Jump to content
  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Ziploc Brand Vacuum Freezer System


Fat Guy

Recommended Posts

Does it work for the intended purpose?

http://www.ziploc.com/Products/Pages/VacuumFreezerSystem.aspx

And is it useful for sous-vide cooking?

Steven A. Shaw aka "Fat Guy"
Co-founder, Society for Culinary Arts & Letters, sshaw@egstaff.org
Proud signatory to the eG Ethics code
Director, New Media Studies, International Culinary Center (take my food-blogging course)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have the Reynolds system which is similar and it works fine. My only concern is how tough the bags are and if they'll withstand a little battering in the freezer.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

http://www.homehardware.ca/en/rec/index.htm/_/N-67lZ2pqf/Ne-67n/Ntk-All_EN/R-I4434545?Ntt=vac+n+store

I have one of these systems except I'm in Canada and it's called Vac N Store. (I don't know if the link above will work or not.) I'm quite taken with it. I bought a box of frozen croissants at Costco and packaged them in these bags. The bag in the upstairs freezer gets batted about and I've removed croissants from that bag and re-sealed it a number of times. That little pump manages to pump all the air out giving you a very tight seal Also, the bags are re-usable. Hope this helps.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

http://www.homehardware.ca/en/rec/index.htm/_/N-67lZ2pqf/Ne-67n/Ntk-All_EN/R-I4434545?Ntt=vac+n+store

I have one of these systems except I'm in Canada and it's called Vac N Store. (I don't know if the link above will work or not.) I'm quite taken with it. I bought a box of frozen croissants at Costco and packaged them in these bags. The bag in the upstairs freezer gets batted about and I've removed croissants from that bag and re-sealed it a number of times. That little pump manages to pump all the air out giving you a very tight seal Also, the bags are re-usable. Hope this helps.

I just might get one on your say so, Elsie.

Darienne

 

learn, learn, learn...

 

We live in hope. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had one (I think it was the Reynolds brand) and then they discontinued it... I couldn't get the bags anymore, so I eventually pitched it.

I liked mine, though the bags didn't always "hold" in the freezer.

Still, I'm in the midst of a big freezer/pantry cleanout/cook down project. The items we have uncovered that were sealed with the little vacuum thingie have certainly held up better than items in regular freezer zip bags.

I think I'm going to get a FoodSaver, now that I've figured out where I can put it. But, I'd be willing to try this new version of the hand-held type.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As the guy who uses a Presto Kitchen Kettle as his immersion (non)circulator, these looked very attractive to me, even though I already had a Foodsaver. I actually had one in my hand in the grocery store when I thought to look at the refill bags. I saw the price, did some mental calculations, shreiked a little, and quickly put back the $3 hand pump. They kill you on the price of the bags.

The Foodsaver is the same way. But I'm now buying compatible Seal-A-Meal backs for half the price.

I think it would work well for low temp applications - especially if you unexpectedly needed to do sous vide on the road without all of your stuff.

But a reusable air check valve that could be used with any ziplock bag would be a much better product.

Edited by IndyRob (log)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

http://www.homehardware.ca/en/rec/index.htm/_/N-67lZ2pqf/Ne-67n/Ntk-All_EN/R-I4434545?Ntt=vac+n+store

I have one of these systems except I'm in Canada and it's called Vac N Store. (I don't know if the link above will work or not.) I'm quite taken with it. I bought a box of frozen croissants at Costco and packaged them in these bags. The bag in the upstairs freezer gets batted about and I've removed croissants from that bag and re-sealed it a number of times. That little pump manages to pump all the air out giving you a very tight seal Also, the bags are re-usable. Hope this helps.

I just might get one on your say so, Elsie.

Looks like those bags would work with the Reynolds sealer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I havent tried themmin the freezer but for sous videmthey do the job. I have been using them for anyear, i buy and stock them whenni can find a special.

I wouldn't use vacuum bags other for sous vide so an electric pump didnt make sense to me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I use the Ziploc bags for sous vide and they work great...although, if I'm going to be doing something that takes a long time (like 48-hour short ribs), I'll put a piece of tape over the gasket to make sure they don't leak.

I find them handier than foodsaver bags for keeping things in the freezer you'd like to reseal quickly and often. For instance, I keep cubes of veal demi in them so I don't have to bring out the foodsaver to reseal it every time I need to grab one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This photo on the Blog Sous Vide blog shows that the Ziploc vacuum bags actually say "sous vide" on the bags, for what it's worth: http://blogsousvide.com/2010/04/eggs-sousvide-supreme-style/

Steven A. Shaw aka "Fat Guy"
Co-founder, Society for Culinary Arts & Letters, sshaw@egstaff.org
Proud signatory to the eG Ethics code
Director, New Media Studies, International Culinary Center (take my food-blogging course)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This photo on the Blog Sous Vide blog shows that the Ziploc vacuum bags actually say "sous vide" on the bags, for what it's worth: http://blogsousvide.com/2010/04/eggs-sousvide-supreme-style/

Yeah, I always thought it was weird they put that on the bag. I imagine an overwhelming majority of people using them will have no idea what that means, at least in the culinary sense.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I also have a Foodsaver but I found the bags often lost their seal in the freezer. So far, I prefer these vacuum bags. Plus the ones I have state they are re-usable which is a good thing as they are not inexpensive. To you Canadians - where do you buy the Reynolds bags? I checked Canadian Tire & Home Hardware & neither listed them on their web sites. I see the Home Shopping Channel has Debbie Meyer bags that the Reynolds system uses and they are about 1/3 the cost of the bags I have. Course, they don't ship to Canada but there are ways around that...............

(Corrected for spelling)

Edited by ElsieD (log)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I also have a Foodsaver but I found the bags often lost their seal in the freezer. So far, I prefer these vacuum bags. Plus the ones I have state they are re-usable which is a good thing as they are not inexpensive. To you Canadians - where do you buy the Reynolds bags? I checked Canadian Tire & Home Hardware & neither listed them on their web sites. I see the Home Shopping Channel has Debbie Meyer bags that the Reynolds system uses and they are about 1/3 the cost of the bags I have. Course, they don't ship to Canada but there are ways around that...............

(Corrected for spelling)

Back when they were still making the Reynolds system - I'd go down to Buffalo and bring them back. But check out those bags linked to above at Home Hardware and see if they would work with the Reynolds sealer - would save a lot of aggravation getting them from the US.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...