Trouble with shrink bags

[srsmith69]

I tried the shrink bags for the first time this weekend. I guess I'm not making a large enough puncture in the bag because I'm left with air pockets. I'm piercing over the breast. Not over the breast bone as I now read that I'm supposed to , but just to the side of the breast bone. I used a wooden toothpick to pierce the bag, dunked, and waited for the air to escape before removing the chicken from the water. Still have air in bag. What do you use to pierce the bag? When you dunk the bag, do you hold it with the puncture facing up? or does it matter.

 

[DanIndiana]

I've never used them, but I just watched a video where the guy said he made a slit about 3/8" long; then he put a sticker or tape over it. Don't know if that helps.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Well, yeah. You are going to have air in the bag if you've put a hole in it.

I'm not sure what you are doing. I use a vacuum bag and the machine pumps the air out and seals the bag. Using water to drive the air out, you are still going to have the body cavity full of air. Unless you fill the body cavity with water, and then you are going to have a huge amount of water frozen with your chicken.

 

[srsmith69]

I know a lot of you use the shrink bags. How do you "puncture" the bag. How big of a puncture? What do you use?

 

[Sundown_Farmer]

I use a big upholstery needle and pierce at the breast. Also, hot water is your friend. I was initially using 180 degree water but I found 200 degree works better. I seal up the open end with a twist and a zip tie, pierce at the depression at the keel and submerge it with the hole topmost. I use a wooden spoon to hold the bird under water with one hand while the other hand holds the extra plastic.

Bubbles rapidly boil out of the hole. When the bubbles stop, I'm done.

In short, big needle, hot water.

Good luck.