Sunday, December 11, 2011

Create Budget Wise Holiday Gifts for Friends and Family with your Vacuum Sealer

Another Holiday Season is just a few weeks away. Have you ever thought of using your vacuum sealer and jar attachment to make gifts in a jar?

At our local craft show this year, a fantastic booth stood out. A woman had used her vacuum sealer with the jar attachment to create gifts inside old sauce jars. Mason or canning jars of all types with wide or narrow mouth lids can be reused for all types of projects. This vendor had the traditional and always loved, cookie and cake or soup mixes, which are great whole family gifts for neighbors, co-workers, bosses ect. But she also had little wonderlands of tiny dolls, box cars, even pet treats and toys. To finish out the look a pretty paper, Christmas or other was wrapped over the screw lid and then tied with a ribbon.

If you own a vacuum packer and the jar sealer attachment, maybe this would be a budget saving idea this Christmas.

Happy Holidays to all and thank you for another great year.
Sincerely
PMG
Thom Dolder and Staff

Friday, November 11, 2011

Dried Eggs, How do I use them???

Food Storage:
Many of you may have seen the National Geographic series on people they call Prepper’s. The series can be viewed on YouTube.
The National Geographic series shows people who believe for one reason or another their calm quite world may be disrupted in a massive way. These people have taken steps to dramatically change their lives to survive or endure these so called coming disasters.

Vacuum packers have been around since the 40’s and really have not changed much. Unlike the electronic industry with a change almost monthly to blog. The vacuum packing industry is pretty basic with few changes from year to year. Creating an exciting blog can be a challenge.

With that said the Prepper’s have given us a new thing to blog about! (We are in the packaging industry, preppers need packaging. We stand neutral on the disaster information discribed in the series)

Vacuum packing food for long term storage is not new. Buy food, vacuum pack, and use when you are ready. A smart way to save money, eat today at yesterdays prices. The best way to eat high quality food at home.

But how do you cook with dry eggs, dry beans, whole grains, and so many other products that in everyday life are usually bought in a fast easy to fix box or can?

Food storage is generally raw whole items for maximum storage time. Vacuum packing raw almonds will last 10 years as with roasted salted Almonds only have about a 1 year shelf life. Unless you like eating unsalted un-roasted Almonds, one needs to know how to prepare them as your family is used to eating them.

We did a poll.
What #1 stored food items are most confusing to prepare.
• Dried Eggs
• Raw Nuts
• Bean Dried
• Whole grains
• Dehydrated Meat
• TVP
• Powder Milk
• Powder Cheese
• Tomato Powder
• Sprouting Seeds

We did some research on each of these and many more items people are storing and how to actually use them, and most importantly want to eat them.


#1 Dried Egg

What we found with eggs is they are dangerous to dehydrate in your home dehyrator or oven do not try to make your own dehydrated eggs…. Eggs carry Salmonellae bacteria, when ingested can cause illness. Salmonellae reproduce rapidly at temperatures between 40 degrees F, and 140 degrees F. We do not recommend dehydrating eggs for storage. Only buy eggs that have been professionally dehydrated under strict manufacturing guidelines. These manufacturing plants are required to test each batch for Salmonellae. Only store professionally manufactured FDA approved dried eggs.

Reconstituting Dried Eggs

To make as a scramble: Mix 2-1/2 tbls part dried egg with 2-1/2 tbls parts warm water, whip together and cook as you would 1 raw egg.
To use in baking: Mix 2-1/2 tbls dried egg equals 1 raw egg. Raw eggs do not add moisture to a recipe. There is no need to add water to the recipe when using dry eggs. If you feel your recipe is dry then add water at the end, most times there is no need to add water with dry eggs to cakes, muffins, biscuits, and breads.

Breakfasts:

Scrambled Eggs *6 eggs*
1C. dried whole eggs
½ T. salt
1/8 T. pepper
2 T. dry milk
1-1/2 C. water
Tbls oil

Mix or whip eggs into water until blended. Add salt, pepper, and dry milk and mix together. Add oil to frying pan. Cook over low heat, stirring continuously until dry and crumbly. Add more flavors. Rehydrate diced bell peppers, onions or garlic, also consider TVP or dehydrated Sausage. Cooking with dried eggs is as easy as raw eggs once they are rehydrated. Just like a raw egg, rehydrated dried eggs store properly chilled and use within 12 hours, best to mix and use immediately.

