Nick87
Well-known member
Getting ready to start making some meals for my elk trip. Quick qquestions there a certain bag I should get for reheating? We usually just buy food saver brand from wal-mart or Sam's club.
Pre made meals in freezer bags
- Thread starter Nick87
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seeth07
Well-known member
If you were following along to scliving outdoors thread for his AK trip, he brought up those mylar bags. First I've learned of them and already ordered some to try out!
Nick87
Well-known member
Missed that I'll check it out.
Gellar
Well-known member
I’ve always just packaged them in vacuum sealer bags, but as was pointed in Scliving’s thread the Mylar bags are resealable.
WildWill
Well-known member
Eating pork carnitas and chicken fajitas on the hunttalk China now that I packaged in food saver bags. I just put them in a gallon ziplock to avoid the occasional split seal ruining dinner.
SD_Prairie_Goat
Well-known member
If I'm gonna be heating anything up it's mylar bags with the ziplock on the top.
Work well and Amazon has a ton for sale in various sizes
Work well and Amazon has a ton for sale in various sizes
wihunter12
Well-known member
Other than being resealable, are there other advantages to the mylar bags instead of the foodsaver bags?
perma
Well-known member
I wonder if vacuum seal bags would work.
Nick87
Well-known member
That's what I was referring to with food saver bags.
LIK2HNT
Active member
Vacuum seal bags work great. And throw away when done. Heat up food in boiling water in the bags and no mess. Things like stews can be frozen in bags before sealing. Same for juicy taco meats etc.
SD_Prairie_Goat
Well-known member
They hold shape when heating. Like vacuum get hot and feel like they would tear easily to me. Mylar don't have that issue, plus I buy the ones that have a base to keep it upright.
Also, vacuum bags aren't oxygen barriers, so they'll always leak over time. Not the case with mylar, but if you're only storing for a year or less you'll never really notice. If you go more long term you would.
Mylar trend to weigh more and aren't as easy to cut and seal to size like vacuum bags. Also cost more, so it's not like they win hands down. They have their place. For me a common use is for oatmeal in the field since they can take boiling water, or for buying 10# cans of freezer dried and breaking them down into meal sized. Had to resort to this when MH discontinued a meal and could only find 10# cans of it.
wihunter12
Well-known member
Thanks for the explanation SD, I have always frozen my meals in foodsaver bags and boiled the bags to heat up the food. Might have to look into the mylar bags a little more.
SD_Prairie_Goat
Well-known member
No problem. I use these ones myself. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07D8YKWXN?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
I'm sure your method works well enough, might even work better for boiling around the bag instead of adding boiling water? One big concern I could see with vacuum bags is ripping the bag in transit.
Well you got options now at least, can weigh pros and cons for each one
Nick87
Well-known member
So you just cook in this mylar bag you don't actually store frozen in it?
LIK2HNT
Active member
Good vacuum bags can also be microwaved. Going to get and try hose Mylar bags.
Can you vacuum seal them?
Another good item is a microwave potato bag. Like pictured below. I use them to hold the hot vacuum sealed bags to keep food warm as you eat. And keep from burning hands.
Can you vacuum seal them?
Another good item is a microwave potato bag. Like pictured below. I use them to hold the hot vacuum sealed bags to keep food warm as you eat. And keep from burning hands.
Salmonchaser
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Been doing this for at least 20 years. Perhaps 10 years ago started double bagging to combat the occasional split bag. Will be trying the Mylar bags sounds like a great solution.
SD_Prairie_Goat
Well-known member
I've never done frozen myself. Only freeze dried with oxygen absorbers.
Getting them to lose air and seal is very difficult with a food saver. The air doesn't like to leave. I usually remove the air by hand, throw in an oxygen remover pack then seal the top with a hair straightener or heavy duty vacuum sealer. Oxygen pack ensures the good stays fresh even if all the air wasn't removed
Gellar
Well-known member
I’ve always just had my meal frozen in the vacuum bag, toss it in a pot of water and start to warm on your stove. It’s usually plenty warm before it gets boiling. I’ve also had fajitas or burger Pattie’s frozen in vacuum bags and you just dump them out into a skillet to fry.
In Scliving’s thread he was/is using mylar bags to rehydrate knorr noodles
And oatmeal I believe, not store frozen food. The package on the noodles wouldn’t withstand dumping the boiling water into it. I bring knorr noodles a lot too. I just save a mountain house bag and wash it out good to use for reconstituting them.
To me it makes sense to have resealable if you are reconstituting, but vacuum sealed if it’s frozen and you are rewarming.
In Scliving’s thread he was/is using mylar bags to rehydrate knorr noodles
And oatmeal I believe, not store frozen food. The package on the noodles wouldn’t withstand dumping the boiling water into it. I bring knorr noodles a lot too. I just save a mountain house bag and wash it out good to use for reconstituting them.
To me it makes sense to have resealable if you are reconstituting, but vacuum sealed if it’s frozen and you are rewarming.
cgasner1
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When I use to do this it was a lot of chicken Alfredo and spaghetti. Just take a black stone and cook burgers while your doing your other chores in camp not a big deal.
WildWill
Well-known member
Yep this works great. Currently elk hunting will get back to camp around 1-2 when it gets hot and cook burgers for lunch/dinner. Then head out this evening get back after dark cook breakfast before bed eat a little and wrap the rest into breakfast burritos to get a early jump on the morning.
