My old Food Saver died a couple years ago and I bought a new and
improved model. At least I thought that it was improved. I always seemed
to have trouble with it and ended up putting it away and looking for
excuses not to use it. Today I had to use it. I had bought my wife a big
block of aged cheddar at the local produce store. She used to get some
every couple weeks but they close from New Years to Easter. Today I had
to break into that 6 pound block and then vacuum pack it.

Dang there is a lot of waste with those things. You have to cut a piece
big enough to put the items into and have enough extra to reach into the
vacuum compartment. It's a good thing the sale deal on this one included
a bunch of extra rolls.

If I start using this thing a lot I will have to keep an eye out for
deals on bags and rolls. That stuff ain't cheap.

On Sun, 10 Jan 2021 16:30:42 -0500, Dave Smith wrote:

> My old Food Saver died a couple years ago and I bought a new and
> improved model. At least I thought that it was improved. I always seemed
> to have trouble with it and ended up putting it away and looking for
> excuses not to use it. Today I had to use it. I had bought my wife a big
> block of aged cheddar at the local produce store. She used to get some
> every couple weeks but they close from New Years to Easter. Today I had
> to break into that 6 pound block and then vacuum pack it.
>
> Dang there is a lot of waste with those things. You have to cut a piece
> big enough to put the items into and have enough extra to reach into the
> vacuum compartment. It's a good thing the sale deal on this one included
> a bunch of extra rolls.
>
> If I start using this thing a lot I will have to keep an eye out for
> deals on bags and rolls. That stuff ain't cheap.

Don't buy the Foodsaver brand rolls. There's a lot cheaper ones out
there. I used to use dessicant.com, but there are supposedly even
cheaper p[laces out there. You can choose thicker or thinner bags.

Looks like dessicant.com is out of business (Foodsaver was suing
them when they still had the unexpired patent on the channel bags).

-sw

Sqwertz wrote:

> On Sun, 10 Jan 2021 16:30:42 -0500, Dave Smith wrote:
>
> > My old Food Saver died a couple years ago and I bought a new and
> > improved model. At least I thought that it was improved. I always
> > seemed to have trouble with it and ended up putting it away and
> > looking for excuses not to use it. Today I had to use it. I had
> > bought my wife a big block of aged cheddar at the local produce
> > store. She used to get some every couple weeks but they close from
> > New Years to Easter. Today I had to break into that 6 pound block
> > and then vacuum pack it.
> >
> > Dang there is a lot of waste with those things. You have to cut a
> > piece big enough to put the items into and have enough extra to
> > reach into the vacuum compartment. It's a good thing the sale deal
> > on this one included a bunch of extra rolls.
> >
> > If I start using this thing a lot I will have to keep an eye out
> > for deals on bags and rolls. That stuff ain't cheap.
>
> Don't buy the Foodsaver brand rolls. There's a lot cheaper ones out
> there. I used to use dessicant.com, but there are supposedly even
> cheaper p[laces out there. You can choose thicker or thinner bags.
>
> Looks like dessicant.com is out of business (Foodsaver was suing
> them when they still had the unexpired patent on the channel bags).
>
> -sw

Actually Food Saver is fine, just not at the grocery store. Use a bulk
order like Amazon for this.

On Sun, 10 Jan 2021 20:20:27 -0600, cshenk wrote:

> Sqwertz wrote:
>
>> On Sun, 10 Jan 2021 16:30:42 -0500, Dave Smith wrote:
>>
>>> My old Food Saver died a couple years ago and I bought a new and
>>> improved model. At least I thought that it was improved. I always
>>> seemed to have trouble with it and ended up putting it away and
>>> looking for excuses not to use it. Today I had to use it. I had
>>> bought my wife a big block of aged cheddar at the local produce
>>> store. She used to get some every couple weeks but they close from
>>> New Years to Easter. Today I had to break into that 6 pound block
>>> and then vacuum pack it.
>>>
>>> Dang there is a lot of waste with those things. You have to cut a
>>> piece big enough to put the items into and have enough extra to
>>> reach into the vacuum compartment. It's a good thing the sale deal
>>> on this one included a bunch of extra rolls.
>>>
>>> If I start using this thing a lot I will have to keep an eye out
>>> for deals on bags and rolls. That stuff ain't cheap.
>>
>> Don't buy the Foodsaver brand rolls. There's a lot cheaper ones out
>> there. I used to use dessicant.com, but there are supposedly even
>> cheaper p[laces out there. You can choose thicker or thinner bags.
>>
>> Looks like dessicant.com is out of business (Foodsaver was suing
>> them when they still had the unexpired patent on the channel bags).
>>
>> -sw
>
> Actually Food Saver is fine, just not at the grocery store. Use a bulk
> order like Amazon for this.