Baked Eggs:

1 c. dried whole egg
1c. water
Salt and pepper to taste
4T half and half
4t margarine
Rehydrated eggs and beat well. Pour mixture into a shallow baking dish or 4 custard cups. Season to taste, maybe add some bacon bits, TVP or dehydrated Sausage. Spoon 1T. Half and Half over each serving, dot with 1t. Margarine
Bake in preheated oven 350 degrees until eggs are set about 15 minutes.

Whole Wheat Pancakes:

2 C. Wheat Flour
2t. baking powder
4T. sugar
5T. dried whole egg
6T dried milk
½ t salt
2C and 5T water
4T oil

Sift dry ingredients. Add water and oil, stir until moist. Cook on griddle or pan at medium heat. Serve with topping.
Another variation rehydrates sausage, chicken, beef, TVP, or dried vegetables, mix into batter before cooking to make a filling meal.

• Main Dishes:

Homemade Egg Noodles
1-1/3 C sifted dried whole eggs. *When eggs have been vacuum packed they pack very hard it is necessary to sift the eggs to properly measure*
2 C. sifted flour
¾ C. water
1-1/2 t. salt

Sift dry ingredients together. Add water to the dry ingredients and mix well. Knead the dough lightly. Separate into smaller portions to roll our very thin on floured board. Cut rolled dough into strips. Cut the stirs into desired size pasta portions. Or while rolled out flat use a glass or cookie cutter to cut shapes for stuffing with cheese or meats for ravioli. The options are endless with the dough make the pasta the size and shape you enjoy eating.

To store noodles, spread out on wax paper and dry thoroughly at room temperature. When dry, store in a covered container in the refrigerator, or freezer. This makes about 1 pound of dry noodles.
To cook noodles: Cook dry noodles in boiling water or broth for 12 minutes. No extra salt is needed buy may be desired.

Egg Pizza

1C. dried whole eggs
1-1/3 C. Water
½ t salt
¼ t oregano
Pepper to taste
2T. Margarine or oil
1/4C Pizza sauce
½ C. Shredded Mozzarella cheese or if using storage food rehydrated Mozzarella cheese.

Beat dried egg, water, salt, oregano and pepper with whip. Heat margarine or oil in skillet until sizzles from a drop of water. The oil needs t be hot enough for the egg mixture to set at the edges at once. Pour in egg mixture. Before the eggs cook completely spread pizza sauce and sprinkle with cheese. If you like more items on your egg pizza add rehydrated TVP, sausage, chicken, beef, or vegetables of your choice. Slide from pan and slice like a pizza to serve.

Bread or Rolls

3T. dry yeast
2-1/4 C lukewarm water
1/3 C. dried whole egg
1/3 C. water
¼ C. dry milk
¼ C sugar
1T. salt
1/3 C. oil
9 C. flour

Reconstitute the dried egg with 1/3 cup of the water, beat well. Combine the yeast and lukewarm water in another large mixing bowl. After yeast is active about 3-5 minutes, Add egg and dry milk, gently mix. Sift together flour, sugar and salt. Slowly add the flour mixture to the eggs and dry milk and yeast. Mix all ingredients so far together well. Turn dough out on floured board, suing remaining flour, kneed until smoother and elastic.
Form dough into a smoother ball, place back into a greased bowl. Cover and let rise until dough is about double in size. Punch it back down. Turn out on a floured board and allow to rest 15 minutes. Shape into loaves or rolls and place in lightly greased pans. Let rise in warm place until dough doubles in size. Bake at 359 degree F. for 40 minutes for bread and 14 minutes for rolls. This recipe makes 2 loaves of bread or 5 dozen rolls.

These are just a few recipes’using dried eggs. The dried eggs are versatile and easy to use in everyday life. FDA approved professional dehydrated eggs, a great item to have on hand.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

VacUpack Deluxe, Italian built, Excellent Quality Home Style Vacuum Sealer

A new look at PMG. The Vacupack Deluxe, a great home style unit that is built in Italy, comes with a full 2 year warranty. The budget priced VacUpack Deluxe offers 3 modes of operation to suite any vacuum packing need includes an accessory hose for jars or canister use.

Check out the new unit in the VacUpack brand of vacuum sealers.
http://www.officialvacupack.com

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Canning Season is upon us NOW!

