Vacuum Sealing Dehydrated Food in Mylar

Intro: Vacuum Sealing Dehydrated Food in Mylar

To preserve dehydrated food, Mylar is a much more economical choice than canning jars and can have the atmosphere evacuate easier. The downside is Mylar bags are one use, but small bags can hold individual portions. If you have a number 10 can, you can divide it up into vacuum sealed individual portions to greatly lengthen its once-opened shelf life.

STEP 1: Equipment

You will need an iron, a flat metal bar (I used a level) a vacuum, Mylar bags and the food to be packaged.

STEP 2: Load the Bag

I'm using Mylar bags I ordered off Amazon. Put as much food as you will need at one time in the bag and shake down.

STEP 3: Optional Step - Add O2 Absorber

My bags arrived with a package of O2 absorbers. Even though I will vacuum out most of the atmosphere, I used them also.

STEP 4: Seal the Bags Most of the Way Across

I seal the bags as far across as I can and still have space for the crevice tool of the vacuum to fit. The iron is on a medium high setting and the metal under it has a notch running the length that allows for two seals at once.

STEP 5: Vacuum Out the Air

Insert the crevice tool into the opening you left. Turn on the vacuum until the Mylar sucks tight to the food.

STEP 6: Second Seal

Then, at an angle to the first seal and leaving the vacuum on, make another seal that crosses the first.

STEP 7: Result

This way, I have two seals crossing two other seals with most of the air evacuated and an absorber inside. All that is left to do is label the food for use and store.

Comments

[discostu956]

That's a great method! Wish I had thought of this before buying a vacuum sealer

[Pheline]

I think overall you'll be happier with your countertop vacuum sealer. I use mine all the time, even for temporary things like resealing chip bags. I think you'd find that having to get your vacuum and iron together would be a lot more trouble than small unit in your kitchen. Once you have the vacuum sealer and are accustomed to using it you will find a lot of purposes for it, with vacuuming or not.

[Somethingtotallyrandom]

A nice thing about mylar bags is that once they're sealed, the bag has no more smell than when it came out of the package.