First time using the dry age bags!!

[Michael J Schueler]

Hey guys!

First time using the umai bags, even though I’m about a week late in checking in.

Started my first age process Saturday before last (12 January). I have a 19lb ribeye boneless roast.

I’m am a little worried about the air pockets at this point. One entire sidehad complete coverage and a little more than 2/3rds of the other side has good coverage. There is a rather large ish air pocket on one side, and the sides are still soft. The rest of the loin is developing a nice bark (is that the right word?).

[Ron Pratt]

WHAT IF I NOTICE THAT THE VACUUM HAS BEEN LOST?

UMAi Dry® is not a vacuum bag, and is significantly more oxygen permeable. Ensure that you have the meat resting meat side down, fat cap up on the open wire rack. If you have not achieved a perfect vacuum, particularly if you have some small amount of air in the corners of the bag or in the divots when the bones have been cut from a ribeye, for instance, never fear. You will have good, consistent dry aging results with only 70 to 80% of the meat surface bonded.

However, if you notice within the first day or two that more than 25 to 30% of the meat has not maintained contact with the UMAi Dry® material, you should repeat the application with the vacuum sealer, ensuring the surface of the meat is moist to achieve the bond.

Ron

[Michael J Schueler]

http://imgur.com/a/LcFR3Te

Here are a few pictures. The one side has completely adhered but it pretty wet still (this side is facing down). The other side has not adhered like the first one and has air pockets, but is laying on the meat itself.

Not she if I should rebag or suck the excess air out through a straw and seal the hole with scotch tape?

Thanks for your input!!

[Ron Pratt]

First of all, I would not re-bag it!

If I were you then yes I would cut a small hole in “air pocket” side and carefully massage the air down to the end where you cut the hole. Then insert a straw or piece of tubing to suck out the remaining air – and then tape the hole shut.
Ron

[Clint Myshrall]

I have gone through 3 vac sealers and about 4 UMAi bags with 5 vacmous strips. Every time it goes to seal the bag fill back up with air. I’m about done with these bags. Can any one help?! I have done EVERYTHING to get this right, 45° seal on the corner, massage the air out…nothing works.

[Ron Pratt]

Sorry to hear of your frustration. I wish you would have just used your first bag to learn how your particular model of FS would going to work rather than to go through all 4 bags. Personally I must have sealed my first bag 7 or 8 times until I got the hang of it.

Some air pockets are unavoidable and as long as you have 75 to 80% of the bag adhering to the meat that is fine.

You don’t even need a sealer as a perfect vacuum is not necessary! In fact what you can do is place the moist meat into the bag and then using your hands press the bag against the meat while forcing out as much air and not leaving any air pockets. Then at the open end insert a drinking straw or a piece of tubing in and then grab the bag tightly around the straw or tubing and finish sucking out as much air as you can. When done quickly remove the straw or tubing and tightly close the end using a bread twisty.
Ron

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