Vacuum sealer bags and rolls

How to choose vacuum sealer bags

• Embossed surface. Household external (suction) vacuum sealers need bags with an embossed, channelled inner surface — the channels let air escape from the bag. Smooth bags only work in chamber machines.
• Bags or rolls. Ready-made bags save time, while a roll lets you cut a bag of exactly the length you need and seal one end yourself. The roll must not be wider than the sealer's sealing bar.
• Size. Small bags suit cheese and portions, large ones cuts of meat and fish. Leave a few centimetres free at the top for the seal.
• Zip bags. Reusable bags with a valve, emptied with a hand pump or the sealer's hose adapter.
• Hose adapter. Connects the sealer to vacuum containers, jars and zip bags — check that your machine has the matching port.

Tips for use

Briefly pre-freeze juicy food or use the moist setting so that liquid does not reach the seal. Wrap sharp bones in paper so they do not puncture the bag. For sous-vide choose bags marked as suitable for cooking in water. Vacuum slows spoilage but does not replace chilling — keep perishable food in the fridge or freezer even when vacuum-sealed.

FAQ

Do Caso bags fit other brands of sealer? Embossed bags and rolls generally work with any external vacuum sealer, as long as the bag width fits the sealing bar.

Can the bags be reused? If a bag did not hold raw meat, fish or greasy food, it can be washed and sealed again — it gets a little shorter each time. Zip bags are designed for repeated use.

See also vacuum sealers, freezers and food slicers.