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Using Rommelsbacher Magig Vac
®
bags
• Vacuum-sealingforthefreezer
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
it 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-sealingforthefridge
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-sealingforthepantry
Even foods that can be kept 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 last better and
moisture, mould and insects will not attack and ruin them.
• Defrostingfoodinbags
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.
• Repackagingpre-packedfood
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.
• Usefultips…
o For food with tapered ends or sharp edges, like bones and spaghetti, pad the edges with paper
towels to prevent perforating the bag.