We have been very busy at PMG the past few months helping people get ready for canning season. Here in Washington, near Seattle the weather has been very cool, cloudy and raining. The only things doing well in the garden are the greens, like Lettuce, Mustard Greens, Kale ect. Although our family and all our neighbors like eating fresh greens, the question came up, how can we preserve with canning some of these greens, especially the Mustard Greens and Kale.

Just for your info, we found a Cajun cook on YouTube who shows how to cann Mustard Greens. Here is how for retort bags. Really the same as jars just in your bags.

1) Steam the greens until wilted.
2) Precook bacon and onions together.
3) 1/4 teaspoon Season Salts, he had a special southern style but I think a flavor of your choice would do fine.

Add bacon, onions, wilted greens and season salt into container glass jar I choose a retort. Then ad water to cover. Put your lids on or in the case of retorts seal in your vacuum packer. Now pressure can 11 pounds of pressure, he said for 70 minutes for the 8 oz jar or in the case or retort packages a bit less for 4 oz but only maybe 5 minutes as the bacon needs the time.

This is one I will be doing this year, store what grows!
Happy canning!

Retort Canning of has NO Scientific data from the FDA or USDA for home canners.  The concerns come from non acid foods such as meats!  We are expressing our experiences, but by no way are these experiences authorized data. Can at your own risk!  
As they say, "Re-Heat before you Eat" on any home canned product in glass, cans or retort for best safety practices.  
All home canning is AT YOUR OWN RISK! 

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Retort Canning, more on prep, care and safety tips.

Vacuum packing is storage not preservation. Retort canning is a bit of both. While you are stuffing retort bags, sealing them it can take up to 30 minutes or more. Be safe put sealed bags on ice or refrigerate while you are processing the balance of the bags to fit into a pressure canner. Bacteria and botulizum can grow very fast in a warm non oxygenated container. Be safe keep all products very cold until you are ready to fill the pressure canner and start the cooking process.

When we have only one or two bags say from left over roast, or chicken. We vacuum seal them and then freeze them. When we have collected enough frozen packages we thaw them in the fridge over night and then put them into the pressure canner for processing.

Here is a quick video.




Retort Canning of has NO Scientific data from the FDA or USDA for home canners.  The concerns come from non acid foods such as meats!  We are expressing our experiences, but by no way are these experiences authorized data. Can at your own risk!  
As they say, "Re-Heat before you Eat" on any home canned product in glass, cans or retort for best safety practices.  
All home canning is AT YOUR OWN RISK! 

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

More about Retort Canning and Vacuum Sealers

More tips on retort canning.  Side seams and expansion can be an
issue this video will help to better explain that process.






Retort Canning of has NO Scientific data from the FDA or USDA for home canners.  The concerns come from non acid foods such as meats!  We are expressing our experiences, but by no way are these experiences authorized data. Can at your own risk!  
As they say, "Re-Heat before you Eat" on any home canned product in glass, cans or retort for best safety practices.  
All home canning is AT YOUR OWN RISK! 

Friday, April 22, 2011

Vacupack Elite Sealing a Wet Bag! No other home style unit can do this!

This is one of the many videos about the Vacupack Elite. This one shows how easy it is to seal a wet bag. Thom Dolder shows how to clean up any wet in the channel and about the side jar port which diverts water away from the pump and motor. This is really a nice unit very stylish, high production, Italian and American quality.


Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Update resource guide for canning times.

USDA Publications
USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, 2009 revision

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/publications_usda.html

The guide we previously posted was brought to our attention some facts were out of date. Mostly times to can meats has been dropped from 90 minutes to 75 minutes. Glad it went that way instead of the other. Better to be safe than sorry!
However we feel it is very important to have accurate information and what better information than from the USDA. So check out the link for canning times. Thanks for the info keep it coming!

Retort Canning of has NO Scientific data from the FDA or USDA for home canners.  The concerns come from non acid foods such as meats!  We are expressing our experiences, but by no way are these experiences authorized data. Can at your own risk!  
As they say, "Re-Heat before you Eat" on any home canned product in glass, cans or retort for best safety practices.  
All home canning is AT YOUR OWN RISK! 

