The Original Dry Bag Steak | Make Artisan Dry Age Steak at Home › Forums › UMAi Dry® Sealing › Sealing Questions › (HELP) Rookie concern and problem~
- This topic has 26 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 5 years, 11 months ago by
Zach Emerson.
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January 6, 2014 at 8:52 am #1813
Sean Lee
MemberDear all,
I received the dry bags weeks ago, but I did not check the package carefully until yesterday I started to dry age sirloin that I purchased from Costco.
( 1x Sampler packet UMAi DrybagSteak + VacMouse (8 pc.) + 1x Combo Packet UMAi DrybagSteak + VacMouse Item #: CMBVMRTL)
Two problems I have encountered during the sealing process, I hope someone can give me some advice.
1) I’m using FoodSaver 2450 with the UMAi Dry bag, but the seal seems very loose and unsecured comparing to the ordinary FoodSaver vacuum bag. The sealer can be easy opened just simply move the meat a little bit. Is it normal? I did fallow the steps as shown in the instruction video. How do I know I got a good seal ?
Also, someone suggested in other thread that should let seal rest for more couple more second on the sealing bar.
2) I could not find VacMouse anywhere in the deliver package. 🙁 Since I have already started the dry age process, and put the meat in the bag, is there other anyway to vacuum without using the VacMouse?
I tried last night without a VacMouse, I was not able to get good seals and many air pocket in the bag. I tried to let the meat to have much contact with the dry bag as possible. I am kind of worry that I would waste beef. Therefore, I will try to re-do the sealing again tonight after you guys suggestions. Hope everything will go smooth this time.
Thank you
January 6, 2014 at 10:14 am #7652Jim
MemberHi RiceBear,
The seal on UMAi Dry is different than on regular Foodsaver bags. You should have received the VacMouse adapters with your order, if you didn’t and you already started aging, you could try using the method in this video that our forum moderator Ron has made a while back.
Otherwise, you will need to get the VacMouse adapters to make a good seal. Make sure you are using the “moist” setting on your Foodsaver V2450, the good news is that it is a great model to seal UMAi Dry with.
The last piece of advice is to put the piece of beef you have meat side down on a wire rack and ensure that most of the surface is adhered to the bag. After 4-5 days the bag will adhere to the meat and eventually after your aging time 21-28 days will yield good results.
January 6, 2014 at 12:22 pm #7653MemberI ordered the Umai dry bags package while I was in USA few weeks ago, and now I’m not in USA any more. It would be too much trouble to ask Umai to mail to me.
I guess I will use the alternative way (as shown in the video) for this time~
thank you for ur info
January 6, 2014 at 8:49 pm #7655MemberIf you end up using this method, after making the first seal try to make a second seal above the piece of Foodsaver bag UMAi Dry to UMAi Dry also to make the seal secure.
January 7, 2014 at 11:52 am #7657MemberI still have problem sealing the Umai dry bag! It seems it won’t adhere or glue between umai
January 8, 2014 at 1:08 am #7658Ron Pratt
MemberSean,
Does your FS seal FS bags OK? If so there must be something else going on that it isn’t sealing the UMAi bag. If anything there would be more chance of melting through a UMAi bag than not sealing it.As a fall back for now just take a drinking straw or a piece of tubing and suck the air out of the bag as best you can and then seal it quickly with a bread bag twisty!
RonJanuary 14, 2014 at 5:29 pm #7677MemberDear Ron,
I have no problem getting a perfect seal with FS bags, but I still could not get seal with Umai bags.
Maybe there is a problem with my FS machine which sealing temperature is set too low???Now, I am trying to dry the meat without good seals, many air pocket can observed. So far the meat looks okay.
BTW, since I re-bag (with a new bag) after a night, the Umai bag actually did not stick to the meat that well due to the relative dry meat surface. Therefore, I don’t recommend others to re-bag after a day!!
Maybe I will try to post a picture later,
January 15, 2014 at 2:29 am #7681MemberSean,
Sorry to hear of your problems, but some air pockets should not cause a problem…stuff happens. With fear of sounding like a broken record I will repeat again my suggestion to take one bag and practice sealing with it multiple times until you get the hang of it and how your particular FS is going to react to sealing. You know the drill…seal, inspect, cut off that seal and do it again. I think I sealed my first bag 6 or 7 times, which is a lot better than wasting 6 or 7 bags.Then in the future if you still can’t get your 2450 to draw down a good vacuum PLUS seal it then I recommend what I had suggested in an earlier reply to you of using a straw or tubing, a good set of lungs and even a spare pair of hands and suck and push the air out of the bag and then quickly seal it with a bread twisty! One word of caution though make sure you don’t blow into the bag!
RonJanuary 15, 2014 at 2:56 am #7683Thea
KeymasterSean,
If I could not get 75-80% of the meat surface in good contact with UMAi Dry though massaging the air out, my preference would be to dunk the whole thing into a sink or stock pot filled with water–leaving the opening above the water level. The waters does a better job of pushing the UMAi Dry into good contact with the meat surface. From there, Ron’s suggestion with the tie wrap or twist tie is excellent.Just remember, this is not a vacuum bag, so you must not have the same expectations for sealing–nor the same worries if there are air pockets. With just that 75-80% contact and bond with the meat, you can achieve excellent results.
Furthermore, the meat will shrink away from the meat surface over the course of aging, so you will find air gaps occur inevitably.
Hope this helps!
BagLady
aka TheaJanuary 15, 2014 at 9:36 pm #7684Anonymous
GuestDear,
This is Sean, my acct has been blocked cuz I tried to post photo linksso far the meat looks okay.
pics of the bag
http :// i.imgur.com/xw957qv.jpg[/IMG]
http :// i.imgur.com/9cGDU44.jpg[/IMG]January 15, 2014 at 10:30 pm #7686Memberquote ricebear1977″ post=4788:Dear,
This is Sean, my acct has been blocked cuz I tried to post photo linksso far the meat looks okay.
pics of the bag
http :// i.imgur.com/xw957qv.jpg[/IMG]
http :// i.imgur.com/9cGDU44.jpg[/IMG]Sean, there was something in your two attempts to post that triggered our spam blocker to activate. Your two pictures can be viewed by clicking on them. Ron
January 15, 2014 at 10:44 pm #7687MemberSean,
Furthermore I just checked and all 3 of your registrations are active and not blocked. So you can still use RiceBear, RiceBear0527 or now this newest of ricebear1977. RonFebruary 3, 2014 at 11:11 pm #7761MemberDear All,
Thanks all for your great assistance!
Its been 28 days. Here is the result even I did not get a perfect sealing.
http:// postimg.org/image/xk8bo9bg9/
http:// http://www.freeimagehosting.net/j3x2f
It looks pretty good!!BTW, I ordered VacMouse, Hope my next attempt will be even better
February 4, 2014 at 5:07 am #7762MemberLooks GOOD, Sean! The meat has a nice marbling. and looks perfectly aged! Now enjoy your efforts! Ron
February 4, 2014 at 5:17 am #7763Jason
MemberI’m having somewhat of a similar problem with my food saver V3230.
Have you had a chance to cook a steak? How
Did they tastes ? -
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