Vacuum packing fish

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    Posted: 14 Jan 2022 at 7:55am
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I bought an Innovation vacuum sealer a couple of years ago and it works well but found the fillets were a bit dried out.
Last month I processed a batch of snapper and there was an issue as a full vacuum wasn't happening. I found that I'd managed to have the power cable sit on top the rubber seal and created a dent so not sucking properly. I bagged several meals with a small amount of air
But, when I opened a bag yesterday, the fish were way better than usual with no juice in the bag - it all stayed in the fish and way way nicer.
Does everyone use the full vacuum or just seal? Or use the 'Delicate' setting?

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote tjm Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jan 2022 at 9:23am
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I purchased one last year and I must say the results are great, pull the fish out of the freezer 12 months later and still fresh. I cut my own bags, seal one end first, pack the fish, pull a vac and then seal once all the air has been removed.
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Originally posted by Fishb8 Fishb8 wrote:

I bought an Innovation vacuum sealer a couple of years ago and it works well but found the fillets were a bit dried out.
Last month I processed a batch of snapper and there was an issue as a full vacuum wasn't happening. I found that I'd managed to have the power cable sit on top the rubber seal and created a dent so not sucking properly. I bagged several meals with a small amount of air
But, when I opened a bag yesterday, the fish were way better than usual with no juice in the bag - it all stayed in the fish and way way nicer.
Does everyone use the full vacuum or just seal? Or use the 'Delicate' setting?


I had similar experience Boby with a budget priced unit from Supercheap Boby ... worked reasonably well until it gave up the ghost.

Have replaced it with an ultra affordable "Living & Giving"  from the Warehouse that the plastic bag of sealing rolls are not only well priced but seem to be considerably heavier than most.

On the downside they seem to be slower on the air extraction cycle & a bit of experimenting is required to make it 100% effective, plus the instruction manual is a tad less than totally helpful.

You are welcome to borrow mine to try if you want to see if it works well enough for you.
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I am very happy with mine - but have been using the 'gentle' and 'moist' settings. I guess this pulls less vacuum - but could not tell by looking.
But you observation has to hold some water (pardon pun). You are sucking a vacuum, and that pulls a lot of the free liquid with it. So you are drying the product out as you go. Water boils at 100 deg. But only at atmos pressure. Lower the pressure and it boils earlier. Pulling a vacuum is basically achieving something along those lines.
So you are probably correct - a less vigorous or partial vacuum probably leaves the fish more moist.
The trick might be to try and regulate that.
Some people on the forum here have reported good results just by dunking a ziplock bag of fish in a bucket of water and sealing.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Fishful Thinking Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jan 2022 at 11:21am
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Try taking the fillets and dipping in salt water. Place in freezer on baking paper on an oven tray or similar. One layer thick they "flash freeze". Once solid, off paper, into bag, vacuum and into freezer. Vacuum doesn't squeeze the fish etc., just modifies the atmosphere and improves keeping qualities.
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Once frozen fish has been defrosted, put it in bag with a bit of milk for 1/2 to 1 hour before cooking. Milk rehydrates the fish and gives it the freshness of newly caught fish.
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I have a Russell Hobbs one for about 6 years now. Always done a good job sealing
I use the "wet" (or moist?) option and "turbo".
Have never had a problem with fish quality and always date the packs before freezing. Found one pack a while ago that was nearly 2 year old terakihi, came out just like fresh.
Also, I never wash fillets before packing, just a quick rinse after defrosting.

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Originally posted by wayno wayno wrote:

I have a Russell Hobbs one for about 6 years now. Always done a good job sealing
I use the "wet" (or moist?) option and "turbo".
Have never had a problem with fish quality and always date the packs before freezing. Found one pack a while ago that was nearly 2 year old terakihi, came out just like fresh.
Also, I never wash fillets before packing, just a quick rinse after defrosting.


I could have written that post word for word, that's my experience too, but I don't rinse after defrosting.

Personally, I find the drier the better (within reason) when it comes to storing fish. I've taken this to dry ageing everything for 24 hours before freezing.
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Couple of weeks ago I opened a pack of gurnard from last July.
It wasn't great - bit dry. Ate it. But had a 2nd pack I chose to use for burley.
I have had stuff at 3 mths that tastes great.
The gurnard had a lot of liquid in the bag after defrosting. Somewhere along the way it lost that moisture. Maybe the freeze/thaw?
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Bounty Hunter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jan 2022 at 7:42pm
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Originally posted by Fishful Thinking Fishful Thinking wrote:

Try taking the fillets and dipping in salt water. Place in freezer on baking paper on an oven tray or similar. One layer thick they "flash freeze". Once solid, off paper, into bag, vacuum and into freezer. Vacuum doesn't squeeze the fish etc., just modifies the atmosphere and improves keeping qualities.

i learned this from Tony Bishop when he had Just Fishing in Newmarket - seems like a 100years ago now... !
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Fishful Thinking Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Jan 2022 at 11:14am
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BH, was 30 years ago I first walked in there from memory. Still got his book. Good team of fishos staffing the place.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote RockCrashing Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Jan 2022 at 5:37pm
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imho, if i would hv any air in vacuum bag i would resealed. Having air in vacuum bag is with fresh or even cook produce is like ..... would you like mild or severe food poisoning !!!
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote Alan L Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Jan 2022 at 7:12pm
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Originally posted by RockCrashing RockCrashing wrote:

imho, if i would hv any air in vacuum bag i would resealed. Having air in vacuum bag is with fresh or even cook produce is like ..... would you like mild or severe food poisoning !!!
The food is frozen - don't forget.
Then cooked.
Not incubated.
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