Vacuum Sealer Issues
 

Hi Everyone,
I've noticed with a lot of the deer and hog meat I've processed in the past year, there are now air pockets and in many cases ice or freezer burn on a good bit of my meat. I'm wondering if it's something I'm doing wrong, or maybe I have a lemon sealer. I'm using the Foodsaver Big Game and I've only had it for a couple of years. Wondering if anybody has had similar issues in the past or any tips and best practices how to ensure my meat is 100% protected. Thanks again.

If the air gets sucked out, bag sucked tight, and still that way, when you take it out of freezer, I would think sealer is ok. Problems with sealers I have had, is getting a good seal, so it will stop sucking and seal.

Most of the time when I have had sealing problems it is due to not drying the meat well before placing it in the bag. The moisture gets sucked into the sealing area and the heat bar never gets the plastic hot enough to make a good seal. I hope this helps.

Thanks
Mr-Pirk

If meat is wet I will throw it on cookie trays and freeze for a couple hours and then seal it. Wet setting or not, the bags do not seal correctly if water gets in the seal.

Food save makes pre-made bags that have some absorbent material just in front of where the seal takes place so that if the contents are wet the water gets caught in that material. I used them once but didn't like them. Liquid has never been an issue with me. Like others said just make sure the meat is dry.

I have been using food saver for years and I probably get a 95% success rate with my sealing. Seems that sometimes a small portion of them will leak over time. I always buy the food saver bags an do not buy any off brand or cheap versions of the sealing bags.

Good post and replies. My first year with a new Food Saver.

I've had a few with liquid coming out during the sealing process. I will take better care to keep it dry or semi-frozen.

If I am sealing anything with visible moisture or the chance of pulling moisture into the sealing area I cut some paper toweling just wide enough to fit above the meat but not into the area of the seal, and then seal. The toweling will slip out when you open the bag to use what's inside but doesn't affect the meat or whatever is inside. I seal my smoked salmon using this method and its a life saver.

My butcher places some kind of absorbent material, some kind of cloth it looks like, in the bag, about 4 inch wide strip around the meat before he vacuum packs the meat. I have never had an unsealed package in many many years of using his service. However, I am sure hos commercial vacuum machine is much better than the average household unit.

I put all my meat in the freezer for a few hours before sealing. Have not had any problems.