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Using Rommelsbacher Magic Vac
®
bags
• Vacuum sealing for the freezer
First of all, use the freshest possible food. Your vacuum sealer will allow you to retain all the freshness
of the food if it is properly preserved. Some foods have a soft consistency which could be damaged by
vacuum-sealing the product when fresh. To prepare delicate foods like meat, fish, berries, bread, etc., it
is advisable to pre-freeze them first. In the first twenty-four hours there is no risk of freezer burns, so
you can vacuum-seal the products frozen the previous day in Rommelsbacher Magic Vac
®
bags, and
then keep them in the freezer for long periods so as to preserve all the nutritional values and flavour of
the product you have packed. When vacuum sealing soups, stews or other liquid food, pre-freeze it in a
pan or high-strength dish. When the food becomes solid, vacuum-seal it, add a label and replace in your
freezer.
To vacuum-seal vegetables, peel them and then blanch them briefly in boiling water or a microwave
oven until they are warm but still firm. Then vacuum-seal them in convenient portions. If the food is not
pre-frozen, leave an extra 5 cm in the length of the bag to allow for expansion due to freezing. With
regard to meat and fish, it is advisable to place the food on a paper towel and vacuum-seal it with the
towel in the bag. This will absorb any moisture in the food.
To preserve food like focaccia, crêpes and small hamburgers, stack them on top of each other, placing
greaseproof paper or film between each piece. This will make it easier to remove some of the food,
repackage the rest and replace it immediately in the freezer.
• Vacuum sealing for the fridge
Appropriate portions of food can be prepared in advance, then vacuum-sealed and kept in the fridge for
use at different times, ready to be heated as and when necessary.
• Vacuum sealing for the pantry
Even foods that can keep at room temperature (like, for example, coffee, flour, pasta, sugar, etc.) can
benefit from vacuum sealing. If these products are to remain unused for several days, such as when you
go away on holiday, it is advisable to protect all foods by vacuum sealing. They will keep better and
moisture, mould and insects will not attack and ruin them.
• Defrosting food in bags
To defrost vacuum-sealed food such as meat, fish, fruit, vegetables or other delicate foodstuffs,
place it on the lowest shelf in the fridge to defrost slowly. Bread and focaccia should be left at room
temperature, while soups or other liquid foods should be immersed in hot water still in the vacuum
bags until they reach the right temperature. When you leave food at room temperature or heat it in a
bain-marie, make sure you cut one corner of the bag to let the steam escape. When the food has been
defrosted, it must be consumed immediately. Do not re-freeze it.
• Repackaging pre-packed food
Many foodstuffs, like cheese and meat, are sold pre-packed in factory-prepared vacuum bags. To retain
the flavour and freshness of these foods, repackage them in Rommelsbacher Magic Vac
®
bags after the
factory package has been opened. Pre-packed foods must always be consumed by the use-by
date shown on the original package. They must also be handled with the greatest care and
hygiene when repackaging.
• Useful tips ...
– For food with tapered ends or sharp edges, like bones and spaghetti, pad the edges with paper
towels to prevent perforating the bag.
– In order to avoid the suction of liquids when vacuuming very damp food (like e. g. meat or blanched
vegetables) you can additionally wrap it in cling film or place a kitchen tissue inside at the front edge
of the bag so that escaping liquid is soaked up.
– To prevent delicate food from crumbling or crushing (biscuits, berries, etc.), we recommend using the
special Rommelsbacher Magic Vac
®
containers, which are available as accessories.
