# ISO help portioning meat in FoodSaver bags



## vilasman (Apr 6, 2008)

Now quite sure where to put this question but i am sure someone will move it.

I am wondering if I can get the following into a quart size food saver bag
2-4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
lb of beef strips for stir fry
lb of hamburger
2 large lamb chops

or should I use the 8' rolls and cut to size ?


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## kitchenelf (Apr 6, 2008)

vilasman said:


> Now quite sure where to put this question but i am sure someone will move it.
> 
> I am wondering if I can get the following into a quart size food saver bag
> 2-4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
> ...



Are you saying you want to get ALL of that into *one* quart-size bag or each of those things into their OWN quart-size bag?  

Yes, each of those things will fit in their own quart-size bag.
No, I don't think they all will fit into one quart-size bag.


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## Katie H (Apr 6, 2008)

2-4 boneless skinless chicken thighs will fit.  However 4 will be a bit tight.

1 lb. of beef strips will be fine.

1 lb. of hamburger/ground beef will fit nicely.

2 lamb chops will be okay.

Now...my answers are that each of these foods should be in their own 1-quart bag.  They definitely will not fit combined in a single bag.


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## DramaQueen (Apr 6, 2008)

*I would cut the bags to fit off of the roll. I use only rolls so I can do just that. If you put all of that in one bag, not only do you risk cross contamination but the meat will freeze into one solid mass because vacuum sealing  "squeezes" everything and you'll need to defrost the whole thing in order to pull each item apart. *


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## vilasman (Apr 6, 2008)

I wanted to freeze the items seperately. So far I have only used the rolls . I have had my food saver for 4 years and I  have  finally used the 2 short rolls that came with it. 
Things being what they are now I am using it monthly and I have all of the above to vacuum tomorrow


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## kitchenelf (Apr 6, 2008)

If your chicken thighs will squish down far enough for you to vacuum then you should be good to go with each item in a separate bag.  However, if the bag seems a bit big just cut something smaller from your roll.


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## sattie (Apr 6, 2008)

I would customize your bags.  Specially for raw meat since they reccommend that you do not reuse the bags.  ( I do reuse, but I take extra steps to sanitize the bags that have had raw meat in them.)  What ever you pack in the bags, you need at least 3" of extra bag left to properly vaccumm and seal.


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## GB (Apr 6, 2008)

Sattie they do not say not to reuse the bags. They even say they are dishwasher safe.


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## sattie (Apr 6, 2008)

GB, I have read (at least the most recent guide with my new foodsaver) not to reuse bags that have had raw meat stored in them. I understand why they make this statement, but at the same time, I am a person that likes to get the most out of my money. So I do reuse them with careful cleaning.  I will say that I do this at my own risk. 

This is from the Tilia site:

*Can FoodSaver® Bags be washed?*

Yes, but it depends on the previous contents of the bag.


Bags that previously contained fruits, vegetables, breads and dry goods can be washed and reused.
Bags that contained raw meats, fish, eggs or un-pasteurized cheese should be discarded after use because they may contain invisible bacteria that will remain after washing.
Bags that contained greasy or oily foods should also be discarded, as they may be difficult to clean.
FoodSaver® Bags can be washed by hand, or in the top rack of the dishwasher. Use a wooden clothespin or a clip to hold the bags in place. Dry completely. They can then be re-vacuumed. 
Back to Top


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## DramaQueen (Apr 7, 2008)

GB said:


> Sattie they do not say not to reuse the bags. They even say they are dishwasher safe.


 
*I just checked my manual and it specifically states "do NOT reuse the bags if they contained a meat or meat product."*
*Personally I don't think you could safely clean away  the bacteria that will be left in the bag after using. I won't take the chance. *


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## GB (Apr 7, 2008)

Well I guess we were both right. If there is meat contact then they say not to reuse the bag, but if there is no meat contact then reusing is OK.


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