

[keith089]

I guess it depends on what you are sealing. I vac seal dry foods and put in an oxygen absorber and a moisture absorber. But some dry foods shouldn't have an oxygen absorber. Dry beans, peas etc are best vacuum sealed with both absorbers added. Grains naturally have bug eggs in it to start with. Absorbers kill the bugs.

Freezing for a few days will fix that

 

[SKEETER25]

For my long term storage I use mylar bags with oxygen absorbers. I make up my own buckets with various items inside.
I seal beans (navy, great northern and pintos) rice, grits and oatmeal. In each bucket I put 40 rds of 5.56, 50 rds of .22lr and 50 rds of 9mm sealed in vacuum bags.

 

[Leveraction44]

For my long term storage I use mylar bags with oxygen absorbers. I make up my own buckets with various items inside.
I seal beans (navy, great northern and pintos) rice, grits and oatmeal. In each bucket I put 40 rds of 5.56, 50 rds of .22lr and 50 rds of 9mm sealed in vacuum bags.

Do you vacuum seal the mylar bags? What kind of mylar bags do you use? I saw a prep video on youtube where a guy was sealing mylar bags with a vacuum sealer. His method looked like it was ripe for potential failures.