Author Topic: Food Saver Problems (Read 3149 times)

Star1pup · « **on:** March 20, 2012, 03:41:52 AM »

For some reason our FoodSaver will not suck out all the air and moisture. It does seem to seal properly. We've tried different modes and even soaked and dried the gaskets. I sure hate to buy a new one, but it sure makes nice flat packages for the freezer. Anyone else have this problem?

bilmac · « **Reply #1 on:** March 20, 2012, 04:16:03 AM »

I assume you are using the right bags. That would be the only reason I can see how the machine could go from the vacuum mode to seal mode if the vacuum was not complete.

Star1pup · « **Reply #2 on:** March 20, 2012, 05:59:27 AM »

Quote from: bilmac on March 20, 2012, 04:16:03 AM

I assume you are using the right bags. That would be the only reason I can see how the machine could go from the vacuum mode to seal mode if the vacuum was not complete.

Using the FoodSaver bags. Using the strips and I seal one end first, then insert the fish, hit vacuum & seal.

charles p · « **Reply #3 on:** March 20, 2012, 11:33:23 AM »

I ruined two myself. They don't handle moisture very well. For best results, freeze your product first, then vacuum it.
A commercial vacuum packaging machine will vacuum pack a bag of water, but not a FoodSaver. They work differently.

longwinters · « **Reply #4 on:** March 20, 2012, 03:26:09 PM »

We had the same problem with ours. One tip they give you is if vacume sealing moist stuff is to put paper toweling or something similar between the wet food item and the open end.

But our problem was that the 2 foam seals had to be replaced. We had also washed ours etc and they looked good but weren't. I complained to food saver on their face book page and a supervisor called me the next day. Sent me new seals right away. I later learned that the seals typically only last about a year...depending on how much you use it.

The seals are very inexpensive...

Long

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #5 on:** March 21, 2012, 12:50:28 AM »

the right bags help alot. Food saver brand bags arent the greatest. Ive had more problems with them eventually loosing vaccum then any other. I dont recall the brand but our local menards sells bags that are a much heavier mill plastic and work much better. that and ill add that ive wore two foodsaver units out. After a while they just dont pull a good enough vaccum. The pumps probably just wear out. But that takes ALOT of use. If yours hasnt been used ALOT the first thing id try is better bags.

Dixie Dude · « **Reply #6 on:** March 21, 2012, 01:01:55 AM »

I've worn out two myself. Yes, they do not like liquid. I have the attachments to vacuum seal a canning jar. This works good also. Some canning jars are also freezable. I've read somewhere else to buy the $400-$500 range commercial one from Cabela's. They say it will last. I've also eaten deerburger that was vacuum sealed 3 years ago, and it was still good, still red when thawed. So I'm sold on vacuum sealing for long term, especially meats.

Star1pup · « **Reply #7 on:** March 21, 2012, 02:21:11 AM »

I think pre-freezing is the answer. Not sure why we stopped doing this, but the customer help from FoodSaver recommends pre-freezing for 1-2 hours. We used to cover a metal tray with waxed papper, put the fillets on it and pe-freeze for about an hour before vacuum sealing. I'll head out o my dock and see if I can catch somethjing so we can try that method. I LOVE living on a lake.

Dixie Dude · « **Reply #8 on:** March 21, 2012, 05:01:38 AM »

I've always frozen fish by putting them in a container and covering them with water. The water freezes completely around the fish with no freezer burn. My grandmother once took washed out milk cartons (the paper-waxed kind) put the fish in, completely covered them and folded the top down. We could have fish anytime later by just thawing them out in the refrigerator. I get my deer processed wrapped in 1-2# freezer wrapped paper. I just put the meat already wrapped in a vacuum sealed bag for extra protection and it lasts a long time. So far my oldest was 3 years. I buy bacon in 10# boxes at Sam's. It has about 20 layers of bacon with paper in between. I put two layers in a vaccum seal bag for about 1# packages. It is a lot less expensive than regular bacon, tastes great, and is mainly used by restaurants. If we have frozen or pre-frozen home grown veggies, I package in a vacuum seal bag. I have heard of people vacuum sealing entire guns using the wide rolls of vacuum wrap paper. Not a bad idea, if you want to store one long term. Ammo can also be done that way in packages for long term storage. Water proof matches, fire starting materials, spare clothing on backpacking or camping trips to keep dry in case you fall in a body of water. Lots of uses.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #9 on:** March 23, 2012, 12:49:43 AM »

im an avid hunter and allways have game to eat. I pack some for the freezer using vaccum bags but alot of it gets canned as theres not a better way to store meat for the long haul. It stays good like that even when you loose electricity. As to fish im not a avid fisherman so i dont get alot. I get out fishing a couple days a year and buy some from the local comercial fisherman but most of the time it gets ate as fast as i get it. When i have stored it i do the inmersed in water thing like some suggested. Ive got a buddy who does fish and he cans alot of his fish too. He even cans smoked fish and its is actually great even after a year.

