yet another HORRAY for Food Saver.

How do you reheat? I sometimes microwave things in Foodsaver bags, but most often I'll plop the whole unopened bag in hot water sous-vide style.

This is yet another item this forum has made me put on my "list". Costco has a coupon for $30 off that I'm going to use this month.

My Costco FoodSaver has proven to be a great investment. The supply of bags that come with it help to make it an even better value, but Costco sells additional bag rolls at good prices, cheaper than online. I find that I like the narrower bags better than the big ones.

The two main culinary applications are storage (especially freezing) and cooking. Convenience and portion control are also a big deal. There are also economies, as much of the protein I serve now was purchased on sale. Family dinner tonight was pasta with a bag of homemade spaghetti sauce from the freezer; I put it in the spaghetti-boiling water and the frozen sauce warms up as the water comes to temperature. The time for the temp to come up to a good rolling boil with the frozen bag is just enough for me to make and rest fresh pasta before dropping it into the boiling water for the final 2-minute cook.

I also use the FoodSaver canisters (available at Bed Bath & Beyond or Linens-n-Things) for storing dry goods like barley and brown sugar (no more rock-hard lumps!) I've had to replace two of these due to failed seals, though. I have never had a sealed FoodSaver bag break in cooking.

I am a big fan of science in cooking, and view atmosphere and pressure control as just another parameter the thoughtful cook should mindfully select along with ingredients, technique, heat, smoke, etc. Good things happen, and bad things are avoided, when food is kept away from open air. It's like having one more tool in the toolbox, and what guy doesn't appreciate a bigger toolbox? I have even cooked with a nationally recognized chef who had no qualms about tossing FoodSaver bags of vegetables into a pressure cooker.

I do a bit of true sous vide cooking, so I will pass along a FoodSaver technique tip I've developed...

Most references say you can't vacuum bags that have liquid, and you have to freeze your liquids first or the pump in the FoodSaver will be fouled. The FoodSaver does have a liquid trap, and once when I was careless I did get about a tablespoon of liquid in the trap, which was easily removed and cleaned. If your sous vide recipe calls for a cooking liquid (oils, stocks, juices, whatever) in the bag, the usual method is to freeze the liquid into individual portions so you can put blocks of the frozen liquid of choice inside your bags. The alternative in commercial sous vide is to use a chamber vacuum, because it can easily deal with liquids, and those machines start around $1500 and go way, way up from there.

I have a technique that seems to get around this. Instead of laying the bag on the counter in front of the FoodSaver, I let the bag hang over the edge of the counter as it is being vacuumed, and keep an eye open to when the liquid is being drawn up. It helps if you load the bag carefully so the little vent channels embedded in the plastic aren't fouled with fats or oils that impede a good seal. You can also use the pulse mode and stop the vacuum immediately once you see the water column coming up. Works like a charm, give it a try!

Oh, and a Sharpie works just fine for writing the date, the item, and the weight on the bag's white strip. The bag weighs the same frozen as it does before you put it in the freezer, but it's nice to have the weight handy when you're trying to decide which frozen bag(s) to pull for a particular recipe.

Richard Fl wrote:

My local Linen 'N Things is closing next week and have FS #2840 for $140 & #2460 for $98. These prices reflect a 30% reduction. Any comments on which model? TIA

Amazon has the 2840 for $94 here. Even with one of the ubiquitous LNT 20% off coupons, $140 is too high. Tax @ LNT, possibly shipping w/ Amazon, so YMMV.

In re-reading my remarks, I realize that I didn't mention any disadvantages of the FoodSaver, other than my having a couple of accessory canisters fail. One is bulk; the thing takes up too much space on the countertop so I am always sticking a 17x10x15 box in a cabinet. You need an inventory of bags as well, so that's more space consumed. Also, if your goal is savings, keep in mind the bags ain't cheap. Amazon listing shows pre-cut bags at 48 1-quart bags for $25 or 32 1-gallon bags for around the same. If you're spending 50-75 cents per bag that's a stiff hit to portion cost. The rolls of bags may be less but I haven't calculated it out. Bags used for proteins should not be reused according to the mfr. I'm uncertain whether they are rated for microwave use, but FS would be the one to ask (my guess is no). I suppose the bags are slightly more convenient; with a roll you first seal the bottom of the bag then unwind enough to allow for the size you want, so a precut bag with pre-sealed bottom eliminates that step, with the disadvantage of not having a customized size.

I have not used the FS vacuum marinator, as I use a Reveo tumbler vacuum marinator. I'd probably get the FS wine stopper if I could find it, but haven't run across it in any stores, just seen it online as part of a large accessory kit that has lots of stuff I don't need.

There are a lot of FS models out there, as they seem to have tweaked their basic design to come up with cosmetic variations for different vendors, much like the LCD flat screen TV makers have different models at WalMart and Tweeter and so on. Recent models permit storage of one bag roll inside the machine and can be stored standing on edge. I'd say look for three key features:

--a pulse feature, in case you want to vacuum something wet or crushable
--support for accessories (e.g., a canister attachment)
--an optional extra-strength "moist" seal, which I use for everything.

Cosmetics, your call.

Good luck!