Vacuum sealers are very useful devices that help preserve food more and better, but it must be admitted that they are one more piece of junk to find a place for in the kitchen. However, we can easily imitate the technique without using any special equipment, with a trick that has been dubbed the human vacuum packaging. In English it sounds better.
The human vacuum seal basically consists of breathe in with one’s own lungs as much air as possible from a food-grade packaging bag. To make it easier and more effective, the ideal is to use a bag with closure type zip or zipper, since you have to leave a very small hole open, preventing air from leaking through the rest of the opening.
It’s also easier to do with the help of a strawin such a way that the opening can be further adjusted, placing it well inside the bag, and in a more hygienic way than just vacuuming directly with the mouth on the bag.
The procedure is very simple and quite intuitive. The first thing is to be clear about what is going to be packaged and if its destination is the freezer, it is preferable prefreeze some foods in portions a couple of hours before using the bag, for example by placing them in the freezer on a tray with non-stick paper.
As we already explained in the best way to preserve bread, if a dough is cut into slices or if we are going to freeze cut fruit or coffee beans, for example, we will prevent them from sticking the portions with each other inside the container or with the bag itself.
Once the food we want to keep inside the bag is placed, we must extract as much air as possible with your hands, and then close it well with the zip system, leaving only one end open. That’s where you have to insert the straw, grab the edge well so that the air does not come out, and finally it’s time to vacuum.
You don’t have to leave your lungs sucking either -more than anything to avoid dizziness-, but obviously the method will be more effective the more air we can extract. We will see that the same effect is produced in the bag as when using a packaging machine or vacuum bag for clothes, the material adhering to the food, like a second skin.
When we can no longer take out more, it only remains to quickly and carefully remove the straw by closing the small opening immediately after. And it’s ready to store, refrigerate or freeze.
We will not have removed all the air but the result is very good in simple and not very delicate foods, such as rolls, sliced bread, firm fruit, hard cheeses, cupcakes or muffins, cake slices, nuts, coffee beans, etc. . In addition to being better preserved, we will gain space in the freezer, fridge or pantry.
The author of the video on TikTok that discovered this system for us recommends it especially for raw cookie doughalways in portions and pre-frozen, so that you can enjoy cookies freshly made whenever you have a craving, without the need to bake a large quantity at once or prepare the entire dough every two to three.
It ensures that it is hygienic and safe, although this method of packaging is not recommended. riskier foods of contamination or very delicate, such as raw meat or fish. In any case, care must be taken that the straw does not touch the food and do not exhale inside the bag. And we always talk about a particular domestic use.
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