# Vacuumpacking crunchy dehydrated potatoes



## NicoleG (Apr 28, 2012)

Hi all you expert vacuumpackers (is that a word?)

This is my first time using my foodsaver for these little crunchy bits.

I'm worried about the bag piercing...should I have done something else to vacuum them?

Any advice would be great!

Nicole


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## OldCootHillbilly (Jul 9, 2010)

Yeah, ya can get leaks vacuum packagin that pokey stuff.

What I figure out fer my hardtack (guranteed ta poke a hole in that bag!) was ta buy them cheap plastic food containers. They come in lots a sizes. I put stuff in em, put the lid under the container an vac seal the whole works. If the container be perty well full it don't deform to bad an then when ya wanna use it, ya got a container ta store any ya don't use in.

Otherwise ya can wrap it up in clear wrap helps to.


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## NicoleG (Apr 28, 2012)

Thank you 

I'm going to watch the bag for a few days and see if I have to reseal it using a different method.

I've heard of using a paper towel to line the bag but that seems a bit wasteful...guess I could use the towel to clean up. !



OldCootHillbilly said:


> Yeah, ya can get leaks vacuum packagin that pokey stuff.
> 
> What I figure out fer my hardtack (guranteed ta poke a hole in that bag!) was ta buy them cheap plastic food containers. They come in lots a sizes. I put stuff in em, put the lid under the container an vac seal the whole works. If the container be perty well full it don't deform to bad an then when ya wanna use it, ya got a container ta store any ya don't use in.
> 
> Otherwise ya can wrap it up in clear wrap helps to.


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## ReadyMom (Feb 25, 2011)

NicoleG said:


> Thank you
> 
> I'm going to watch the bag for a few days and see if I have to reseal it using a different method.
> 
> I've heard of using a paper towel to line the bag but that seems a bit wasteful...guess I could use the towel to clean up. !


Think of it as another way to store paper towels, like you said. I store empty juice and soda bottle in big black trash bags. I figure now I have empty containers that are ready to fill with water PLUS I have the trash bags stored, as well. -k


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## neldarez (Apr 10, 2011)

NicoleG said:


> Hi all you expert vacuumpackers (is that a word?)
> 
> This is my first time using my foodsaver for these little crunchy bits.
> 
> ...


Hi there Nicole, I have vac. packed dried pineapple and green beans ( not together) and I have had them make holes in my bags, what I do now is I vac. pack right until its almost done and then I shut it off and seal. I've not had any problems that way, I did that with all of my potatoes because I didn't want them crushed. Just stop short and it works great.


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## NicoleG (Apr 28, 2012)

neldarez said:


> Hi there Nicole, I have vac. packed dried pineapple and green beans ( not together) and I have had them make holes in my bags, what I do now is I vac. pack right until its almost done and then I shut it off and seal. I've not had any problems that way, I did that with all of my potatoes because I didn't want them crushed. Just stop short and it works great.


Thank you  I'll play with the sealer and see if I can. I just hit the button and it does both...not sure how to stop short.

I'm also going to try to put them in a paperbag first..and see if that helps. I imagine it will and I can use the bag for firestarter if need be ! No waste!


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## neldarez (Apr 10, 2011)

NicoleG said:


> Thank you  I'll play with the sealer and see if I can. I just hit the button and it does both...not sure how to stop short.
> 
> I'm also going to try to put them in a paperbag first..and see if that helps. I imagine it will and I can use the bag for firestarter if need be ! No waste!


My vac. sealer has a vac/seal button but also has a seal only button, I hit the vac/seal until it reaches where I want then I hit that button again and it stops, I then hit the seal button. I do many things that way so they won't be crushed....good luck to you!


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## NicoleG (Apr 28, 2012)

neldarez said:


> My vac. sealer has a vac/seal button but also has a seal only button, I hit the vac/seal until it reaches where I want then I hit that button again and it stops, I then hit the seal button. I do many things that way so they won't be crushed....good luck to you!


Ok..I'm trying that ! Mine has the same buttons. I didn't realize you could stop the process...woohoooo


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

I sometimes double bag foods that may poke holes in the bags, I also have used paper towels and even used pieces of cardboard(tagboard).

I gave up on trying to vacuum seal potatoes though. I settled on putting 5 gallon sized ziplock bags inside 5 gallon buckets and and letting it go at that.


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## Jezcruzen (Oct 21, 2008)

I take a different tack.

I dehydrated about 10lbs (wet wt.) of frozen vegetables this past week. I store the dehydrated results in mylar bags having a zip-loc seal. I throw in a 200cc O2 absorber, squeeze the extra air out while zipping the closure, then heat seal the edge. In a day or two the O2 absorber has vacuum packed the bag.

I've had too many of my vacuum packed bags leak after a while. Considering the cost of a roll of vacuum bags, buying the mylar in bulk is probably just as inexpensive.


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## partdeux (Aug 3, 2011)

vacuum seal in a canning jar?


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## OldCootHillbilly (Jul 9, 2010)

partdeux said:


> vacuum seal in a canning jar?


Yup, some foodsaver models have a vacuum port on em. Ya hook a hose on there an ta the special cover what goes over the jar rim. Put the standard lid on the jar, pop the adapter over it an vacuum.

I use it fer lots a my dehydrated veggies an such.


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## Ezmerelda (Oct 17, 2010)

partdeux said:


> vacuum seal in a canning jar?


This is what I'm going to start doing with pastas and other pokey, brittle things. I scored a dozen gallon size jars with wide mouths at an estate sale recently. As soon as I find a moment (marryin' off a daughter is very time consuming), I'm going to sterilize them and fill 'em up!

Oh, and a tip: to protect your glass jars on the shelf in earthquake-prone areas, buy a roll of that stuff they sell at Wal Mart (in the kitchen gadgets aisle). It's made to line drawers with (not shelf paper). It's like a cushion...I wish I hadn't thrown the label away! :scratch

The stuff is also sold at hardware stores for lining tool boxes to keep your tools from sliding around in the drawers.

ANYWAY, get that stuff and make sleeves for your jars so they won't knock against each other in a small quake and break or crack.


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## Whoisjohngall (May 21, 2012)

I vacuum seal just about all of my long term storage food in canning jars. I played around with sealing in the bags with little luck, kept getting holes poked in the bags too, plus stuff got crushed, etc. 

Also, I like dual purpose items. With a bag, I get a one time use bag. With the jar, I can open and close it as needed, and reuse the jar for vacuum sealing or traditional canning, or other storage. 

I kinda over do it. I know that the vacuum sealer will not create a total vacuum, some oxygen/air will will remain. So, I place an oxygen absorber inside of each can before sealing it. The result is a stronger vacuum with little but nitrogen remaining. Also, if I am quick to close the can after opening it the oxygen absorber will reseal it. 

What I have been doing is, in addition to dehydrating my own stuff, to buy #10 cans of Mountain House, etc, freeze dried foods. There are usually about ten servings in these cans, and you should use them within a week or two of opening. I do not want to face the prospect of chili mac week followed by the week of chicken ala king. I open the cans and reseal the contents in pint sized canning jars, usually with 2-4 servings per jar.


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