so we are 7 weeks fron leaving our life and starting our new one of being grey (well pete is anyway no greys for me so far) nomads and i have a question or two about food and what works and what doesn't when vacuum sealing
1/ has anyone else cut up raw veggie's including potato and vacuum sealed them into service sizes? does it work and how long do things last?
2/ can you vacuum seal lettuce? pete is a big salad eater and as we are going to remote areas im wanting to stock up
3/ any hints or tips on do's and don'ts?
my idea is to do big shops in bigger towns to lasts up up to 4 weeks, we have a 187 L fridge in van and a 57 L split fridge freezer in back of ute so (plus a six bottle wine fridge) so im thinking we can carry a fare amount.
i also like the idea that i can do one big peal and dice then its all done for those time we pull up and i just want an easy dinner. i am a bit fussy in that i dont really eat frozen veggies and would prefer not to if can be avoided.
Wrap your Lettuce in lots of newspaper and keep it in the fridge. Why not blanch your vegies b4 you vacuum seal them but if you dont want to they will stay crunchy for a few weeks if well sealed
We have vcuum sealed vegies such as beans etc for keeping a couple of weeks in the crisper in the fridge at home, haven't done it for travelling and our vacuum sealer is only an el cheapo model. One thing I did notice is that the vegies work best if they are totally dry....I had prepared some beans, rinsing in cold water etc didn't work as well as dry. cheers Capricorn
I have had the butcher cryovac my meat for 10 days and it just stays in the fridge not the freezer. I read it will last well up to 2 weeks, so at the experimental stage at the moment. If successful i will try the veggies Next trip I am very interested also in this topic, so, looking forward to everyones thoughts and suggestions. Seriously looking now at buying machine so i can do it properly myself ... Recommendations for,brand anyone?
No problem getting your meat to last two weeks or even more, the colder the fridge, the better for storing meat (without freezing). I prefer to use the "Bushman" 2way fridge in my car rather than the 3way in the van for storing meat as the temperature is more reliable especially in hot weather. I find it useful to wrap the meat in cling-wrap first before sealing.
Meat that has been stored this way for a while can have a "meaty" smell when you open it but don't worry, it's not "off".
My machine is a Sunbeam that's ok but I have no experience with any other brand so I'm not in a position to compare.
-- Edited by jimricho on Monday 13th of May 2013 06:45:32 AM
My suggestion is shop as you go, Sylva and chaslib, except for difficult to find items. Its all part of experiencing other communities, going into the bakery, the butcher's, supermarkets or fruit'n'veg shops. Also it reduces the amount of weight you carry.
From experience, unless you keep it in the freezer, don't cryovac raw minced meat ... cook it first then cryovac the rissoles or curries, same with sausages. Chops with sharp boney edges dont cryovac well either, use them first as they don't keep as long. Iceburg lettuce lasts for ages in the crisper if you put some paper towel around it in a plastic bag, we have found chinese cabbage or wombok lasts even longer and is tasty and crisp in a salad.
Our cryovac machine is a "Unika" brand, bought at a caravan show. I wouldn't particularly recommend it, it does a good job but is very fiddly to use and needs 240 power. I found I started out using it for lots of things, but over time it doesn't get much use and now we don't even take it with us.
-- Edited by Gerty Dancer on Monday 13th of May 2013 08:51:16 AM
I just searched....all this time I thought they were heat treated after being sealed...ok, your right Gerty, they are the same. I wonder where I got that info from?...
As for the leftovers, I as talking more about stews, I always make too much of these. The meat and veg meals I have no problem with. I'd vacuum seal those too, but it doesn't work very well with liquids, thick or thin.
-- Edited by Grams on Monday 13th of May 2013 11:22:30 AM
Geeee, did Mr Pisces let you buy a vacuum sealer Capricorn? Maybe he will fork out the ready for the other thing as well.
Sorry to go off topic Sylva.
Back on topic now.
I have a vacuum sealer and steam a lot of fresh veg, mush, not mash, them together then seal away in meal size portions and freeze. I store in the freezer flat, that way I get more in. When needed I just thaw out and heat in a dry fry pan, sort of like good old bubble and squeak. The other way is to just put bag on hot water until heated. Works well.
Some say it is like eating baby food, I just say, well I am in the playground. Remember I said mush, not mash. It's still small chunky bits when done.
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I have had the butcher cryovac my meat for 10 days and it just stays in the fridge not the freezer. I read it will last well up to 2 weeks, so at the experimental stage at the moment. If successful i will try the veggies Next trip I am very interested also in this topic, so, looking forward to everyones thoughts and suggestions. Seriously looking now at buying machine so i can do it properly myself ... Recommendations for,brand anyone?
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The Maccas ....
