FoodSaver is one of the most famous brands offering an array of vacuum sealers. Vacuum sealers are widely used to preserve food to protect them from dehydration and freezer burns.
However, many people also use the FoodSaver vacuum sealer for marinating food items. The marination is done to tenderize the veggies and meat and also adds flavor.
The only issue with marination is that you’ve to leave the marinated food for at least twelve to eighteen hours in the refrigerator.
However, vacuum-sealing is another method that helps open the surface pores of your food to make sure the marinade is infused into the food, which promises a better flavor faster.
So, if you have a FoodSaver vacuum sealer, we are sharing the process of FoodSaver marinade in a bag, so you can cook delicious food faster.
FoodSaver Marinade In Bag
Using FoodSaver To Marinate The Food
FoodSaver vacuum sealer can be used to marinate the food. For this purpose, you must have access to the vacuum sealer, vacuum sealer bags, and a marinade solution.
As far as the marinade is concerned, you can use the bottled version or prepare your own marinade. Once the marinade is prepared, follow the below-mentioned steps;
- Put the marinade on a countertop with the vacuum sealer and sealer bags
- Cut the vegetables and meat to a suitable size and put everything in a vacuum sealer bag. If you have to marinate the meat, it’s recommended that you make thin slices or small cubes to ensure better absorption of marinade
- Then, add the marinade to the vacuum sealer and mix everything together. For this purpose, you can try manipulating the vacuum sealer bag from outside
- The next step is to hold the sealer bag in an inclined position to make sure the marinade isn’t touching the bag’s mouth. If the marinade is filled up to the top, you’ve to drain out the excess and make sure there is an inch of empty space between the mouth and the marinade
- Lastly, just put the bag’s seal in the seal bar and try sealing the food
Keep in mind that if you are using the hot marinade mixture, you have to cool it down before you transfer it into the vacuum sealer bag.
Once the marinated food is vacuum-sealed, you can put it in the refrigerator for around thirty minutes to complete the marinating process.
Using The Vacuum-Sealable Canisters
Some vacuum sealer models of FoodSaver are designed with a marinade function, with which there are built-in plastic canisters that help complete the marinating process in a shorter time span.
For this purpose, the air is sucked from the canister as there is a thin tube (the thin tube is coiled up). So, take out the tube and connect it to the inlet that’s connected to the lid of the canister.
The solution is to put the meat slices or pieces in a canister and fill it with marinating mixture to make sure the food items are fully immersed into the marinade.
Once done, just close the lid and connect this tube by pushing the mouth into the opening. If there is an auto-marinating option, you must press the marinade button to make sure the vacuum sealer starts to marinade.
What To Do If There Is No Marinade Feature?
If your vacuum sealer hasn’t been designed with an automatic marinade function, you can do it manually as well.
For this purpose, you have to suck out air from the canister with the help of a vacuum and leave it out for five to seven minutes. Then, disconnect this tube and let the container aerate for two to three minutes.
It is recommended that you repeat this manual process three to four times to make sure there is enough marinating. Keep in mind that this process will promise a better infusion of flavor.
Additional Tips To Marinate The Food Items
The marinated food tastes the best, and using the right ingredients in the marinating mixture will enhance the flavor as well as the texture.
Using a vacuum sealer actually helps accelerate the marinating process, but there are some other tips that can help you marinate the food items and improve the flavor and texture.
- Whenever you prepare the marinade, make sure you use the salt abundantly because it makes sure that the moisture from the marinating mixture is absorbed into the vegetables and meat
- Make sure you add oil to the marinades because the majority of spices and herbs release flavor and aroma when they are combined with oil
- You must use more herbs and spices in the marinade mixture, especially if you are adding a lot of salt to the mixture. These herbs and spices will infuse better flavor into the food items
- If you have to marinate the meat, it’s recommended that you use a fork to make some holes in the meat. It will ensure that the meat is able to absorb more marinade. On the other hand, if you have to marinade the bigger meat cuts, you must use a knife to make cuts
- Always make sure that the meat and vegetables are fully immersed in the marinade
- If you vacuum-seal the marinade mixture, meat, and veggies, it’s recommended that you let it rest for at least an hour before cooking
- If you want to accelerate the flavor infusion and tenderizing process, you must refrigerate the sealed packs
- Make sure you don’t use the same marinating mixture twice because it has the juices of raw veggies and meat
The Bottom Line
On a concluding note, FoodSaver vacuum sealers are a great way of marinating food. That’s because it tenderizes the food and infuses flavor quicker – you won’t have to wait for hours.
However, make sure you don’t fill the vacuum sealer bag to its maximum capacity as it adversely impacts the seal and can cause puncturing of the bag as well.
Last but not least, don’t marinate the food in the vacuum-sealed bags for too long because it can cause spoilage of the food.