Vacuum-sealing after applying the rub

I use the FS alot before smoking like you say, but I really like it for after, to save whats left of the meat for later. We smoked a 20lb turkey 2 weekends ago and used the FS to save(hide) one breast for later. We just finished that breast yesterday and it was just as good as the other breast was.

I know what you mean. It really does a fantastic job. I sealed and froze a breast from last Thanksgiving's 16-pounder. Had it last month as slices for sammiches, and it was still great.

Of course, this one's getting old. Will have to get a new one once this fails, because I just can't imagine being without one anymore.

I do intend on putting it to greater use now that the CS 50 is here, though. I'll probably take more advantage of meat sales at Albertson's, Sam's, and Costco, and smoke more than what's needed immediately, just so's I can have stuff to freeze!

The thing that I have the hardest time with, is getting people to leave enough to save.

Howdy,That Joe Guy..... IMHO we are usually working more towards building bark on larger pieces of meat,than flavoring internally....Ribs get a certain amount of penetration,but not necessarily their total flavor.....Poultry is more of an external flavoring ,unless long brining or injecting....The vac. process is partially what tumbling is about,except they are trying for even distribution of the solution and maybe a little tenderizing from bouncing it around in that washing machine tub. I personally don't use mine to add flavor....Hope this helps.

Todd -

I see you're also in Utah...a bit north of me.

Very cool. Maybe a Utah CS gathering could be in the works!

I'm curious how many other CS users there are in our area?

Hey, Todd,

I bet if you go to the Cookshack Smoker Owners forum and post a message called "Calling all Utah Cookshackians" or something similar you will find some more folks near you.

Donna

Tom -

THanks for that info. Was wondering what 'tumbling' was... Seems like an odd thing to do, IMHO...

Hey,Joe.....There are long technical explanations,but essentially it is like placing the meat in a washing machine drum,under pressure,with a brine like solution......Turn it on for a few turns and then off, let it rest,repeat this several times.....They say it replaces the fluid lost from day 1 at the packing house and it is more uniform than just injecting....We tend to think they have found a way to add up to 20% selling weight,by filling the meat up with salt water. Hope this helps some.....Food preserving books cover this in detail.

quote:

Originally posted by Tom:
[qb]Food preserving books cover this in detail.[/qb]

Thanks again, Tom. Any particular titles you could recommend for preserving at home?

I'll let Andi answer that....She is much more up on that area......Ames Preserving Supplies...Here is a site that has some good info and products.

Joe Guy and Tom: I have at least a hundred books on preserving food, and the first time I have ever heard of tumbled meat is on another forum just this year. It seems rather ridiculous to me, really. Anyway, none of my books cover that technique. Why not just vac-pac a chunk of meat, take it out to the yard, and play kickball with it? LOL!

[QUOTE]Originally posted by That Joe Guy:
[QB]Hey, all...

On the latest Food Saver infomercials, they are advocating applying seasonings (rub) to meats, and then vac-sealing them. Supposedly this opens the meat a bit so that it accepts more of the seasoning?

Hi Joe,

I have a butcher friend who has been cryopacking marinated pork chops for me. The flavor does seem to reach deeper into the meat than it did when I marinated the regular way. This leads to a question: what happens when you smoke marinated meat (the marinade is basically just Italian dressing)? Will the oil in the dressing burn or cause weird flavoring?

Chris

Hey,Meatfest.....An Italian dressing is what many of us use as an all purpose marinade.....You can add you own touches to this,as you need.....The oil will prevent burning,if anything.....Hope this helps.

In any question about what burns, look at the temps your cooking at:

Sugar in any mop/baste/rub will burn, but that's because it's melting point is very low.

Oils and other items have a higher burn point so that's one reason they're not affected by the temps we smoke at.

Smokin'