Old Syko · « **Reply #10 on:** March 23, 2012, 02:34:44 AM »

America's Test Kitchen did a piece sometime back on this very subject. Their results showed, for varying reasons, the cheaper machines just wouldn't hold up to heavy use which made sense. The biggest problem they found, as already mentioned, was in the bagging material. Food saver brand proved to be the worst since it is actually porous enough to allow for air leakage in many cases. Although immediate freezing and prefreezing helped to overcome this to a certain extent the product failed miserably compared to some other brands. The better bagging material also caused a shorter run time for the machine to do it's job which means the machine will last longer.

charles p · « **Reply #11 on:** March 23, 2012, 04:56:27 AM »

I have a friend in the seafood business. We often pool our venison, grind it together, and vacuum pack it on his commercial machine. We also double bag. The first bag is an inexpensive bag with only one purpose. When the product to be frozen is placed in the vacuum bag, no food touches the surfaces where it will be sealed. Give this a try. Plastic wrap should work. Best to keep the mouth of the vacuum bag perfectly clean.

Dixie Dude · « **Reply #12 on:** March 23, 2012, 10:26:13 AM »

I know of people who canned fish, and they said it tasted like canned salmon. My wife just doesn't want to can. She don't mind doing a water bath on tomatoes. I might try canning some fish sometimes when I have time. How is canned deerburger? Do you just open the can and make patties?

longwinters · « **Reply #13 on:** March 24, 2012, 08:48:27 AM »

So what brand bags are better than Food Saver brand. I'd like to try some if I can find them in our area.

Long

bubbadoyle · « **Reply #14 on:** March 24, 2012, 10:12:57 AM »

Just yesterday I received my vacmaster vp112. It is the cheapest chamber vacuum sealer I could find. It is quite large but opens low enough to use on counter under cupboards. Only vacuumed three bags so far but works much better than a foodsaver (better design and you are able to seal liquids). This model also comes with a hose that works with foodsaver canisters and jar sealer. Pretty big upfront cost($559 with free shipping and after a $10 promotional code) but the bags are close to 1/10 the cost of foodsaver bags when purchased by the thousand. Probably not a big savings if you are only using it every couple of weeks but if used a lot I think the bag prices will make up the difference of the upfront cost. I am currently building a sous vide cooker so I plan on doing a lot of vacuum sealing. If anyone wants to know where I purchased from and the promotional code PM me and I will let you know.

rockbilly · « **Reply #15 on:** March 25, 2012, 07:09:04 AM »

We have been using our machine for 10-12 years, never a problem.

I learned a long time ago to use good bags, and always make the bag a little larger than needed, Make sure the sealing portion of the bag is clean before attempting to seal, keep the item (s) to be sealed below the point the bag goes into the sealer. I let the bag hang over the edge of the counter, supporting with one hand while I close and seal, that way any moister settles to the bottom of the bag and is not picked up preventing a good seal.

Star1pup · « **Reply #16 on:** March 25, 2012, 07:17:37 AM »

I'm sure glad I started this as I'm getting an education. I also had a reply from FoodSaver that I should prefreeze any meat or fish that is moist for 1 - 2 hours before sealing. I tried it with some crappies the other day and it did seem to work well.
I don't think this small unit is intended to be used as a meat production tool. In mmy opinion it's just for a guy who shoots a couple pheasants or catches a day's stringer of fish.

Old Syko · « **Reply #17 on:** March 25, 2012, 01:34:56 PM »

http://www.cooksillustrated.com/equipment/overview.asp?docid=20161

longwinters · « **Reply #18 on:** March 29, 2012, 12:56:46 PM »

Ok, so what were the 2 top vacume sealers?

Long

blind ear · « **Reply #19 on:** March 29, 2012, 10:51:32 PM »

Quote from: longwinters on March 29, 2012, 12:56:46 PM

Ok, so what were the 2 top vacume sealers?

Long

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I wondered that my self, ear