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

A Vacuum Sealing Machine Can Be a Great Tool for Your Home Business

Professional Marketing


A Vacuum Sealing Machine Can Be a Great Tool for Your Home Business

A Home-Based Business Can Benefit From a Vacuum Packing Machine

Retort Pouches Offer Great Advantages to Home-Based Food Businesses

Syndicated 11/15 to LinkVine, UAW, SYA

Keywords: vacuum sealing machine, vacuum packing machine, retort pouches

Anyone in the food-service business, from the owner of a five-star restaurant to a street vendor, knows that one of the greatest impacts on his bottom line is spoilage. In view of this, it makes sense to utilize any tool available that will eliminate this problem. One of the most affordable and money-saving tools currently available is a vacuum sealing machine. Basically, this method of preservation prevents oxidation by excluding air from food, thus avoiding the growth of mold and bacteria and preventing the freezer burn, drying and shriveling caused by exposure to air and moisture.

Aside from preventing undue spoilage, small businesses can save time and money in other ways through use of a vacuum packing machine. For example, many family-owned restaurants have discovered the benefits of doing their own butchering, purchasing a whole side of beef, breaking it down, and sealing and freezing the parts for use when needed.

Caterers can use this packaging method to keep fresh-frozen samples of their specialties ready for tasting by potential customers, while delis, pizza parlors, home bakeries and candy makers can vacuum-seal excess product to sell at a later date. Many restaurant kitchens cook basic ingredients like stock, sauces and gravies in large quantities, then store them in vacuum-sealed bags for use when needed.

Aside from these advantages, the ability to buy in bulk and prepare dishes in advance is both efficient and cost-effective. Additionally, many restaurant owners and caterers are more often patronizing small cooperative farms and farmer's markets for locally grown produce, and/or growing their own herbs and produce. The downside to growing your own or buying locally is the short shelf life. Nevertheless, “locavores” are lured to eateries that feature this produce, making vacuum packing for food preservation yet another benefit of owning this equipment.

Another recent packaging innovation is the retort pouch (which, contrary to popular belief, does not hold a kangaroo's snappy comebacks). This type of container consists of several layers of laminated materials, made to stand up to extreme conditions such as high heat, falling, bending, freezing and cooking. It's easy to open, it’s re-closeable and its contents can last up to five years without refrigeration. Until recently, the largest consumer of these packages was the Army, which packed servicemen’s field rations in the pouches because they are lightweight, easy to transport and can take a beating. Many products are now substituting retort pouches for metal cans, notably moist pet food and tuna. However, other products, including soups, sauces, seafood and several other pre-cooked foods, are now appearing on grocery store shelves everywhere. Small food operations would do well to investigate the retort pouch as an adjunct to vacuum packing machines, as both are very consumer-friendly packaging methods that can give sales and distribution a boost in the bottom line.

Reproduction permitted only when all active hyperlinks are included. 2010 All rights reserved.

Stephen Daniels is an acclaimed internet marketing strategist. If you need a vacuum sealing machine or retort pouches for home, commercial or industrial use, he recommends http://www.vacuumpacker.com. They offer a variety of supplies and a full-service repairs and parts department.



Stephen Daniels is an acclaimed internet marketing strategist. If you need a http://www.vacuumpacker.com/">vacuum sealing machine or retort pouches for home, commercial or industrial use, he recommends Professional Marketing Group. Specializing in food packaging since 1984, they offer a variety of supplies and a full-service repairs and parts department.

Retort Packaging - Preserving Food And The Environment

Retort Packaging - Preserving Food And The Environment


by Stephen Daniels

Word Count: 416

Keywords: vacuum pack sealers, vacuum sealer, retort pouches



Retort packaging may not have the catchiest name you've ever heard, but the history and usefulness of this method of packing and preserving food are, at the least, interesting - and at most, nothing short of ingenious. With the ability to do just about anything a can or bottle can do - while enjoying several significant advantages over those two tried-and-true food containers - retort pouches are poised to start a revolution in the food-packaging industry.



Like many innovations, retort packaging owes its beginnings to the military. In the 60s, the United States Army was looking for a replacement for their much-maligned C-rations, which were packaged in small cans. MREs (or Meals Ready to Eat) were the solution, and these rations proved to be much more popular among soldiers for the simplest of reasons - the food tasted a lot better.



The reason food tastes better (and is more nutritious to boot) in retort pouches lies in the design. Due to their superior surface-to-volume ratio, it takes "MORE" (Revised from original article)  time to cook food in retort pouches than it does in cans. ( This is due to the tightly packed canner to keep the bags from exploding)  Run your canner 20% -30% longer at a minimum! Not only does this design ensure that the food will retain more of its taste and nutritional value, but thanks to the increased exposure to heat, users often find that their food remain fresher too.



