Vacuum Sealing Jars

[illini40]

Hello

I have a Foodsaver vacuum sealer, with the mason jar attachment. This allows you to vacuum seal jars.

Does anyone use the jar vacuum sealing method?

What do you seal?

If I’m following correctly, vacuum sealing is not the same as true canning. So, I’m trying to understand if it does actually help preserve/etc, or if it just seal things better but not actually making them shelf stable.

 

[spencer rifle]

We use ours to seal dried fruit, vegetables and mushrooms. Doesn't replace water bath or pressure canning. Works best for dried stuff - whole grains and the previously mentioned stuff.

 

[bwframe]

Yep, everything that comes out of the dehydrator goes into a vac sealed ball jar of some size. It pays to have both sizes of attachments.

Herbs work well in pint jars. Tomato and pumpkin fruit leathers rolled in half gallons or quarts. Onions, sweet corn, peppers, they all store well this way.

 

[Roadman]

We like to make venison jerky and then vacuum seal and freeze a few bags for longer term storage. We also do a couple of jars with the plan of consuming the jerky within a month. Funny how we have yet to have any of these jars last longer than a few days.

 

[Dave A]

I used to buy up to 10 lbs. of coffee beans when they would go on sale and vacuum seal in quart jars. But I got out of the habit of using whole beans and prepping coffee in general.
If you use brown sugar in seems not to clump up as bad when stored in a vacuum sealed jar.

 

[illini40]

Thanks for all of the replies. For the comments on dried fruits and vegetables, how are you drying stuff? Once it is dried and then vacuum sealed, is it very shelf stable?

 

[bwframe]

I've had peppers and tomatoes shelved for years. Tomatoes are better tasting sooner that later, but don't necessarily go bad.

I put in oxygen absorber packets for big jars and or longer term storage.

 

[dprimm]

I've had peppers and tomatoes shelved for years. Tomatoes are better tasting sooner that later, but don't necessarily go bad.

I put in oxygen absorber packets for big jars and or longer term storage.

how did you prep the tomatoes?

 

[bwframe]

I've sliced tomatoes in years past, but have gotten away from that. I'll still do cherry tomatoes sliced, if I figure a need or can work them into a snack. Bite sized from the start makes them handy, on top of being inherently sweet.

I prefer tomato leathers rolled up. I can work them into a lot of things. Take the place of tomato paste. They are also simple and low labor. Into the VitaMix with some herbs and a smidge of thickener, then onto the dehydrator sheet.

One full sized tomato roll (2 after I cut them to fit in the qt jar,) into 5oz of bone broth, topped off with heavy cream. Makes a better than Campbells tomato soup that is way better for you. Season according to your taste or maybe not at all?

 

[MRockwell]

Thanks for all of the replies. For the comments on dried fruits and vegetables, how are you drying stuff? Once it is dried and then vacuum sealed, is it very shelf stable?

I dry in a nesco food dehydrator. I have 8 trays that I use. Some fruits take longer than others, I go by the book that came with the unit.

When in season, I get peaches from a friend who has an orchard and dehydrate about half of what I get...the rest get sliced and frozen. I do the same for sweet cherries- buy them in season, pit them, and dehydrate. Apples are another I like to do. Most all of what I dry is vacuum sealed in bags and stored in the freezer or refrigerator. I have some peaches that are at least 6 years old, and they are fine. Cherries don't last that long(because I eat them too fast), but I like to mix them with peanuts and dark chocolate m&m's for trail mix. Dried apples are great for putting in oatmeal. It's easier to dice them up after they are dried.

Oh, peaches and apples get dunked in lemon water before drying- keeps them from turning brown.

 

[dprimm]

I prefer tomato leathers rolled up. I can work them into a lot of things. Take the place of tomato paste. They are also simple and low labor. Into the VitaMix with some herbs and a smidge of thickener, then onto the dehydrator sheet.

One full sized tomato roll (2 after I cut them to fit in the qt jar,) into 5oz of bone broth, topped off with heavy cream. Makes a better than Campbells tomato soup that is way better for you. Season according to your taste or maybe not at all?

Ok. This made the “gotta try” list.

I hate buying tomato paste. Since we don’t can (we freeze) our marinara we need to thicken it upon thawing.

We do our own bone broth, so the soup sounds tasty.

Here is hoping the tomato’s perform in the new raised beds.

 

[bwframe]

We'll have to top it off tomorrow...