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Anyone use a Foodsaver/Vacuum sealer?
We've been using our Foodsaver (vacuum sealer) regularly to freeze local produce so we can eat local year-round, and I have one qualm with it that's driving me nuts. The majority of the produce I blanch and then vacuum-seal and freeze. If the food is even just a little bit wet, the Foodsaver bag doesn't seal or seals halfway, and I have to chuck it and make another bag. Last night, I drained my peas, reeeally shook all the excess water off of them, dried them with two towels, and the bag still didn't seal until the 3rd time, so a foot of Foodsaver bags in the garbage. Is mine broken? Do they all do this?
ETA: I am selecting the "moist" setting. When it sucks the air out, I can see the water come off the veggies and up into the machine, where it ends up in the center tray. It just seems like no matter how much I dry them, they're still wet.
Re: Anyone use a Foodsaver/Vacuum sealer?
I only use mine for meat, so I haven't experienced this.
Mine has an option though for "moist" or "dry" - I always select "moist" and I've never had a problem.
The seal doesn't go all the way through to the other side, which defeats the whole purpose of using a vacuum sealer. So it's like half-sealed. I can't cut the bag under the seal and start over b/c you have to have 3 inches between the food and the end of the bag. I don't want to start with huugge bags for only a cup of peas just in case the seal doesn't take. The rolls of bags are not cheap and we don't have limitless freezer space.
To PP, the bags are BPA free and reusable, although mine aren't usually big enough to do that once I cut them open (see previous paragraph). We've trying to freeze a ton of produce so we don't shop at the grocery store during the winter, so we can't freeze in Pyrex containers or something similar. The Foodsaver keeps frozen food fresh for months, and works great on dry goods, I just can't figure out this problem with produce I've just blanched.
We have one, it's probably 10 years old, doesn't have a 'moist' setting, and we don't have this problem... I blanched and froze a case of beans last summer with no issue.
I wouldn't toss the whole bag, just try resealing it over the attempt, or just like a half inch in... we never give the thing the three inches of clearance (we give it some, we just aren't anal about it) and it's fine
I am the 99%.
I've had this problem before, too. Mine has a moist and a fast setting, and I use both of those with moist food. I remember reading in the instructions when I got it that you could place a paper towel just to the inside of the seal to prevent this problem. I've never done it because I don't use pt and I don't want one sticking to my food, but maybe you can think of something else along those lines.
Are you drying the inside of the bag after you put the food in? I do that and I also roll down the top of the bag to the outside before I put the food in to help keep it cleaner. It makes for a wrinkly bag, and I have to smooth it out a little, but it seems to help.
Good luck! I know it's frustrating when it happens over and over!