Foodsaver for marinating

I have used the FS marinade container on chix thighs & breasts and I felt it worked well. I forgot to marinade them overnite and used the container for 90 minutes each (on 2 breasts and then 6 thighs). They were tasty and I didnt see any difference in that or overnite. Just my .02 worth...

bob

Pete,

I have used our Foodsaver with the dish designed for marinating and like Cadillac had wonderful results on chicken and beef with only 45 minutes setting time. The meat expands on the vacuum stage and draws the marinade back in when you release the vacuum - not sure that 20 minutes wouldn't do the same as 90 minutes. I never marinade fish, so I can't help you there.

smokemullet

I use mine all the time when it calls for something to be marinated. like smokemullet said 30 min. is as good as 90min.

smokemullet. can i get some red bay in ced.key if i run up to you guys. only 1 1/2 hr away.

j foley

Fish accepts marinades easier than pork, beef, or fowl. Usually fish are basted with a flavored butter or sauce while being grilled.

I would be careful in using the FS for this. It might overpower the delicate flavor of fish.

If you do try it go scant on the marinade and short on time the 1st try. Better to under than over.
Kind of the same rule as smoking.....fish takes alot less wood than say pork or beef.

Jack,
Just let me know when you want to come up, I will be getting you some red bay ready and have the cappuccino machine on.

smokemullet

sent you p.m.monday also tues.am.w/ ph#s.

thanks, jack

Thanks for the replies. How did you guys do it? Was the fish/meat completely submerged in the marinade, or was it half submerged? Does it seem to make a difference whether if it is completely submerged?

Thanks,
Pete

Okay, I've got to ask, this has been one of those urban legends...if it works for you, great, but I've not been able to prove or disprove it. Guess I need to email "Mythbusters" they'd love the challenge.

If the vacuum is removing the air out of the meat and "pulling" through the opening, how does this help? Pulling the air out doesn't "replace" the air with the marinade. Has to do with viscosity and fluid dynamics.

I've never been convinced that this method of marinating works. There is a lot of new throught that marinading only takes a short time. If you marinade longer, doesn't mean it penetrates any further.

Smokin-

That is what I was wondering. I am trying to figure out how to make this work effectively. I make a smoked salmon that I would like to be able to brine quickly. As an experiment I took a piece of catfish and put it in the marinating container with food dye. The dye did not penetrate any deeper than in the fish that was just soaked in the water/dye mix. Maybe I am doing something wrong?

Pete

Smokin,

Any soft structure, in 1 bar pressure (surface of earth) with sealed cells and molecules with spaces between will expand in a vacuum with the space between being less. As the one bar pressure returns (release of the vacuum) the cells and molecules return to normal and the spaces between will open up drawing in whatever is around them - marinade in this case. Using 20-30 minutes I have vacuum marinaded many a steak and it has all the marinade I want in it. Make sure you get the full 24 inches of vacuum (a full cycle). You can demonstrate this with a damp sponge or marshmallows in a vacuum canister.

If a person in space, is outside the spaceship and loses the pressure in their space suit he or she doesn�t implode, they explode. You ain�t going to get the Myth Buster to check that out.

smokemullet

thanks SM,

See I knew if I threw something technical out, I'd get someone to jump in.

So, if I understand you're saying while the vacuum is present (only during the time the vacuum pump creates a vacuum) it "expands"

But, here's my question. Since the marshmallow build ups because of the decreased air pressure, is it replacing the increased space with, in our case, marinade. Air is one thing, Marinade is another.

Smokin'

So, for best results, should the meat/fish be totally submerged, or only half (or less) submerged?

Thanks,
Pete

Oh brother......

I have used the 2 qt container then take the meat or fish out and place it in a strainer then vacuum seal it in the bags. That works really well and comes in handy when doing a lot of product

Pete,

I like to submerge the meat in the marinade, but when I don't have enough I just shake the liquid around until the top gets covered again.

smokemullet

Thanks Smokemullet. Does the Foodsaver rate at 24 inches of vacuum? I was curious as to what their max. vacuum is.

Thanks,
Pete

Pete,
Tilla Corp does not state the inches of vacuum, but I read an article once that stated some of the Foodsaver models would reach close to 24 inch of mercury. We also have a Sinbo vacuum machine (bags are cheaper) but it will not draw as much vacuum as the Foodsaver. We use the Sinbo for already cooked or smoked items we will freeze and eat within a week or two. There isn't a day goes by we don't use one of the two machines to help preserve food items.

smokemullet

Thanks Smokemullet. I was wondering about the figure of 24 inches because I could not find anything from Tilia. However, I pulled a vacuum on some marshmellows with the Foodsaver and a vacuum pump in my lab (28 inches). Judging from how the marshmellows shriveled after the vacuum was released, the lab pump was stronger.

Thanks for your help.

Pete

I put the product, steak, etc. in a mason fruit jar and then cover with the marinade and use the jar device to vacum the jar. It works pretty good. About 30 minutes, there is a new product out that does the same thing except that it rotates the meat in a tumbler, like a rock polishing machine. Havent tried that yet. $200.00 is why.

Another thought. If releasing the vacuum causes the marinade to be sucked ito the food, would you get more flavor from vacuum and releasing 3 time quickly that a 30 or 90 minute marinade?