Do you have a favorite vacuum sealer you can recommend?

August 10, 2014 5:57 PM

We're looking to get a good vacuum sealer to assist in dry aging steaks. We had a cheap vacuum sealer a few years ago that created packets that leaked - sometimes after an hour, others after a day or two, but always leaked. Is there an affordable vacuum sealer that anyone has had good experience with? I've seen this but am hoping that there may have been some updates in the last three years,
posted by arnicae to Food & Drink (3 answers total)

I have and really like the V2244. I've had it for less than a year, but now that I sous-vide a lot, use it up to a half-dozen times per week. For long-braise meats like short rib, I put two seals at each end.

For what it's worth, I plan to move to a Vacmaster chamber vac (maybe this one on the "inexpensive" end) eventually to be able to seal liquids and get a harder vacuum.
posted by supercres at 6:04 PM on August 10, 2014

I was with you until you mentioned inexpensive. The Vacmaster isn't inexpensive (mine was $800+), but I've been glad we bought it every time I use it.
posted by summerstorm at 11:31 PM on August 10, 2014

If you're vac-sealing steaks, you're wet-aging, not dry. Dry aging requires that the meat be exposed to the air (within certain temp and humidity limits). This will dry out the surface and promote lactic acid development, which will both tenderize the steak and improve/deepend the flavour.

Wet aging is basically the exact opposite. You'll still get some development, but not nearly as much. The only real benefit to wet aging is that you don't lose any product later.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 6:31 AM on August 11, 2014 [1 favorite]