Tila Food Saver - Who's Got One & What Do You Use It For

[launderess]

There's me nosing around a local thrift a few months ago (it is a Jewish charity so there's always lots of discarded but "gently" used kitchen stuff about as many Manhattan women "order in" most meals including the holidays), and spied a NIB Tila Foodsaver for about $30. Figured what the heck the price was cheap and if one didn't like it could mark it up and sell it on.

It seems to be the TOL model with more bags, jars and tubes than an OR supply closet. *LOL*

So far have only tried vacuum sealing various breads/rolls into individual portions so they can be stored in freezer. Won't be doing that again as the thing literally sucked a Brioche roll almost flat. Later after carefully re-reading the owner's manual learned one should partially freeze baked goods first, then vacuum seal but not remove too much air.

Results are fine and streets ahead of the ghastly Deni vacuum sealer that left things with freezer burn. You'd vacuum the air out of bag, seal it then watch it expand as air crept back.

So anyone have one of these things and what do you all "seal" in it? Have heard they are good for marinating meats and or rubs.

 

[joeekaitis]

I make 4 pounds of meatball mix at a time and freeze it in 17 ounce portions (seems the freezing and thawing process loses a half-ounce to an ounce of total weight). I press each portion into the bottom of the bag forming a log shape, roll up the bag and pre-freeze for 2 hours before vacuum sealing.

A night in the fridge thaws it out, ready to shape and roll into quarter-pound meatballs. (Buca di Beppo sent a cease-and-desist order when they found out I was making half-pound meatballs.) (Well, OK, not really.)

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

My mom made me take mine back that I'd bought from our local K Mart, unconvinced that it would work & keep our food fresh... I saw it in the ad on TV & regret never getting a chance at giving it a try...

But she said she had a similar vacuum sealer a long time ago, which broke, & the food she'd sealed with it, still went bad...

There, of course, is also a Kenmore version of it, sold at Sears & even at K Mart (when it merged w/ Sears) for the budget-minded wanting the 'same product' at a lower price...

-- Dave

 

[kqkenmore]

I have bought several and I use them to seal meat for the freezer that I get from Sam's. I have also used it to seal up boxes of the phosphated Cascade the only thing is that it smushed the box but it is sealed great. It has a setting that just seals the bag so that it does not crush the item have not done that yet. On meat besure to freeze it first or it will suck the liquid out of the item and will not make a good seal. For powdered and liquids there should be a mason jar sealer that will seal a standard mason jar. 

 

[vintagekitchen]

I have one, but rarely use it. For long term storage, stocking up on large amounts of meats, things like that, it is amazing. But for most things that will be in the freezer short term, it just isnt worth using the expensive vacuum bags, since there is no difference in food quality for short term storage.

For short term, 1 to 2 months at the longest, I just use regular store brand freezer bags, and have no issues. For long term, anything over 2 months, I drag out the vacuum sealer.

 

[westie2]

We used ours for meast and frozen vegatables too.  But it is costly.  CU a few years ago rated the ziplock bags just as good and lots cheaper and reusable.  Use mostly the zip lock now.  They both save food from freezer burn.

 

[countryguy]

I have a Foodsaver and it sits on my countertop ready for use.  I buy chicken breasts in bulk and seal them in individual backs to freeze.  I do the same for porkchops, beef, any meat that I freeze.  I also use the sealing feature (without the vacuum) to reclose potato chip bags, cracker bags, etc. This keeps them from going soggy in the summer humidity.  I also have the vacuum canisters which I use for brown sugar (stays soft for months on end).  The marinator works great and fast. 

 

Gary

 

[gredmondson]

I have used a Food Saver a lot. I find that it really extends the life of cheese. It prevents cheese from getting mold.

The bags are expensive, but they are reuseable.

The Food Saver I have now is an older version, and it does not take the largest bag, and I wish it did.

 

[countryguy]

Oh I forgot about cheese!  It will last for several weeks without going moldy.

 

Gary

 

[xraytech]

I have the Kenmore version of this, I bought it on sale about 7 or 8 years ago,
I'm not one to use it for meat as I order my meat custom packed from the slaughter house wrapped in white freezer paper.

