sous vide

[Rooster]

I'm using my Sous Vide machine daily now. I love it but the only problem is with the basic vacuum sealer, where a recipe calls for even a small amount of liquid the vacuum sealer (obviously)sucks the air out drawing the liquid with it and stopping the sealant system.This happens with the smallest amount of liquid, even small amounts of oil!
Question is does anyone have any solutions or can recommend an alternative sealing system?

[dazco]

Can you not freeze it? Does it make a difference?

[Rooster]

I suppose I could but if Im needing to cook the meat today it isnt really feasible. Its more how I resolve the liquid affecting the sealing process.

[21TonyK]

As Daz says, if it's a liquid you need to freeze it before sealing. Or, buy a chamber vac-pack machine. Even then it can get messy as you can't really vac pack liquids in any quantity.

Try freezing stocks, oils etc in ice cube trays then pop into the bag with whatever it is you are vac-packing.

What sort of things are you cooking that need additional liquids?

[Rooster]

Quite a lot of receipes call for red wine and extra oils etc, especially if I am confiting the meat. Im using a professional vacuuming machine that seals and vacuums the bag but it isnt performing well even with a minimal amount of liquid. I think I will stop using any liquid or use your idea of freezing the wine etc.

[21TonyK]

Rooster said:

Quite a lot of receipes call for red wine and extra oils etc, especially if I am confiting the meat. Im using a professional vacuuming machine that seals and vacuums the bag but it isnt performing well even with a minimal amount of liquid. I think I will stop using any liquid or use your idea of freezing the wine etc.

My home vac-pack won;t do liquids but my work one has plastic boards you remove to alter the depth of the chamber so you can get about half a litre in a bag without it going everywhere.

Freezing is definitely the easiest answer.

[Pete Franklin]

My get around is as follows. Get a wide cup, line with clingfilm put liquid/oil in cup and then twist ends of clingfilm together to make a sealed bubble. Seal it with whatever you are cooking and then when it is vac packed squeeze the bubble to burst it inside the pack. Works well for me.

[Pferdestarke]

an ingenius solution.

[dazco]

Pete Franklin said:

My get around is as follows. Get a wide cup, line with clingfilm put liquid/oil in cup and then twist ends of clingfilm together to make a sealed bubble. Seal it with whatever you are cooking and then when it is vac packed squeeze the bubble to burst it inside the pack. Works well for me.

I was going to call you a potential evil genius, but then realised that you are in fact reintroducing some air that you was keen to get rid of

[Pete Franklin]

Vertually no additional air at all if you do it right. Its quite easy to get the air out of the bubble if you squeeze it lightly as you twist it closed

[21TonyK]

Pete Franklin said:

My get around is as follows. Get a wide cup, line with clingfilm put liquid/oil in cup and then twist ends of clingfilm together to make a sealed bubble. Seal it with whatever you are cooking and then when it is vac packed squeeze the bubble to burst it inside the pack. Works well for me.

That's real lateral thinking! Good idea.

[Rooster]

I will give that a go!