The freezer could be a stunning place full of half-eaten casseroles and final yr’s vacation fruit cake. Nonetheless, it may also be a headache, between the freezer-burned pancakes you swore you’d get to and the cracked meals storage containers that may’t face up to freezing temperatures. Each chef we spoke to about freezing meals long-term emphasised that plastic wrap and storage containers can solely achieve this a lot whenever you need to freeze your meals for prolonged durations. As an alternative, these strategies of storage might even be damaging to your meals.
Vacuum sealing is the one solution to keep away from “altering the composition of the product itself” when storing meals within the freezer, says Matthias Merges, chef and proprietor of Mordecai in Chicago, Illinois. Merges, together with different professional cooks, swear by vacuum sealers of their kitchens. Listed here are a few of their go-to fashions and some of our favorites on sale, together with ones from Anova, Nesco, and extra.
Chef-Beneficial and Editor-Cherished Vacuum Sealers
- Anova Culinary Precision Vacuum Sealer Professional, $95, initially $150
- Nesco Deluxe Meals VS-12 Vacuum Sealer, $118, initially $140
- Mueller Compact Vacuum Sealer, $30, initially $70
- FoodSaver PowerVac Compact Vacuum Sealing Machine, $70, initially $95
- Inkbird Vacuum Sealer Machine, $53, initially $59
- Geryon Meals Vacuum Sealer, $39, initially $46
Anova Culinary Precision Vacuum Sealer Professional
David Rose, an government chef with Omaha Steaks, recommends vacuum sealers for “guaranteeing freshness and high quality over time,” particularly for storing meat. The hermetic seal created by vacuum sealers protects the meat from freezer burn, which may “drastically have an effect on taste, texture and look.” The Anova is chef Rose’s go-to vacuum sealer and considered one of our examined favorites. It’s simple to seal in a different way sized meals, and chef Rose appreciates the moist operate, which can be utilized to seal high-moisture meals with marinades and sauces. It’s additionally 37% off.
Nesco Deluxe Meals VS-12 Vacuum Sealer
Once we examined vacuum sealers, the Nesco Deluxe was our high choose. It excels at eradicating air and even has a double-seal operate to successfully lock in liquids in the case of moist meals. Its mild sealing possibility was additionally delicate sufficient to seal Chex Combine with out vital crushing.
Mueller Compact Vacuum Sealer
A favourite vacuum sealer of Steven Chiapetti, government chef at the Albert in Chicago, Illinois, the Mueller compact vacuum sealer is “simple to retailer, geared up to protect each moist and dry elements,” and has various tightness ranges which are easy to manage. “Air and water destroy most merchandise,” says chef Chiapetti, who shares that “the worst solution to retailer your elements is by wrapping the gadgets in plastic wrap or aluminum foil.” Even plastic containers can “simply crack” and “take up numerous area” in your freezer. At solely $30, the Mueller can assist you “preserve the integrity” and “lengthen the shelf life” of your meals.
FoodSaver PowerVac Compact Vacuum Sealing Machine
One other nice compact vacuum sealer, in keeping with our checks, is the FoodSaver PowerVac that’s on sale for $70. We like that it’s simple to retailer vertically or horizontally, due to its streamlined design. Throughout testing, it left no air bubbles, and its seal stayed robust. Plus, with a refresh interval of solely 20 seconds, you don’t have to attend very lengthy between sealings.
Inkbird Vacuum Sealer Machine
In case your curiosity is piqued and also you’d like a beginner-friendly vacuum sealer, we advocate the Inkbird, which is highly effective but reasonably priced. It gave a good seal in every spherical of testing and confirmed minimal oxidation on a sealed avocado after 5 days of storage.
Geryon Meals Vacuum Sealer
For those who don’t plan to cook dinner sous vide and simply desire a vacuum sealer for meals storage functions, this meals vacuum sealer is our funds choose. It has moist and dry choices, mild mode, handbook seal, and a further accent port. It’s a really reasonably priced mannequin that carried out properly in all our checks.