Vacuum Sealing Dry Foods in Mason Jars

http://2footalligator.blogspot.com ^ | 8/20/12 | Wendy Dewitt

[Kartographer]

I've had a vacuum sealer for several years and I love it! I bought it because I was tired of freezer-burn on the meats in the freezer, and for sealing veggies in bags to freeze... but I haven't been using of all the functions... like vacuum sealing dry goods in mason jars.

[Kartographer]

This is a method I have used often. I have used with a number of off the shelf products as as food I've dehydrated myself. There's a section in my Preparedness Manual that also describes this method.

[Kartographer]

Preppers’ PING!!

And if the power is out you have one of these ready:

“The Alvin” Vacuum Sealer

http://www.instructables.com/id/The-Alvin-Vacuum-Sealer/

[umgud]

When I go to Alaska fishing, all my fish gets vacuum packed and flash frozen. I can eat halibut and salmon for years.

[kindred]

I never heard of this vacumn sealing method. I like it, it sounds like a good idea.

[Albion Wilde]

Don’t flame me, bro — but I use this principle even on plastic-bagged items for short-term use in the refrigerator, like 1/2 lb. packages of bacon, lunchmeat or cheese. I seal up the bag all but a small hole, insert a drinking straw, and suck out as much of the air as possible, snapping it shut while withdrawing the straw. It keeps perishables or so much longer. Great for the singles or couples who have to manage small amounts of food.

[Buck-I-Guy]

Works good for brown sugar, confec sugar too. They will last forever without getting hard

[Red_Devil 232]

I have used the mason jar sealing option when saving dehydrated peppers and other dried produce and also to save home made soups. I keep the cooked soups in the fridge and use them in a week or two. No problems.

[ProfoundBabe]

The newer “Foodsaver” vacuum sealer models have jar sealer attachments included. I buy whole spices in bulk and seal in smaller portions in canning jars. BTW... They have a 12v model as well.

[RandallFlagg]

LOL! I do that exact same thing when I bag my sammiches before work.
I keep biting my lips when I’m pulling the straw out and sealing the bag at the same time, though.

OW!

(and there’s the bread chunks getting sucked into my lungs....)

[cherry]

my sil “cans” her home made soups...hot,clean jars, sealed in a very quick water bath, and then kept in the fridge....they’ll several weeks that way...

[Albion Wilde]

(and there’s the bread chunks getting sucked into my lungs....)

Yowsa! Watch out for the frozen peas, too!

[Cyber Liberty]

It works very well for dehydrated foods that you don’t want crushed.

[Red_Devil 232]

Exactly!

[maine-iac7]

dry canning only needs an oven - and they keep for 20-30 years

http://suite101.com/article/dry-pack-canning-for-long-term-food-storage-a187387

[Red_Devil 232]

I can the soups I want to save for a longer period time with a pressure caner. The soups I want or expect to eat soon I use the mason jar attachment with my vacuum sealer and keep in the fridge, much easier. As mentioned above it is great for foods that will be crushed by a bag.

[maine-iac7]

oops - I meant this link for dry canning - super simple
http://www.permies.com/t/10635/cooking/Oven-canning-preserves-dry-goods

[volunbeer]

We went to a seminar that included food storage tips and a vendor was telling people that they could can all kinds of nuts by dry canning. Just place them in a jar and seal - place in the oven at 250 degrees for 2 hours were the approximate directions.

We were very interested in this, however we have never been able to find confirm this. Most nuts have oils that I believe would go rancid even if they were dry canned or vacuum sealed. Peanut butter (non-MRE types that may or may not really be peanut butter) can’t be stored long term for this reason.

Am I wrong on this or do you or anyone else have any knowledge of this? It seems like dried/preserved nuts would be terrific food to keep on hand if they would last more than a few years. We have done a bit of googling without success.

Thanks in advance!

[visualops]

from the linked site:
Not all foods, however, are right for dry pack canning. Only items that contain less than 10% moisture can be dry pack canned. Good candidates for dry pack are:

Beans
Flour
Pasta
Oats
Rice
Sugar
Wheat
Powdered milk (non-fat)

Check carefully which products are safe for dry pack canning. Foods with higher moisture or oil content, such as nuts, cereal, brown rice, or whole wheat, are not recommended.

Other foods like brown sugar, baking powder, and oil should also not be dry packed. They should be kept in their original containers and rotated often.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

I have been doing this with a wide variety of foods for years. Potato flakes, rice, powdered milk, brown sugar...all kinds of stuff. I use the 1/2 gallon jars for most.

One tip for those who want to try it;
Have a pot of warm to hot water ready. Dunk your lids in the water for 20-30 seconds, remove and paper towel dry then quickly seal with the Foodsaver or other unit.

The hot water will soften the sealer ring and provide a much longer lasting seal.

[dljordan]

“. I seal up the bag all but a small hole, insert a drinking straw, and suck out as much of the air as possible, snapping it shut while withdrawing the straw. It keeps perishables or so much longer. Great for the singles or couples who have to manage small amounts of food.”

I just put up 50 pounds of rice. I ordered some mylar bags, some oxygen absorbers and made a fitting for my shopvac with pvc tubing. I load the rice, throw in an oxygen absorber, suck the air out while sealing the mylar with an old iron. Works good.