2013 Avida Esperance Motorhome - based in northern NSW.
An alternative to vacuum sealing salad and green vegetables is to use "Fresh and Crisp" bags, available at the supermarket in the section that sells storage bags "Gladwrap" etc. Iceberg lettuce will stay crisp for 2-3 weeks (for example) but any veg needs to be as fresh as possible, dry, and at room temperature before packing. Local markets can be a good source of fresh vegs.
Vacuum sealing is excellent for storing frozen food. Frozen food will last three to four times longer and will not get "freezer burn" and can be safely quick thawed by placing the unopened bag in cold water. Vacuum sealing is also good for storing (unfrozen) cold cooked meats etc for lunches.
I have a cryovac myself I always take my meat with me my butcher told me beef can stay in the fridge for 3 weeks packed this way I also have a battery operated cryvac that I bought in Big W and take that on the road with me as sometimes some of the country butchers have really lovely meat so I stock up then if I am running low hope this helps Helena.
My first suggestion is to look at buying your food as you go so that you share the money around the country areas that you visit. This way the food is fresh for a longer time than trying to preserve and then carry around giving extra weight to your van. If you vacuum seal correctly the meat will last for quite a while in a crisper and even longer if frozen and it will not have freezer burn. If you store for a while in the crisper and then freeze it is better as it has aged in the crisper. Commercial CRYVAC meat will last for months in cold storage as when I worked in the meat industry I would leave my product in the chiller at work for about 3 months and then often another two months in home crisper and even though the meat is darker it is fine to eat and it is much tenderer than when it was killed. I vacuum seal vegetables before I venture into SA and I use for many weeks after. I cut into sizes needed and then seal. I have done onions, potatoes and carrotts. Toatoes are a no no unless you want for soup or stews as they go mashy. I hope you find a method that suits you and enables you to enjoy your travels. Regards Brian
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11 Mtr house Boat based at Mannum hoping to travel up the Murray as far as I can get then drift back again
Thanks for the advice, think i will drive to Grafton today and look at proper cryovac systems as all i have are the pump type systems that you can find at the caravan and camping shows which are OK for a little while but then tend to loose the seal after a couple of uses.
i think this trip which is a shakedown and first trip in our camper, has proven that i tend to over think the planning of meals and food in general because it just did not happen to schedules. There is a lot of value in packing the basic non perishables and buying perishables as you go during the trip. We do not have the space that a van has, as the fridge is small and we have a Waeco,to supplement it ... Neither get really cold, but enough to keep food safe
thanks
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The Maccas ....
2013 Avida Esperance Motorhome - based in northern NSW.
My suggestion is shop as you go, Sylva and chaslib, except for difficult to find items. Its all part of experiencing other communities, going into the bakery, the butcher's, supermarkets or fruit'n'veg shops. Also it reduces the amount of weight you carry.
From experience, unless you keep it in the freezer, don't cryovac raw minced meat ... cook it first then cryovac the rissoles or curries, same with sausages. Chops with sharp boney edges dont cryovac well either, use them first as they don't keep as long. Iceburg lettuce lasts for ages in the crisper if you put some paper towel around it in a plastic bag, we have found chinese cabbage or wombok lasts even longer and is tasty and crisp in a salad.
Our cryovac machine is a "Unika" brand, bought at a caravan show. I wouldn't particularly recommend it, it does a good job but is very fiddly to use and needs 240 power. I found I started out using it for lots of things, but over time it doesn't get much use and now we don't even take it with us.
-- Edited by Gerty Dancer on Monday 13th of May 2013 08:51:16 AM
Ummm that explains why the mince and sausages look anything but worthy of cooking. Will remember house and everyone's advice once we get back home in a week .... Or a day if the weather does not improve .... And start preparing our first real trip ..... Nth coast NSW to Lake Cressbrook for a week or so then west after that - destination still to be determined depending on weather and roads at the time
thanks Gerry
Libby
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The Maccas ....
2013 Avida Esperance Motorhome - based in northern NSW.
Not sure how well you know Grafton but being a local these are the shops that come to mind:
Big W and Target in Grafton Shopping World in Fitzroy St,
Harvey Normans at 125 Prince St and
A,C Cummings(Retravision) at 72 Prince St.
We used a cryovac sealer in our travels and their great for meat and veges but for things like lettuce I stuck to those old trusty green tupperwear lettuce containers. Things stay crisp for 3 weeks or more in them in the fridge.
Cheers
Jon
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Home is where we hang our hats - Home now in Yamba NSW
My suggestion is shop as you go, Sylva and chaslib, except for difficult to find items. Its all part of experiencing other communities, going into the bakery, the butcher's, supermarkets or fruit'n'veg shops. Also it reduces the amount of weight you carry. -- Edited by Gerty Dancer on Monday 13th of May 2013 08:51:16 AM
Excellent suggestion GD, when out and about in the Kea we do a big shop weekly, no need for food preservation methods other than the fridge, and our food is always fresh.
As far as I'm concerned the less gadgets you drag along with you the better, less weight as well as less work.
