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Sous Vide Mishap - advice needed

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CPARKTX
CPARKTX Posts: 2,095
in EggHead Forum
Working on my first sous vide cook, bagged up pork and aromatics in a food saver bag, vacuum sealed it and cooked 11 hours at 185 per recipe...when I lifted the bag out, it poured the contents out into the water...examining it, no rips, it had come cleanly unsealed all the way across. The bag was sealed with the food saver and appeared fine...held the vacuum, etc. Was that long/hot of water enough to unseal the bag?? Bad luck or did I mess something up?
LBGE & SBGE.  Central Texas.  
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  • blasting
    blasting Posts: 6,262
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    Well that sounds like quite a mess.  Did you save it or toss it?

    I've never had a seal let go in the SV.  I'd begun to wonder if double sealing each bag is overkill - apparently not.


    Phoenix 
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  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
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    Sounds like bad luck and a bad seal for what ever reason. I have boiled food saver bags in water with no issues.
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • poster
    poster Posts: 1,171
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    11 hours at 185?? Was it a pork butt or something? Seems pretty hot
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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,731
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    Well that’s a bummer. 

    I’ve never SV’ed at that temp for that length of time, so not sure if the seal will hold up given those parameters. Did you use Foodsaver bags or some other brand? I’ve bought some off brand stuff on Amazon, and occasionally have issues with the bags sealing. Never had that problem with the Foodsaver brand stuff. 

    Also, was the end off the bag clean when sealing i.e. no grease, fat, etc? A tip I picked up here is to fold the end of the bag over to make a cuff, fill the bag, then unroll the end of the bag. That way it stays clean, and should seal properly. 

    If it makes you feel any better, for one of my first SV cooks,  I nearly poisoned myself doing some SV pork chops.  I didn’t quite have a handle on the whole time and temp thing yet :smiley: 

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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  • CPARKTX
    CPARKTX Posts: 2,095
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    Sounds like maybe bad luck, but it was a mess. I was doing a pork but for carnitas, so I saved it and we’ll see how it turns out. 
    LBGE & SBGE.  Central Texas.  
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  • vb4677
    vb4677 Posts: 686
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    poster said:
    11 hours at 185?? Was it a pork butt or something? Seems pretty hot
    Yeah that temp/time combo LEAPT off the screen at me - I bet the FoodSaver bag couldn't handle that heat that long. 
    Kansas City: Too Much City for One State - Missouri side
    2 Large BGE's, Instant Pot, Anova Sous Vide, and a gas smoker...
    Barbeque, Homebrew and Blues...
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  • paqman
    paqman Posts: 4,670
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    I always triple seal 🤷‍♂️

    ____________________
    Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
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  • JohnInCarolina
    JohnInCarolina Posts: 30,943
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    That is a pretty high temp.  Next time just use a larger bag and let it hang over the side of the container.

    Although I’d also suggest seeking out other recipes for SV pork butt.  The recipe I have calls for 170F for 12 hrs.
    "I've made a note never to piss you two off." - Stike
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  • paqman
    paqman Posts: 4,670
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    ...that being said, if you had a good seal to start with, I doubt that it would have failed.   The material fuses together so it can’t break if it was done correctly.  I did some research when I started with sous-vide and foodsaver bags are your best bet.  Many other manufacturers are using different materials that may noy be safe when exposed to fat

    ____________________
    Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    paqman said:
    ...I did some research when I started with sous-vide and foodsaver bags are your best bet.  Many other manufacturers are using different materials that may noy be safe when exposed to fat
    I'm not buying that. Source/link please.

    I had a zip lock bag melt once, in boiling water. Never had an issue when using a vac bag though. My sealer makes a seal that's nearly 1/4" wide so I've never felt the need to double seal.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • paqman
    paqman Posts: 4,670
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    Carolina Q said:
    paqman said:
    ...I did some research when I started with sous-vide and foodsaver bags are your best bet.  Many other manufacturers are using different materials that may noy be safe when exposed to fat
    I'm not buying that. Source/link please.

    I had a zip lock bag melt once, in boiling water. Never had an issue when using a vac bag though. My sealer makes a seal that's nearly 1/4" wide so I've never felt the need to double seal.
    I can guarantee you that not all bags are created equal.   I purchased a pack of cheaper bags and after cooking in them, the plastic was stained with the food that was cooked in it.  Not happening with foodsaver bags.  Some bags have liners of PE, PA and nylon. Different thickness, etc.  Sorry, no link but I think that it was on chowhound or something.  Ater that, I sticked to foodsaver.

    ____________________
    Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
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  • paqman
    paqman Posts: 4,670
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    same goes with saran wrap VS other brands

    ____________________
    Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
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  • CPARKTX
    CPARKTX Posts: 2,095
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    Well I confirmed that it was actual Food Saver brand bags, actually not bags but the big roll that goes in the sealer and cuts to size. As to the time and temp, I was following a recipe from Serious Eats that called for 185 for 8-16 hours. 
    LBGE & SBGE.  Central Texas.  
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  • CPARKTX
    CPARKTX Posts: 2,095
    edited February 2019
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    Here was the initial setup

    LBGE & SBGE.  Central Texas.  
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  • Hotch
    Hotch Posts: 3,564
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    I have had a few bags (don't use the rolls anymore) that the side seal was not good. Both Food Saver and FoodVacBags. But they never held from the first seal. One out of a couple of hundred is not bad odds. I just got in the habit of a double seal. 
    Large BGE, MiniMAX BGE, 2 Mini BGE's, R&V Fryer, 36" Blackstone Griddle, Camp Chef Dual Burner 40K BTU Stove
    BGE Chiminea
    Prosper, TX
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  • Canugghead
    Canugghead Posts: 11,512
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    I could be out of touch, but AFAIK Foodsaver bags/rolls have patented crisscross diamond pattern air channels. 
    canuckland
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