Vacuum storage in practice – how to use them every day. Tips from Masterchef
Vacuum packaging is a popularity of food storage method, which involves removing air from the packaging, and then a tight closure. More and more people use it on a daily basis – both in home cuisine and in professional catering establishments. This solution allows you to better organize cooking and limit the waste of food. What’s more, it is useful not only when we want to extend the freshness of shopping, but also in planning meals or preparing dishes in advance. What else is worth paying attention to? Aleksandra Juszkiewicz, the winner of Masterchef, shares his tips, The author of the book, first of all, tradition, biologist, ecologist and propagator of Zero Waste cuisine and an expert from Foodsaver.
Thanks to this method, food has no contact with oxygen or moisture, which significantly slows down its spoiling and the growth of bacteria and mold. As a result, the food remains fresh even five times longer than with traditional packaging methods. In addition, it does not lose its taste or valuable nutritional values - for example, B vitamins, which very quickly oxidize in contact with air. This solution works not only for storing meat or vegetables, but also bread, ready meals, ingredients for meal-port and even marinating
– explains the Foodsaver expert.
Support in not -based food
Although many people try to shop wisely, it still happens that some food goes to the trash. Most often, the reason is too short product durability or inappropriate storage conditions. Vacuum packaging can effectively prevent this – properly protected against moisture and oxygen, food stays fresh longer, which makes it easier to plan meals and limits losses.
It is worth packing food in smaller portions, suited to how much we really use at once. This makes it easier to avoid opening whole packaging and wasting food. A good habit is also describing the content – just a marker and a few seconds, and we get order in the fridge and freezer. Such description also allows you to control the shelf life dates
– suggests Ola Juszkiewicz.
In addition to meat, fish or cheese, you can also keep bread vacuum – in such conditions it stays fresh for longer and does not stale as soon as in paper or foil. It is also a great idea to stop the taste of seasonal fruits and vegetables – after vacuum packaging you can freeze them and reach for them when they are more difficult or more expensive.
This type of packaging significantly improves the quality of freezing – the food does not soak the smells of other products from the freezer, does not lose the aroma and does not moist. This is especially important if we care about the seasonality of our kitchen and we want to keep the flavors of warm months for longer
– adds the expert.
In the same way, you can comfortably store soups and sauces that take up less space in the freezer, and after thawing are ready to heat in a few minutes.
Meal-PREP at a higher level
Meal-Repping, i.e. preparing meals in advance, is becoming more and more popular. No wonder – it not only saves time during the week, but also better to organize daily duties and avoid impulsive shopping, without constant stress, what to cook or buy for dinner. Packed in vacuum containers, dishes remain fresh in the fridge for many days. Thanks to this, they retain their taste, aroma and texture, and after heating they taste like just prepared. In this way, you can store both ready -made dishes and previously prepared ingredients – chopped vegetables, marinated meat or cooked additives such as rice or porridge. It is enough to create a full -fledged meal from previously prepared products.
A convenient solution for parents
This method is great for parents who start the adventure with expanding their child’s diet. At the beginning, the toddler eats really small amounts, which is why it is a practical solution to prepare a slightly larger portion of food – e.g. vegetable purée, pieces of meat or delicate soup – and putting part to later. It is worth taking care of proper storage so that the meals do not lose freshness, taste or nutritional value. Thanks to this, we can offer the child a variety of dishes without the need for daily cooking, and at the same time avoid throwing excess food, which he does not eat immediately.
Or maybe something marinated?
The vacuum method is also a great solution for marinating meats, fish or vegetables. Traditional marinating often requires leaving ingredients in spices for a few hours or even all night. Thanks to the breath of air, this time is shortened to just 15-20 minutes.
In conditions of reduced pressure, aromas and flavors go deeper and faster into the product structure. The marinade is more intensively penetrating meat, vegetables or tofu, which means that after a short time they are ready for grilling, baking or frying. Perfect for the barbecue season
– explains the Foodsaver expert.
For a vacuum packaging you will need a welding machine with foil, sacks or dedicated containers from which the air is suffered by means of a hose. You can also use a compact, manual device. What’s more, more advanced models also have the option of welding fluid.
Vacuum packaging is a way for more convenience in the kitchen – it allows you to plan meals better, enjoy fresh products longer and reduce ejection of food. It may turn out that this small habit will be what will facilitate everyday cooking.
