Need a better vaccume sealer

[MSTjossem]

I raise and butcher 75 Cornish cross every year. Been doing this for almost 10 years and I've had a total of 3 food saver vacuum sealers. I always run into an issue with them not sealing after a while. Sometimes it's a couple years, other times it's after a single bag is done. I make sure the machine is clean and the area the bags make contact with for sealing are clean and dry and still the same results. This year I was gifted a food saver v4400. Did 30 birds Friday night and sealed them all up and it was amazing. Went to finish the rest the next afternoon and I had troubles from the get go. Am I overworking these machines? If so, does anyone have any experience with a more high end sealer? I'd like to stay in the 500 dollar range if I buy something else. My 2 older ones still technically work and I could run all 3 if I got them going properly, but if the same issues show up again, I mightwellspend the money on something a bit tougher.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

I raise and butcher 75 Cornish cross every year. Been doing this for almost 10 years and I've had a total of 3 food saver vacuum sealers. I always run into an issue with them not sealing after a while. Sometimes it's a couple years, other times it's after a single bag is done. I make sure the machine is clean and the area the bags make contact with for sealing are clean and dry and still the same results. This year I was gifted a food saver v4400. Did 30 birds Friday night and sealed them all up and it was amazing. Went to finish the rest the next afternoon and I had troubles from the get go. Am I overworking these machines? If so, does anyone have any experience with a more high end sealer? I'd like to stay in the 500 dollar range if I buy something else. My 2 older ones still technically work and I could run all 3 if I got them going properly, but if the same issues show up again, I mightwellspend the money on something a bit tougher.

Do you freeze your meat before sealing? Freezing before sealing has been a total game changer although it does take a little more time. I just use a FoodSaver and have had it for three to four years now. It cost me $85. I lay it all out on a baking tray lined with wax paper, freeze until 75-90% frozen, then seal. It also makes for a higher quality end product and if you ever needed just some of the meat, like four thighs when there are eight in a package, for example, you can easily separate what you need, and reseal the bag to use the rest later without thawing.

 

[iwltfum]

Heat shrink bags work so much better for whole chickens in my opinion. They are no more expensive than rolls of vac seal bags (potentially less expensive) and all you need is a pot of almost boiling water (180-190F) Dip them in for about 2-3 seconds and the plastic shrinks up around the chicken. Texas Poultry Shrink Bags is a great resource for them.

 

[Molpet]

Sounds like you need new gaskets

 

[MSTjossem]

Forgot to mention I quarter almost all of my birds. For anything whole, I take it to a meat market a friend works at and they so whole birds pretty cheap, but I may look into those bags anyway because I wouldn't have to leave the house for any of the processing.

I've not replaced gaskets on my new one but will give that a shot.

I've also not tried pre-freezing but may go e that a shot next year.

Thank you for the replies

 

[humblehillsfarm]

I've also not tried pre-freezing but may go e that a shot next year.

I've found you suck up some juices which gives a much lower seal rate if you don't freeze. I freeze every single thing I vacuum seal now, before sealing it.

I'd be interested to hear which change works, or if you do both! Good luck.

 

[Isadora]

I have an expensive vacuum sealer, not under your $500 price point, unfortunately. It works amazing, though. So far, we've done about 150 birds with it, that's cutting up all the individual pieces of meat, I do very few whole birds. I also use it daily to freeze extra milk for when our cow goes dry later this year. Also some veggies. It's a vacmaster.

 

[Molpet]

Do you freeze your meat before sealing? Freezing before sealing has been a total game changer although it does take a little more time. I just use a FoodSaver and have had it for three to four years now. It cost me $85. I lay it all out on a baking tray lined with wax paper, freeze until 75-90% frozen, then seal. It also makes for a higher quality end product and if you ever needed just some of the meat, like four thighs when there are eight in a package, for example, you can easily separate what you need, and reseal the bag to use the rest later without thawing.

How long does it take to freeze 70%? Probably a lot of variables, like freezer temp, how much meat, how full, how cold meat is.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

How long does it take to freeze 70%? Probably a lot of variables, like freezer temp, how much meat, how full, how cold meat is.

I would only do about 4 chickens from fridge to freezer at a time. It's been a year since I packaged chicken, but the average weight of each bird was around 6-7 lbs, most were broken down to breast, tenderloin, wings, whole legs, or drumsticks and thighs. For each cut, laid on 1-2 trays, it took about 60-90 minutes. But usually I just cut some, put them in the freezer, worked on cutting some more, took a lunch break, vacuumed what had partially frozen, then repeat. I don't recall needing to wait much between batches. It definitely helped reduce the strain on the freezer too. Once vacuum sealed, I put them in my garage freezer with fridge. I laid the trays on top of my deep freeze.

 

[Molpet]

I would only do about 4 chickens from fridge to freezer at a time. It's been a year since I packaged chicken, but the average weight of each bird was around 6-7 lbs, most were broken down to breast, tenderloin, wings, whole legs, or drumsticks and thighs. For each cut, laid on 1-2 trays, it took about 60-90 minutes. But usually I just cut some, put them in the freezer, worked on cutting some more, took a lunch break, vacuumed what had partially frozen, then repeat. I don't recall needing to wait much between batches. It definitely helped reduce the strain on the freezer too. Once vacuum sealed, I put them in my garage freezer with fridge. I laid the trays on top of my deep freeze.

About how I process, except I just do 2, part out as I go and then put in fridge until rigor has passed. I freeze all white or dark and eat the other during the week. So this should work for me, thanks.