Do you buy meat on sale and package it yourself? Are you sick and tired of your meat getting freezer burn before you use it? Here’s the solution to your problem! Get yourself a vacuum packer! If you are like my wife and me, you stock up on groceries when they are on sale. You can save yourself a lot of money by doing this. You can easily do the same with your favorite meats if you have a vacuum packer.
Why Did We Buy Our Vacuum Packer?
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We made the decision to buy our vacuum packer when my son and I decided to start processing our own venison. With venison processing costing about $60 or $70 I figured it was a good time to invest in the vacuum packer. We have processed three deer now and have easily recouped the cost of the sealer. The best part is that packaging venison is not all we’ve used the vacuum packer for. Some vacuum packers have additional features that allow them to be used for other things.
What Vacuum Packer Should I Purchase?
There are several good brands out there, just be sure it has the features you want or need. We ended up buying the Foodsaver FM5200 series vacuum packer. The FM5200 is a good mid-level entry packer. It uses the bags that come in a roll, which makes it fast and easy to use. The rolls are easy to load and are more economical to use than buying individual bags.
Another feature the FM5200 series sealer has is a handheld vacuum sealing system. It can be used with the Foodsaver zipper bags and containers. This feature is very good for foods and cooking ingredients that you get into frequently. The main items we use it for are sealing and resealing refrigerator items like cheeses and luncheon meats. It keeps the cheese from drying out and extends the life of the food by several weeks.
The zipper bags are not recommended for freezer use. Stay with the normal bags for that. If the food you want to reseal has excessive moisture or liquid, Foodsaver has containers that are designed to be used with the handheld sealer. We have not used the containers yet, but they are definitely on our radar.
What Can A Vacuum Packer Be Used For?
The obvious answer here is food storage. It’s great for freezer use, but as mentioned above, it’s perfect for sealing and reseal other food items kept in the refrigerator or on the shelf. Henkovac is the maker of industrial grade vacuum packers. They have a nice “Shelf Life Table” on their website. It will show you the benefits of vacuum packing over other means of food storage. It also has a few helpful tips for better vacuum storage. All though food storage is the main use, vacuum packers can be used for so much more. Let’s take a look at what they can do to make your life better!
Freezer Storage
Bulk Meat – When there is a good sale on bulk packaged meat we don’t hesitate to buy it. We bring it home and split it up into individual serving sizes and repackage it. The vacuum packer removes all the air and seals the package. This protects the meat much longer than using zipper-style freezer bags. We’ve got venison that has been packaged for well over a year now and it still looks as fresh as the day we put it in the freezer. The vacuum bags are made of heavy enough material they take the abuse of moving items and rummaging around in the freezer looking for things.
Leftovers – You can also store leftovers in the freezer using your vacuum packer. They’re perfect for packaging individuals servings.
Baking/Cooking Ingredients – We like using our vacuum packer to help keep some ingredients fresh longer. A couple of examples are fresh herbs and nuts. For this, we do use the zipper bags in the freezer. These are not “long-term” storage items. These are ingredients that you may use on a more frequent basis. They are mostly dry items that you can open the bag, remove what you need, and then close and reseal them. It works great!
Refrigerator Storage
As mentioned earlier, the zipper bags can be used to keep all sorts of food items fresher for weeks instead of days in the refrigerator. Along with the cheeses and luncheon meats, they are great for keeping fresh herbs, vegetables, and foods like avocados fresher.
The zipper bags and FoodSaver containers are great for keeping leftovers fresher, for a longer period, in the refrigerator.
Non-Refrigerated Storage
There are many dry baking/cooking ingredients that can benefit from vacuum packing. Any dry ingredient you want to stay fresher, keep moisture out of, or protect from insects can be put in a zipper bag and vacuum sealed. I like using them on my venison jerky and summer sausage spices, and on some of my beer brewing ingredients. This allows you to buy in bulk, save money, and still have fresh ingredients. Many of these ingredients can be put in the freezer for even longer storage.
Food Preparation
The bags are strong enough for other benefits too. After your frozen meat has thawed it can be pounded out in the bag. This is one of my wife’s favorite features. Obviously, you can’t use a meat mallet with sharp or pointed edges. However, a mallet with a smooth surface can be used to pound a chicken breast out to a uniform thickness or tenderize a steak quickly. This meat pounder is the one we own and it works great with the vacuum
We have a stuffed flank steak recipe that is simply delicious. In that article, we demonstrate how convenient, and with no mess, it is to pound out the flank steak to a uniform thickness in a vacuum packer bag. Check it out, it really works great!
Non-Food Related Uses
There are many non-food related uses for your vacuum packer too. Are you going kayaking or canoeing and have items you want to keep dry? Break out the vacuum packer to help protect your valuables. There is no better way to protect your cell phone or wallet from a dip in the water. It will keep them safe till the end of your trip or in case they are needed for an emergency.
Campers and hikers can benefit in much the same way. They can seal individual fire starting kits to be used each day. This will keep your matches and fire-starting materials dry even in the wettest conditions. I know matches can be replaced with a butane lighter, and there are commercial fire starters, but this gives you the option of making your own fire starting kits. You can seal medications, first aid kits, food, and even clothing items. The possibilities are endless. You’re only limited by your imagination.
Vacuum packers can also be used to protect important documents from water damage if stored in a damp location. They also make a great “poor man’s (person’s)” laminating machine. Keep a copy of your boat, ATV, or snowmobile registration, in the vehicle, without worrying about it getting wet. Post your building permit in a vacuum-sealed bag and it will be good throughout the entire project. The possibilities are endless. You’re only limited by your imagination.
Final Thoughts
The vacuum packer is a very useful appliance for the home. We love that it’s convenient, easy to use, prevents waste, which helps us save time and money. We’ve had our FoodSaver FM5380 since the fall of 2016 and it’s still going strong. There are so many practical things it can be used for. We are surprised at how much we use ours and so will you. Get one and start making your life better today.
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