Yep also agree that the experience of shopping in country area's is part of the experience, particularly butchers and bakers, we are often pleasantly surprised with the quality and variety of food on offer, of course the reverse can apply, thought Darwin would be the place for barramundi, after a number of tries we gave up in disgust, the South Aussie butterfish was superior, on the way south did a shop in Woolies, Alice Springs, they had fresh barra, so we bought a couple of pieces hoping for a change of luck, you guessed it, very very nice.
I bought myself a you beaut Sunbeam vacuum sealer ready to make up heaps of things for the freezer at home (not in the caravan). I have had it 6 months and still haven't touched it. So I guess its not something I'll be taking with me in the van.
I have just bought some airtight containers for left over food for the freezer, and that is about all I'll ever need, I reckon. I have been shopping every other day for food, as I like fresh when I can get it. But if you plan on doing a week or so in a free camp and there will be no close shops, then I reckon vacuum sealing meat saves a lot of room in the freezer then having it filled with those foam trays. You can put the meat in freezer bags and store that way, but it wont last as long as vacuum sealed bags.
I did a lot of research in vacuum sealing food before I bought mine (I always research everything), I found the cryovac system wasnt as well reviewed as the vacuum sealed one, which is why I went for it. But its up to the individual as to what they like and what they want to do.
I did a lot of research in vacuum sealing food before I bought mine (I always research everything), I found the cryovac system wasnt as well reviewed as the vacuum sealed one, which is why I went for it. But its up to the individual as to what they like and what they want to do.
I thought they were basically the same thing?
Grams for storing left-overs in your freezer (especially in the caravan with a smaller freezer) those self-sealing plastic lunch-type bags work well, no wasted space.
I agree the above suggestions about buying food as you go.
Another way to store pre-cooked stews soups etc is to use glass jars, the type with the "pop-up" lids. Pre-heat the jar and lid in hot/boiling water. Make sure the food is very hot (at or near boiling point) and pour the soup/stew (or whatever) into the jar until it's almost full, screw the lid on tightly.
As the food cools the lid will pop down indicating it is successfully sealed. Whilst ever the lid remains popped down the food is safe to eat.
I store any foods thus saved in the fridge to be on the safe side but I think it should be ok to keep food this way without refrigeration.
We have travelled all around oz and only Cryovac our meat. It lasts for 3 weeks in the fridge and a lot of butchers will do it for you. Woollies and Coles don't but when we were in Broome woolies did do it for us at NO extra charge (big surprise in Broome!!) butchers usually charge about 50cents a bag. I have always bought fresh veggies and fruit when we are in a town . I do have a problem with lettuce freezing in our fridge for some reason. Don't forget the fruit and veggies at borders especially WA they are very stringent. We were thinking of buying a Cryovac machine but I would rather pay a butcher and not have another piece of equipment taking up space. It's nice to shop in towns to help their economy along especially when they provide free camps .
Have found this post surprising has we have been told so many time how much we spend in these small towns help their economy
I am with you on this subject Brickies, i am reading the posts and thinking if all these people are doing this to save on buying food in some of these places where they probably staying for free, it makes the old manta of WE ARE helping these small Towns to SURVIVE...Not really conductive if you are only buying in Woolies/ Coles in the bigger towns.
i have no issue with buying food in smaller comunities but as we plan on doing a lot of outback travel i do not want to 1, rely on small towns (if they can be called that) to have what i want let alone it be fresh and 2, i dont reallly want to pay $10 for a lettice like i did in kings canyon 3 years ago (it was not a good lettice either)
so i guess for me its more about making sure i have what i want with me for our travel in remote (not rural) areas. i more than most understand the need to suuupoort smaller towns as i come fron rural victoria and do so in our own comunties, all frshy food froom local butcher and fruit markets
i have no issue with buying food in smaller comunities but as we plan on doing a lot of outback travel i do not want to 1, rely on small towns (if they can be called that) to have what i want let alone it be fresh and 2, i dont reallly want to pay $10 for a lettice like i did in kings canyon 3 years ago (it was not a good lettice either)
so i guess for me its more about making sure i have what i want with me for our travel in remote (not rural) areas. i more than most understand the need to suuupoort smaller towns as i come fron rural victoria and do so in our own comunties, all frshy food froom local butcher and fruit markets
We have no issue with buying from wherever it suits us, be that at home or on the road.
Our van is stocked with the basics before leaving home & we top up wherever the need finds us.
SWMBO loves to wander through the clothing stores large & small in the country towns while I do the second hand, brick a brac and general stores. I like to buy my meat fresh from the country butcher but I always have a back up of frozen stuff.
Given that we never free camp, we have no feeling of obligation to any of the local businesses. People to a large extent choose to live where they live & take the good with the bad.
Where a service is offered that we require we spend our hard earned, just as they may do when they visit our part of the world.
) nomads and i have a question or two about food and what works and what doesn't when vacuum sealing
