This method is great for those of us who only occasionally have need of vacuum sealer and don’t want to invest in buying one.
First off, Should You Buy a Vacuum Sealer?
Vacuum sealers are super handy little gadgets that will pull out all the air from a plastic pouch of foods and seal it closed. This helps prevent freezer burn on frozen foods, helps keep shelf-stable ingredients like grains last a little longer, and makes cooking sous vide more effective. If you do a lot of freezing, bulk-purchasing, or sous vide cooking, it’s definitely worth investing in one. Our writer Marta recommends this affordable one from FoodSaver, the OG vacuum sealer. But what if you don’t need a vacuum sealer all the time? What if you just need one occasionally and don’t want to invest in a gadget that will sit in the back of the cupboard most of the time? That’s when it’s best to use a home method like the one we’re talking about here. It’s not as 100% effective at removing all the air from the food as a real vacuum sealer, but it’s pretty darn close. And for most of our everyday home cook purposes, that’s just fine.
Which Plastic Bags to Use?
Buy brand name zip-top plastic freezer bags for this method, which are more sturdy and have stronger seals than off-brand bags or regular zip-top bags. I use Ziploc Freezer Bags, both gallon- and quart-sized. Another bonus of freezer bags is that they last through repeated re-use. I want to avoid adding more garbage to the landfills as much as the next guy, so I wash and reuse all my plastic bags until they literally fall apart. Even once they seal isn’t quite as solid, these bags are still good for storing lunch sandwiches, snacks, leftovers, and the like. (The only exception being if I used the bag to store raw meat; in that case, I throw them away.)
How to Seal Solid Foods
Use this method for sealing solid foods like chicken breasts, vegetables, dried grains and beans, and the like: When you lift the bag out of the water, the sides of the plastic should be molded to the food. If the bag seems loose or like there’s still a lot of air in the bag, check the seal and then repeat the steps above. Once sealed, lay the bag on the towel to dry. The food is now ready to be frozen, stored, or cooked sous vide.
How to Seal Liquids
Liquids and liquidy foods, like chicken stock or beans in their cooking broth, require a slightly different approach to sealing. Here’s what to do: This method probably sounds more complicated than it really is. Give it a try next time you’re in the kitchen, and I think you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to do!
How to Seal Foods in Plastic Bags Without Making a Mess
Ok, one last tip for you! Before you add your food to the plastic bag, fold the top edge outward to form a cuff around the top. Be careful of the seams so you don’t accidentally rip them. Not only does this protect the seal from stray drips, but it also helps the bag to stand upright while you fill it! Any questions? Other tips to share? In the meantime, h ere’s our total Sous Vide Safety Guide–which should cover just about every question you didn’t know you had, and then some!
