Vacuum packaging

[AFISHN]

I have a Food Saver Vacuum sealer and have been very pleased with it.

Just went on line to their website to order replacement bags and found them to be very pricey($21 for 2 rolls plus S&H)

Does  anyone have any experience   useing less expensive generic or other brand vacuum  bags?

Where did you buy them?
Thanks
Tom

[dfran]

Last ones I bought, last fall, I got from Ebay. Very good deals, haven't looked since than.

[Crab Shack]

I have a foodsaver too and tried generic bags.  But unless they have the grooves on one side, they won't work.  I think the groove idea is patented and only works with their machines.  Do like other posters have said and get them from Ebay or a warehouse club.

[AFISHN]

Thanks all  for the help and suggestions.Good info

[Crabbyd]

I buy mine at Walmart.  I have used food saver brand along withy the Black and Decker brand and not had any troubles with either brand.

[jdroat]

I get mine from Sams club. My father in law has a food saver and tried Black and Decker bags. Every single on he used seemed to seal but later you check them in the freezer and they have air in them. We thought it was his machine, so I tried it, same thing. Maybe just a bad roll?

[bob930]

Has anyone had any luck sealing cleaned crabs? I have tried and they always puncture the bag.

[nadapesca]

Even cleaned crabs have enough sharp edges to poke through that thick vac seal plastic. I'd wrap them in a few layers (loose) of plastic wrap before vacuum sealing

Kevin

[CrabbiCandi]

I always wrap them in clean paper towels.  It works well. 

[JHE]

Clean paper towels is the way to go, I've tried plastic wrap and towels, had better luck with the towels.

[crabit06]

Are you guys steaming then cleaning? How long will they stay good to eat if vacuum sealed and frozen?

[luke at uscoach]

HI Folks:

I have not tried to vacuum seal crabs yet but when making bags (from a roll) for veggies that I grow, I always make 2 seals at the bottom of the bag about 1/2 inch apart  and then make 2 seals at the top 1/2 inch apart.
I did this after I had veggie bags lose their seal while in the freezer.  Takes a bit more bag making material (on a roll)  but the product inside stays fresh.  I too buy the bulk pack at Sam's Club. Best price I have found.

I Hope this HELPS!!!

Happy & SAFE!! Crabbin to All.  Still Hope to get out on the water at least once this year!!!!

LUKE at US COACH

[Crab Shack]

HI Folks:

I have not tried to vacuum seal crabs yet but when making bags (from a roll) for veggies that I grow, I always make 2 seals at the bottom of the bag about 1/2 inch apart  and then make 2 seals at the top 1/2 inch apart.
I did this after I had veggie bags lose their seal while in the freezer.  Takes a bit more bag making material (on a roll)  but the product inside stays fresh.  I too buy the bulk pack at Sam's Club. Best price I have found.

I Hope this HELPS!!!

Happy & SAFE!! Crabbin to All.  Still Hope to get out on the water at least once this year!!!!

LUKE at US COACH

Interesting idea,  I had the seals leak on somethings that were vacuumsealed with a food saver, does the two seal idea prevent this?  What about sealing twice or more?  On two different salmon trips to BC,  the vacuum sealing of the frozen fish was done differently.  One trip, we lived on an ocean going tug that moved around the fishing grounds and the captain's wife used a food saver, the fish didn't last that long in the freezer, a month maybe?   On another trip, at a different resort,  where the food wasn't as good, but the fishing was better, the guides used a commercial flash freezer and a commercial vacuum machine, the material they used was heavier plastic, and the fish lasted longer, like 6 months or so. If you vaccum seal and freeze a lot of fish, crabs, or veggies, and you don't want a long processing time, I'd look into getting a commercial vacuum device.

[luke at uscoach]

HI CrabShack:

My wife does not keep a good check on what is in the freezer and told me last week to grab a steak that was about a year old.  I had vacuum sealed as I described and it was perfect.  Also, as my garden winds down and I am ready to add to this year's collection, I am pulling out  all of last years veggies to give away and they are perfect.

It is a lot of work to process veggies, most of which I grow from seed, only to have it wasted because of freezer burn. (I learned that the hard way with single sealing on the vacuum machine).

The double-sealing solved the problems I had in the past.

With regard to your fish, Flash Freezing works great  and I wish I had that for my veggies, but who has that at their home, as that is a commercial operation.  Last year I vacuumed whole green and red peppers.  But before doing so, I put them on cookie trays in the freezer for a day, then sealed them.  They tasted just like they would have if just picked.  Might be the answer for fish???

I Hope this HELPS!!!

LUKE at US COACH

[Crab Shack]

HI CrabShack:

My wife does not keep a good check on what is in the freezer and told me last week to grab a steak that was about a year old.  I had vacuum sealed as I described and it was perfect.  Also, as my garden winds down and I am ready to add to this year's collection, I am pulling out  all of last years veggies to give away and they are perfect.

It is a lot of work to process veggies, most of which I grow from seed, only to have it wasted because of freezer burn. (I learned that the hard way with single sealing on the vacuum machine).

The double-sealing solved the problems I had in the past.

With regard to your fish, Flash Freezing works great  and I wish I had that for my veggies, but who has that at their home, as that is a commercial operation.  Last year I vacuumed whole green and red peppers.  But before doing so, I put them on cookie trays in the freezer for a day, then sealed them.  They tasted just like they would have if just picked.  Might be the answer for fish???

I Hope this HELPS!!!

LUKE at US COACH

True, they use it enough to pay for itself in no time.....and as you know they ain't cheap.....closest thing I ever came to owning a commercial vacuum seal machine was the vacuuform toy I had as a kid...

[Klippers]

Does the Food Saver only use rolls of film, or can it use individual bags? I am not familiar with that machine. I own a Minipack Food Vac. I suppose they may be similar. They kind of look alike. I got my bags from OfficeZone.com.

[Chef Lar]

My vacuum packer only uses rolls. I tried using bags once, and the seal didn't hold. JMtwocents

[Crab Shack]

The foodsaver can use either bags or  bags made from the plastic vacuum rolls....BUT....the bags and rolls have to be foodsaver brand others don't seem to work well.  Some folks say Black & Decker work, but I've never tried them.