Vacuum Sealers

[nmantime]

Like others have already mentioned, i would not buy the vacum food saver for storing chickens whole or in parts. I have the dual pump model and it really never gets used for any meat packaging. I use the heat shrink bags from cornerstone-farm.com. They have bags in varying sizes from 6.5 x 11 up to 18 x 32 ( thats a 25+ pound turkey size). I love these bags. When we used the bags that came with the sealer they were not that thick or large and freezer burn or a puncture did occur. these bags are thick and really work well. I would check them out before you buy another sealer. We do our venison, pork, beef and fish also. Try them you will like them... I also use a small plastic tie to seal not the staplers or hog rings... never a failure yet and cheaper...
Norm in N.CA

 

[ChickChickChicky]

Like others have already mentioned, i would not buy the vacum food saver for storing chickens whole or in parts. I have the dual pump model and it really never gets used for any meat packaging. I use the heat shrink bags from cornerstone-farm.com. They have bags in varying sizes from 6.5 x 11 up to 18 x 32 ( thats a 25+ pound turkey size). I love these bags. When we used the bags that came with the sealer they were not that thick or large and freezer burn or a puncture did occur. these bags are thick and really work well. I would check them out before you buy another sealer. We do our venison, pork, beef and fish also. Try them you will like them... I also use a small plastic tie to seal not the staplers or hog rings... never a failure yet and cheaper...
Norm in N.CA

Thank you so much for that information. Looks like a great website, full of info, and I will definately be buying some of those bags!

 

[wyoDreamer]

I like the idea of the shrink bags, but doesn't dipping the red meats into hot water cause the meat to discolor? or is it quick enough that it isn't an issue. I know if I drop a package of venison into the sink to defrost and add the hot water from the tap (our tapwater is set at 120 degrees), it starts to cook the meat.

My husband ordered me the Cabelas 15" vacuum sealer this morning!

I use it for too many things to continue to go without a vacuum sealer that works. We will be having fajitas as soon as it comes in - I really like to use the sealed bags to marinate meat in. The meat get sealed into the bag with the marinade, then everytime I open the fridge I can turn it over, squish it up and generally mash that marinade into the meat fibers.

 

[Ahab]

I'm not sure who makes the Cabela's vacuum sealers, and don't know anyone who owns one. But I do have a few friends who use commercial sealers from www.thevakshack.com in their restaurants, for cooking sous vide. They like them a lot, and find their bags (which are FoodSaver compatible) much cheaper than the FoodSaver bags, and at least as good. I've used a dozen rolls of their bags and had no complaints. I'll probably buy one of their Minipack Cyclones when I burn out the current FoodSaver (typically get three or four years out of them). I'd love a chamber unit, but $900 is too rich for my pocket.

 

[TimG]

I am looking at the vacuum sealer from Cabelas also - the commercial grade $500 one.

I like that Cabellas has a 15" wide bag available. I don't know if it will be big enough for a whole chicken or not, but will do well for roasts and such.

NOTE: it is on sale at Cabelas right now for $360 !

How have you (or others) found the 15" Cabelas sealer works with whole chicken?

 

[wyoDreamer]

Yes, I have frozen whole 16 week old roosters in the 15" bags. It is nice that I can cut the bag to length because they had really long legs, lol!