Vacuum packaging food

[Karena]

On one of Nick's 4wd forums they have been talking about vacuum packaging food and then heating in hot water at camping.

Just wondering if anyone has tried this for camping? Or if you vacuum package your food? If so how do you do it and does it make food last longer?

TIA

[Larabelle]

I haven't done it myself, but I'm aware that you can do it, and you can cook it at lower temperatures this way. If you cook it for a very long time you have to watch out for botulism, though.

If you were going to vacuum seal the food in plastic, you'd probably want to know that there were no nasties like BPA in the plastic, or the heat might release them into the food.

[jodiemiller]

Restaurants do it all the time. Yes, food hygiene at the packaging stage is essential.

Around here also, where people butcher their own animals but don't have the space to age the meat in a cold room, vacuum packaging for extended refrigeration is the normal way to wait out the tenderisation period.

My BIL has one, which he uses regularly and he does like to cook in a steam bath (as it's called). The results are more moist and delicious because all the juices and flavours are trapped inside the package. I would definitely give it a go in a camping situation.