No, they're not. There's much cheaper out there, even on Amazon.
Just like I said.

-sw

On 1/10/2021 8:06 PM, Sqwertz wrote:
> On Sun, 10 Jan 2021 16:30:42 -0500, Dave Smith wrote:
>
>> My old Food Saver died a couple years ago and I bought a new and
>> improved model. At least I thought that it was improved. I always seemed
>> to have trouble with it and ended up putting it away and looking for
>> excuses not to use it. Today I had to use it. I had bought my wife a big
>> block of aged cheddar at the local produce store. She used to get some
>> every couple weeks but they close from New Years to Easter. Today I had
>> to break into that 6 pound block and then vacuum pack it.
>>
>> Dang there is a lot of waste with those things. You have to cut a piece
>> big enough to put the items into and have enough extra to reach into the
>> vacuum compartment. It's a good thing the sale deal on this one included
>> a bunch of extra rolls.
>>
>> If I start using this thing a lot I will have to keep an eye out for
>> deals on bags and rolls. That stuff ain't cheap.
>
> Don't buy the Foodsaver brand rolls. There's a lot cheaper ones out
> there. I used to use dessicant.com, but there are supposedly even
> cheaper p[laces out there. You can choose thicker or thinner bags.
>
> Looks like dessicant.com is out of business (Foodsaver was suing
> them when they still had the unexpired patent on the channel bags).
>
> -sw
>

For short term freezing, the vacuum bags are not even necessary. For
long term, I just immerse the bag in water, holding the top out. The
water pressure removes all the air. Just give the bag a few twists
underwater, then put on a twist tie.

Those supermarket produce bags work well for this.
Even fold lock baggies for small amounts.

Gary > writes:

> On 1/10/2021 8:06 PM, Sqwertz wrote:
>> On Sun, 10 Jan 2021 16:30:42 -0500, Dave Smith wrote:
>>
>>> My old Food Saver died a couple years ago and I bought a new and
>>> improved model. At least I thought that it was improved. I always seemed
>>> to have trouble with it and ended up putting it away and looking for
>>> excuses not to use it. Today I had to use it. I had bought my wife a big
>>> block of aged cheddar at the local produce store. She used to get some
>>> every couple weeks but they close from New Years to Easter. Today I had
>>> to break into that 6 pound block and then vacuum pack it.
>>>
>>> Dang there is a lot of waste with those things. You have to cut a piece
>>> big enough to put the items into and have enough extra to reach into the
>>> vacuum compartment. It's a good thing the sale deal on this one included
>>> a bunch of extra rolls.
>>>
>>> If I start using this thing a lot I will have to keep an eye out for
>>> deals on bags and rolls. That stuff ain't cheap.
>>
>> Don't buy the Foodsaver brand rolls. There's a lot cheaper ones out
>> there. I used to use dessicant.com, but there are supposedly even
>> cheaper p[laces out there. You can choose thicker or thinner bags.
>>
>> Looks like dessicant.com is out of business (Foodsaver was suing
>> them when they still had the unexpired patent on the channel bags).
>>
>> -sw
>>
>
> For short term freezing, the vacuum bags are not even necessary. For
> long term, I just immerse the bag in water, holding the top out. The
> water pressure removes all the air. Just give the bag a few twists
> underwater, then put on a twist tie.

Brilliant idea.

--
Daniel

Visit me at: gopher://gcpp.world

On 2021-01-14 8:18 a.m., Daniel wrote:
> Gary > writes:
>
>> On 1/10/2021 8:06 PM, Sqwertz wrote:
>>> On Sun, 10 Jan 2021 16:30:42 -0500, Dave Smith wrote:
>>>
>>>> My old Food Saver died a couple years ago and I bought a new and
>>>> improved model. At least I thought that it was improved. I always seemed
>>>> to have trouble with it and ended up putting it away and looking for
>>>> excuses not to use it. Today I had to use it. I had bought my wife a big
>>>> block of aged cheddar at the local produce store. She used to get some
>>>> every couple weeks but they close from New Years to Easter. Today I had
>>>> to break into that 6 pound block and then vacuum pack it.
>>>>
>>>> Dang there is a lot of waste with those things. You have to cut a piece
>>>> big enough to put the items into and have enough extra to reach into the
>>>> vacuum compartment. It's a good thing the sale deal on this one included
>>>> a bunch of extra rolls.
>>>>
>>>> If I start using this thing a lot I will have to keep an eye out for
>>>> deals on bags and rolls. That stuff ain't cheap.
>>>
>>> Don't buy the Foodsaver brand rolls. There's a lot cheaper ones out
>>> there. I used to use dessicant.com, but there are supposedly even
>>> cheaper p[laces out there. You can choose thicker or thinner bags.
>>>
>>> Looks like dessicant.com is out of business (Foodsaver was suing
>>> them when they still had the unexpired patent on the channel bags).
>>>
>>> -sw
>>>
>>
>> For short term freezing, the vacuum bags are not even necessary. For
>> long term, I just immerse the bag in water, holding the top out. The
>> water pressure removes all the air. Just give the bag a few twists
>> underwater, then put on a twist tie.
>
> Brilliant idea.
>

