Seal

[Ben]

Just received my bags! Super excited to start the aging.

I’m using a v2430, a new model. Was wondering if i should seal both ends of the bag as opposed to only one before i vacuum seal it.?

Also this machine (v2430) has only a Vac/seal button and a seal button. I’m a little concerned that it won’t suck all the air out by pushing the Vac/seal button.

All suggestions are welcomed.

[Ron Pratt]

Ben – Welcome aboard!!!

You should have received a sample bag in your shipment which was meant to be used for testing and getting to know how your sealer will act with the thinner Drybag material. Please test several times and don’t get upset with your first seal if it doesn’t work right! I must have practiced on my first bag 6 or 7 times. I’m not familiar with your model 2340, but I know that Food Saver changes model numbers about as often as most people change their shorts! You didn’t mention having purchased a sealing strip called a Vac-mouse which makes using a FS with a Drybag much easier. OTOH here is a YouTube 5 minute instruction video I made to do the trick. This was done on a model 2240, but I just imagine it is quite similar to your 2340. BTW I have an older model 1050 and FS hasn’t changed a whole lot over the years!

Feel free to ask questions! Ron

[Ron Pratt]

quote Ben” post=3073:

Was wondering if i should seal both ends of the bag as opposed to only one before i vacuum seal it.?

.

I’m not quite sure what you mean – the bags are just that – bags meaning one end is already sealed – OTOH maybe you meant to seal one end and then cut the other end open and seal from the other direction. I would NOT do that. What you want to do is to massage as much air out of the bag as you can before starting the sealing process – that will help greatly. There are several other tricks posted elsewhere – one is to even take a soda straw and carefully suck air out of the bag after massaging it. Or the trick of submersing the air into a vessel of water which will push air out as well.

Ron

[Ben]

what i meant was, a corner seal. I noticed some videos do one corner seal before they Vac/sealed it completely.

I forgot to mention that i did order the Vac-mouse and will be using them. So I assume i wont be needing the sleeves you demonstrated on the video?

And yes our machines are very much alike, same functions.

[Ron Pratt]

Ben – the corner sealing is the suggested method when using the Sinbo brand snorkel vacuum machine. You do not need to do that using the Vac-Mouse strips with the Food Saver – though some people do. BTW as I suggested make some practice seals – you can get several tests out of just one bag and one Vac-Mouse. There are a lot of other helpful hints on the forum which you might want to at least scan for topics. I made that video before the Vac-Mouse was created so yes it is different, but I had recommended that to you as I thought you had not received the V-M. Ron

[Ben]

I have a clear idea now on what to do. I think the key is to practice the seal and make sure that you give it another seal right after.
Also just let the food saver do its work while massaging the meat and most importantly use the vac-mouse.

thanks Ron!

[Dr. Frederick Howard]

Ron,

Your post on sealing was most interesting as usual. I did not know that it was not necessary to seal a corner when using the Vac-mouse. Now I know, but it worked very well with the corner seal. Next time I will do it without. As you are an old hand at this, you know that my anxiety is growing by the day, close but yet so far away. Since I cut the sirloin in half, I may opt to unseal one at the 28 day mark (next Saturday) just for comparison with the 45 day Rib Eye and Sirloin. Man, I am trying my best to hold on. BTW, your previous suggestions have worked to perfection – Thanks!

Doc

[Ron Pratt]

LOL- You are welcome! Is there a reason that you want to cut the sirloin at the young age of just 28 days? Being a large piece like it is it can easily age longer and therefore benefit more from a longer dry aging that say a NY loin or a rib eye. My present sirloin won’t reach 45 days until Nov 19th and the only reason I’ll take it out then is that will be Monday of Thanksgiving week and we’ll need the refrigerator space! Ron

[Dr. Frederick Howard]

Ron,

What I did was cut a 14# plus sirloin in half to fit the bags that I had left – remember, I burst a bag trying to fit it into (I hadn’t read your post on measuring the bag and meat). There is no magic with 28 days, just anxiety on my part. I was talking myself into doing it earlier because I am so stoked in having a dry aged steak at my disposal and I do have two sirloin pieces in addition to a whole rib eye. If I can ignore my meat locker, I can wait. My 45 days will be up on the 20th of November, but man its going to be hard. Maybe on the next go-round I’ll have more patience as by then I will have several steaks at my immediate disposal in the freezer.

Doc

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