DAPPH
as dyslexik as I'm daft
- Messages
- 7,489
- Location
- Near to Cross Hands Llanelli SouthWales GB
He'll need to have a three inch at the widest point Y fan cowl with just a few mm of gap between the top & bottom so he can slip it inside the bag mouths and press a softish foam covered bar over the cowl so when the vacuum is started in the cowl it pulls the air out the sealed bag . Once its looking flat press the heat sealer on and stop the vacuum at the same time , keeping the sealing foam bar in place to hold the vacuum , wait six or more seconds after the timer on the sealer cuts in so the seal can solidify before pulling ou the bag other wise you'll tear big holes in the still molten plastic area.
If you want to seal liquids , stand them up right and gently fold over as much empty bag as you can , stand it up right in the freezer till rock solid then put it in the heat sealer as normal this can be problematic if the bag falls over before it is frozen (
guess how I know 
)Now there is only the two of us at home we batch cook a lot of foods not only to allow us quick decent meals we like if we've been out for the day but also for energy consumptions considerations and power cuts of a day or so long ,
I now freeze then vac pack & heat seal all manner of liquids , extra mince , food that can be safely frozen , stews and extra cooked spuds swede etc. etc .in two people sized portions , As well as me buying ten or so chickens at a time professionally portioning them up as to how we want them , same with 5 Kg ( ordered well ahead from local sources ) big bags of low fat pork or beef micce . done by cutting half a dozen 7 inch length of new unused 110 mm soil pipe , rounding off all the edges with a scraper blade such as a Stanley knife . I drew a vertical line from top to bottom and used a fine toothed plastic saw to cut up the line , made two such vertical cuts about 2 mm apart by using a baton of wood clamped to the tube and running the saw along the wooden guide . This vertical cut slot is to allow the tube to expand when frozen and to aid getting the expanded frozen bag/ plug out the tube sleeve . Again carefully round all edges of the cut and give a quality 1/4 " radius to the four cut ends of the slot . All this careful rounding & the radius'ing is so you don't snick / puncture a bag , either when putting it in or taking it out . I found this out the hard way as well .
Not all the foods frozen are the sole method of preserving them I also pressure can all manner of safe to can foods . & air dry a lot of our legumes so any prolonged power cut or a food supply scare at the supermarkets does not affect us
When everything is smoothly radiused & rounded stick them through the dish washer to ensure they are clean .
Now when you want to freeze a liquid or some thing simply wash your hands well , dry them on a clean towel and slip a bag over your hand , put the bagged hand inside the tube and push the bag to the bottom . with draw said hand .
Stand tube on draining board & very carefully so as not to badly crease the bag turn the spare bag material back over the outside of the tube so it's out the way and give you the 100 mm hole to very easily to pour liquids in the bag .
I use a "Kilner ...stainless steel Jam jar filler funnel " it's like a saucer with a 2 inch hole in th middle to stop spilling poured liquid or drips off the jug/ ladle over the now folded down bag ( which would make a bad seal if unnoticed and not well cleaned and dried off before sealing ) and pour a pint or so of the liquid in .
Carefully lift them up holding the top of the now unfolded bag and support the bottom of the bag to stop it slipping out. and transport them to the freezer one at a time ( or chest freezer on a tray ) now gently do a single fold over of the empty bag part keeping it straight without harsh kinks or corners in it . Once well frozen simply slide the block of food in the bag out and heat seal it . Don't drop them on your toes ....it hurts like hell if you do .
Freezing things like chops & steaks , cover any sharp bone edge with several wraps of cling film and cover in a well folded over bit of kitchen towel to blunt th sharpness now add a bit more cling film to hold the padding in place . We freeze these bagged up open on a tray then when frozen solid pop them in the vac pack & bag sealer
NB
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Four day old supermarket fresh " pork when frozen for much over three months old tends to take on a rancid smell & taste .. so freeze pork as fresh as you posisbly can ..same with the chicken it's why we use our local butcher who buys local meats etc. Leave enough space above the seal line on a sealed bag to write what it is and the date it was sealed up and a use by date ( UBB ) Hold these now sealed dated bags up to the light and look for a quality sealed clear is plastic line about 3.5 mm wide right across the bag as it's not unknown for there to have been a smear of the contents to be in the sealing line and not get properly sealed . If I have this happen I straight away slip the faulty bag inside another bag and then vac pack & heat seal it again ......... straight away .