I don't know about it being brilliant. Thinner bags will definitely work
for short term freezing. I did specify that I was using it to vacuum
pack cheese, which cannot be frozen, it it would get moldy if loosely
packed with air inside the bag.

On 1/14/2021 10:48 AM, Dave Smith wrote:

> I don't know about it being brilliant. Thinner bags will definitely work
> for short term freezing.Â* I did specify that I was using it to vacuum
> pack cheese, which cannot be frozen, it it would get moldy if loosely
> packed with air inside the bag.

Cheese is one of the best uses for a vac sealer. Frozen is less
critical if you have a 30 to 60 day turnover. Vacuum sealed, I've had
cooked meat for over a year and it was as good as the day packed. For
thing I'm using in a month, just a plain bag works well enough.

On 2021-01-14 10:52 a.m., Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> On 1/14/2021 10:48 AM, Dave Smith wrote:
>
>> I don't know about it being brilliant. Thinner bags will definitely
>> work for short term freezing.Â* I did specify that I was using it to
>> vacuum pack cheese, which cannot be frozen, it it would get moldy if
>> loosely packed with air inside the bag.
>
> Cheese is one of the best uses for a vac sealer.Â* Frozen is less
> critical if you have a 30 to 60 day turnover.Â* Vacuum sealed, I've had
> cooked meat for over a year and it was as good as the day packed.Â* For
> thing I'm using in a month, just a plain bag works well enough.

We don't stockpile a lot of stuff in the freezer, so meats often go into
the freezer in the store packaging. Once in a while I get a deal on
things, like family packs or economy packs, so I split them up and use
the FoodSaver.

My wife loves this particular cheese but the produce market that sells
it closes from New Years to Easter. A whole block of that cheese is near
the top of her Christmas wish list. I cut it into 6 or more chunks and
vacuum pack them.

Dave Smith wrote:

> On 2021-01-14 8:18 a.m., Daniel wrote:
> >Gary > writes:
> >
> > > On 1/10/2021 8:06 PM, Sqwertz wrote:
> > > > On Sun, 10 Jan 2021 16:30:42 -0500, Dave Smith wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > My old Food Saver died a couple years ago and I bought a new
> > > > > and improved model. At least I thought that it was improved.
> > > > > I always seemed to have trouble with it and ended up putting
> > > > > it away and looking for excuses not to use it. Today I had to
> > > > > use it. I had bought my wife a big block of aged cheddar at
> > > > > the local produce store. She used to get some every couple
> > > > > weeks but they close from New Years to Easter. Today I had
> > > > > to break into that 6 pound block and then vacuum pack it.
> > > > >
> > > > > Dang there is a lot of waste with those things. You have to
> > > > > cut a piece big enough to put the items into and have enough
> > > > > extra to reach into the vacuum compartment. It's a good thing
> > > > > the sale deal on this one included a bunch of extra rolls.
> > > > >
> > > > > If I start using this thing a lot I will have to keep an eye
> > > > > out for deals on bags and rolls. That stuff ain't cheap.
> > > >
> > > > Don't buy the Foodsaver brand rolls. There's a lot cheaper ones
> > > > out there. I used to use dessicant.com, but there are
> > > > supposedly even cheaper p[laces out there. You can choose
> > > > thicker or thinner bags.
> > > >
> > > > Looks like dessicant.com is out of business (Foodsaver was suing
> > > > them when they still had the unexpired patent on the channel
> > > > bags).
> > > >
> > > > -sw
> > > >
> > >
> > > For short term freezing, the vacuum bags are not even necessary.
> > > For long term, I just immerse the bag in water, holding the top
> > > out. The water pressure removes all the air. Just give the bag a
> > > few twists underwater, then put on a twist tie.
> >
> > Brilliant idea.
> >
>
> I don't know about it being brilliant. Thinner bags will definitely
> work for short term freezing. I did specify that I was using it to
> vacuum pack cheese, which cannot be frozen, it it would get moldy if
> loosely packed with air inside the bag.

