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vac
2
Pac vacuum Sealing Basics
Vacuum sealing is an easy and convenient way
to help preserve the freshness of your food.
Vacuum sealing is not intended to replace
refrigeration or freezing.
Foods that normally require refrigeration
(below 4°C) or freezing (-17°C) even when
vacuum sealed, should still be refrigerated or
frozen. Vacuum sealing will help retain your
food’s flavour, colour and texture. It may not
stop the growth of certain kinds of bacteria
and yeast fermentation. Vacuum sealing is not
a substitute for heat preserving or canning.
Vacuum sealing cannot restore or revive food
that is past its prime.
Note
Do not serve or consume food that has an
odour, texture, or appearance of food that has
gone bad.
Freezing
Vacuum sealing helps prevent freezer burn
by removing the air in a bag. There are other
ways to further extend the life of food in your
freezer.
Placement (storage)
The back of a freezer has a more constant
temperature than areas near the door of a
freezer. Delicate foods which may thaw easily
should be kept at the back of the freezer.
Thawing food
For best results, thaw frozen foods in a
refrigerator. Never thaw raw meats, fish, dairy,
or poultry at room temperature.
Thawing by microwave may affect the texture
of foods. If thawing by microwave, begin
cooking process immediately after thawing, to
prevent bacteria growth.
Microwaving and simmering
Vac
2
Pac bags are microwave and simmer
safe. To microwave or simmer, open the zipper
top bag slightly so that steam can escape
and place directly into the microwave, or in a
saucepan of boiling water to simmer.
Once bags are used in microwave or cooked
in a pot, they should not be re-used.
Note
Soups and sauces
To vacuum seal soups and sauces, pour liquid
in bag and leave at least 5cm of space at the
top of the bag. Do not vacuum seal at this
point. Place filled bag upright in freezer and
allow liquid to freeze. Remove frozen bag and
then proceed to vacuum seal it.
If you only require small amounts of stock or
other liquids, you can pre-freeze in ice cube
trays and use as much or as little as you
wish. Try vacuum sealing the ice cubes, in
advance to save time and freezer burn.
TIP
Fruit
For best results many fruits can be frozen
before vacuum sealing. Wash and dry fruit.
Then spread on a tray or cookie sheet. Place
the cooking sheet in the freezer for about 2
hours, then transfer fruit to a Vac
2
Pac bag and
vacuum seal.
vac
2
Pac vacuum Sealing Basics
continued
vegetables
Frozen vegetables sometimes turn black if they
are not blanched before freezing. To blanch
vegetables, fill a 1 litre pot with water and
bring to a boil. Also, fill a large bowl with ice
water and have a colander or strainer on hand.
Add vegetable to boiling water and cook for
the times suggested. Vegetables should retain
a vibrant colour and remain crisp and ‘under
cooked’.
Remove from boiling water and plunge into
ice water until completely chilled. Drain as
necessary, dry, and transfer to a bag for
vacuum sealing.
vegetable blanching guide
FOOD
BlANCHING
TIME
Broccoli florets – trimmed
3-4 minutes
Carrots – will depend on size
and maturity
Start checking
at 5 minutes
Cauliflower florets – trimmed
3-4 minutes
Corn on the cob
6-10 minutes
Green beans
3-4 minutes
Herbs – fresh
15 seconds
Leafy greens such as spinach
1-2 minutes
Peas (shelled)
1-2 minutes
Sugar snap peas
3-4 minutes
Summer squash – sliced
3-4 minutes
Cruciferous vegetables
Because of the gasses they emit over time,
cruciferous vegetables should be kept in the
freezer rather than refrigerator after vacuum
sealing. These vegetables include broccoli,
cabbages and Brussel sprouts, cauliflower,
collards, kale, kohlrabi, rutabagas and turnips.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms need to breathe and should
never be sealed in plastic. The best way to
store mushrooms is to place them in a brown
paper sandwich bag and keep them in the
refrigerator.
Meat, fish & poultry
For best results, wash poultry and fish and
gently pat dry with a clean paper towel.
Beef, veal, lamb and pork should be patted dry
with clean paper towel.
This extra step saves you time when you are
ready to cook and also helps to maintain good
moisture levels and shape. For best results,
pre-freeze prior to vacuum sealing for 1-2
hours to retain the moisture and shape of the
meat.
If refrigerating without freezing first, you
should also insert a paper towel into the bag
and over each side of the meat before vacuum
sealing to absorb excess moisture and juices.
Vacuum sealing may cause meat to darken.
This is due to the removal of oxygen and
does not indicate spoilage.
Note
Do not reuse Vac
2
Pac bags after using with
raw meat, fish or poultry or after Vac
2
Pac
bag has been heated, that is, microwaved or
simmered.
Note
Ground coffee & other powdery foods
Due to the small particle-like nature of ground
coffee, it may be necessary to wrap a paper
towel around the coffee being vacuum sealed,
or, you can place the coffee in a bag or the
original packaging prior to vacuum sealing.
BVP500_VACPAC_SEALER_FA.indd 12-13
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