Retort pouches are also an eco-responsible way to package food. The reduced cooking time (along with a few other factors) means that less energy is used in production, and the lighter weight means that transportation costs are reduced as well. Those aren't the only advantages, though. The larger package face means that enhanced graphics can be used to increase shelf appeal; the pouches are extremely durable (meaning there is no such thing as a dented can); and the packages take up less space in a warehouse and/or on store shelves. For the consumer, these packages offer re-sealable openings that allow you to save unused portions in the original package; this means less plastic bags for storing leftovers.



For those who are in the food packaging industry and who are already sold on the concept of a vacuum sealer, retort packaging is a great twist on the typical vacuum pack sealing. Just head out to your local grocery store to see the retort-packaged foods already on shelves: You'll find tuna fish, dry soup mixes, flavored almonds and treats for your pets, along with many, many other products.



With all these advantages, you could say that retort is truly the complete package.



Reproduction permitted only when all active hyperlinks are included. 2010 All rights reserved.



Stephen Daniels is an acclaimed NetBiz SEO 2.0 researcher. If you need retort pouches or vacuum pack sealers for home, commercial or industrial use, he recommends Professional Marketing Group. Specializing in food packaging since 1984, they offer a variety of supplies and a full-service repairs and parts department.


Retort Canning of has NO Scientific data from the FDA or USDA for home canners.  The concerns come from non acid foods such as meats!  We are expressing our experiences, but by no way are these experiences authorized data. Can at your own risk!  
As they say, "Re-Heat before you Eat" on any home canned product in glass, cans or retort for best safety practices.  
All home canning is AT YOUR OWN RISK! 

Vacuum-Sealed Food Is Perfect For Sous Vide Style Cooking

Vacuum-Sealed Food Is Perfect For Sous Vide Style Cooking


by Stephen Daniels

Word Count: 408

Keywords: vacuum sealer, vacuum packer, home vacuum packers



Cooking vacuum-sealed foods sous vide style is not a new method, but it's increasingly catching on as an in-home alternative to using the oven. Sous vide means "under vacuum," the essence of it being that raw food is prepared precisely at the temperature it will be served. The process starts by sealing a cut of meat, seafood or even vegetables in a plastic pouch with a vacuum packer. The pouch is submerged into hot water heated to the desired temperature, letting the contents cook slowly and thoroughly.



Sous vide preparation takes much longer than traditional methods - 30 to 40 hours in some cases. While this amount of preparation is untenable in the short term, it allows one to start cooking a day or more before the meal. Among the benefits, less liquid is required to marinade foods, and none of the flavor is lost during the process. In terms of texture and flavor, the sous vide method is unsurpassed.



A medium-rare steak prepared sous vide isn't just medium rare on the inside, while remaining tougher on the outside - it is medium rare throughout. This method gives food a silky, smooth texture that is impossible with oven cooking. Even tough cuts of meat stay tender, with each bite melting in the mouth. Besides meats, all types of fish and seafood, vegetables and even eggs may be prepared sous vide.



This style of cooking requires a vacuum sealer to enclose foods in a sealed, airtight bag, as well as an even-heating pot. Sous vide has traditionally been limited to restaurants that have access to expensive equipment. However, many consumer-grade sealers and slow-cooking vessels are available to amateur gourmet chefs for far less money.



Besides preparing food for "under vacuum" cooking, home vacuum packers can be used for other purposes. Quickly seal freshly-blanched vegetables or uneaten portions of meals; or save money by buying in bulk, and vacuum sealing the majority for long-term storage. Home vacuum-packed foods also save a tremendous amount of space when stored. After sealing, they must be frozen, but they will store far longer and not suffer from freezer burn.



Sous vide is catching on with home gourmets, but it's been used by the world's top chefs for decades. One may even see demonstrations on TV cooking shows. While it takes many hours to prepare food in this style, the results are outstanding in terms of tenderness, texture and flavor, as well as nutrient retention.



Reproduction permitted only when all active hyperlinks are included. 2010 All rights reserved.



Stephen Daniels is an acclaimed internet marketing strategist. If you need vacuum sealers or retort pouches for home, commercial or industrial use, he recommends Professional Marketing Group. Specializing in food packaging since 1984, they offer a variety of supplies and a full-service repairs and parts department.