Humm, I freeze some types of cheese all the time.

Ed Pawlowski wrote:

> On 1/14/2021 10:48 AM, Dave Smith wrote:
>
> > I don't know about it being brilliant. Thinner bags will definitely
> > work for short term freezing.Â* I did specify that I was using it
> > to vacuum pack cheese, which cannot be frozen, it it would get
> > moldy if loosely packed with air inside the bag.
>
> Cheese is one of the best uses for a vac sealer. Frozen is less
> critical if you have a 30 to 60 day turnover. Vacuum sealed, I've
> had cooked meat for over a year and it was as good as the day packed.
> For thing I'm using in a month, just a plain bag works well enough.

Agreed.

On 2021-01-15 6:05 p.m., cshenk wrote:
> Dave Smith wrote:

>> I don't know about it being brilliant. Thinner bags will definitely
>> work for short term freezing. I did specify that I was using it to
>> vacuum pack cheese, which cannot be frozen, it it would get moldy if
>> loosely packed with air inside the bag.
>
> Humm, I freeze some types of cheese all the time.
>

Sure, some cheeses can be frozen, but the texture takes a cooking. This
is a nice aged cheddar. It is a special cheese and I am not going to
take a chance on ruin
ing $60 + worth of aged cheese.

On Friday, January 15, 2021 at 5:25:14 PM UTC-6, Dave Smith wrote:
>
> Sure, some cheeses can be frozen, but the texture takes a cooking. This
> is a nice aged cheddar. It is a special cheese and I am not going to
> take a chance on ruin
> ing $60 + worth of aged cheese.
>
If you've gotten a good seal on that cheese it will last for months
in the refrigerator with no problem. It won't need to be frozen as
you've extracted all the air out.

On 2021-01-15 8:51 p.m., wrote:
> On Friday, January 15, 2021 at 5:25:14 PM UTC-6, Dave Smith wrote:
>>
>> Sure, some cheeses can be frozen, but the texture takes a cooking. This
>> is a nice aged cheddar. It is a special cheese and I am not going to
>> take a chance on ruin
>> ing $60 + worth of aged cheese.
>>
> If you've gotten a good seal on that cheese it will last for months
> in the refrigerator with no problem. It won't need to be frozen as
> you've extracted all the air out.
>
Yep. That is why I vacuum pack it and put it into the fridge instead of
freezing it. This is really good cheese. I don't want to ruin it.

Dave Smith > writes:

> On 2021-01-14 8:18 a.m., Daniel wrote:
>> Gary > writes:
>>
>>> On 1/10/2021 8:06 PM, Sqwertz wrote:
>>>> On Sun, 10 Jan 2021 16:30:42 -0500, Dave Smith wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> My old Food Saver died a couple years ago and I bought a new and
>>>>> improved model. At least I thought that it was improved. I always seemed
>>>>> to have trouble with it and ended up putting it away and looking for
>>>>> excuses not to use it. Today I had to use it. I had bought my wife a big
>>>>> block of aged cheddar at the local produce store. She used to get some
>>>>> every couple weeks but they close from New Years to Easter. Today I had
>>>>> to break into that 6 pound block and then vacuum pack it.
>>>>>
>>>>> Dang there is a lot of waste with those things. You have to cut a piece
>>>>> big enough to put the items into and have enough extra to reach into the
>>>>> vacuum compartment. It's a good thing the sale deal on this one included
>>>>> a bunch of extra rolls.
>>>>>
>>>>> If I start using this thing a lot I will have to keep an eye out for
>>>>> deals on bags and rolls. That stuff ain't cheap.
>>>>
>>>> Don't buy the Foodsaver brand rolls. There's a lot cheaper ones out
>>>> there. I used to use dessicant.com, but there are supposedly even
>>>> cheaper p[laces out there. You can choose thicker or thinner bags.
>>>>
>>>> Looks like dessicant.com is out of business (Foodsaver was suing
>>>> them when they still had the unexpired patent on the channel bags).
>>>>
>>>> -sw
>>>>
>>>
>>> For short term freezing, the vacuum bags are not even necessary. For
>>> long term, I just immerse the bag in water, holding the top out. The
>>> water pressure removes all the air. Just give the bag a few twists
>>> underwater, then put on a twist tie.
>> Brilliant idea.
>>
>
> I don't know about it being brilliant. Thinner bags will definitely
> work for short term freezing. I did specify that I was using it to
> vacuum pack cheese, which cannot be frozen, it it would get moldy if
> loosely packed with air inside the bag.
>
If you insist, I take back my compliment.

--
Daniel
Visit me at: gopher://gcpp.world