My Food Saver I use it for cheeses, as well as freezing cored fresh tomatoes, and I will occasionally make up cabbage rolls or stuffed peppers and place them raw in the bags and freeze for a later meal.
I find the Food Saver really works, I had stuffed peppers in the freezer for 16 months and there wasnt a speck of freezer burn on them

 

[frigilux]

"...as the thing literally sucked a Brioche roll almost flat." Possibly the best endorsement EVER. Launderess FTW!

I once considered getting a vacuum sealer for the kitchen, and all this talk of them has renewed my interest. The Food Saver brand seems to be mentioned quite a bit---would that be the one to go for? Hadn't thought about its use as a bag sealer to keep cereal and chips fresh.

Could a person use the vacuum sealer to crush a bag of corn flakes or potato chips to use as a casserole topper? Or would that be like the Monty Python sketch where they hunt mosquitoes with a bazooka?

 

[frigilux]

Dropped by the FoodSaver website and looked at various models. Several came with a Quick Marinator (pictured here) which claims to fully marinate meat in 12 minutes. That accessory would get frequent use in my kitchen.

 

[xraytech]

I can see how it would marinate so quickly, since putting he meat under a vacuum like that opens up all the pores

 

[launderess]

T'wasnt Funny MacGee!

*LOL*

Got those rolls on sale from a bakery that almost never does so,and had planned to get out of baking at least until cooler weather arrived. Oh well, the things still taste good and are fresh, even if they are rather flattened. *LOL*

Have them on "soup and sandwhich" dinner nights usually served with tuna salad.

 

[launderess]

Crushing Corn Flakes

While the FoodSaver bags when sealed would withstand pounding with mallet, yes it would be like hunting a mouse with a deer rifle. Standard heavy duty Zip-lock bags will do for that purpose. If they can withstand a pounding to turn a hardened brick of detergent back into powder (don't ask), corn flakes should be a snap.

As for brands of foodsaves, the Tila is the one most often used by professionals and IMHO the best. As previously stated my old Deni model didn't remove all air from bags, and what was removed slowly crept back. After barely a week in the freezer things were coated with ice crystals and after a month had burn.

 

[frigilux]

Actually, Launderess, I was hoping to forego the pounding all together. I'm wondering if I can put corn flakes or potato chips in a bag, then vacuum-seal the hell out of it, reducing the contents to crumbs. I suppose that would be a silly waste of an expensive bag. As you suggested, I currently make crumbs by putting the corn flakes in a freezer Zip-Lock and beating it with a marble rolling pin.

Just an idea----kind of like washing cucumbers in the washing machine when making pickles. Seems like a good idea until you try it, LOL. My mom did this once (suggested by someone who always washed their pickling cukes that way) back in the '70s, then decided it was gross and washed them again in the kitchen sink. For the curious: Cold Water Wash cycle on our 1960 Kenmore Model 80, which featured 4 minutes of slow agitation and a slow spin.

 

[paulg]

Mine's a Kenmore

I bought the Kenmore version which was less expensive and also on sale at Sears.
It's a great complement to a home freezer- in my case a CROSLEY freezer.
We go to COSTCO and buy meat, fish etc and then vacuum-seal it. By the time Winter comes we have a freezer full of stuff. We're not aiming to save money but rather just having some food around.

As an aside, I keep my old 1960's DAZEY Seal-a-meal around. Never do I use it for food! However it is great to seal up small parts and screws on the workbench. You can easily find old bags at estate sales.. (Seal-A-Meal bags that is.... ;-)

 

[launderess]

That is exactly what one used the old Deni vacuum sealer for as well!

However nabbed an vintage bag sealer (clamp like device that heats up), so that removed even the need for Deni to seal bags. Was that happy when the Deni was sent crashing to the floor by *accident* and the lid shattered off. Didn't feel so bad about chucking it after that event.

 

[tolivac]

If I have to crush things like corn flakes and such-just use the Vita-mix.Much easier!Couple pushes of the VM button-DONE.