"Nancy Young" > wrote in message
...
>I got a new Foodsaver for Christmas. I've never used that feature
> where you can seal other containers, or any marinating container.
>
> If anyone's used the marinator feature, what's your opinion? Is it any
> improvement (time aside) from simply marinating meat in a
> plastic bag overnight/whatever?
>
> nancy
>
>
I think the most fascinating feature of the Foodsaver if it works properly
is using it to cook "sous vide", or under vacuum in the home. You place meat
in the bag, evacuate the air, and heat very slowly in a water bath with
tightly controlled water temperature. Many restaurants are doing this now.
Thomas Keller at the French Laundry in Napa Valley has written a just
published book about sous vide. Apparently Foodsaver warned against this in
the past. Now they're saying it can be used for that.
http://www.foodsaver.com/FoodStorage.aspx?id=fsv

I tried this recently by putting a piece of beef in a Ziplock bag and
sucking all the air out it. This went into a heated water bath. It didn't
work. If there is any air between the plastic bag and the water it won't
heat properly. Basically nothing happens. The air doesn't get to the correct
temperature.

Has anyone tried "sous vide" cooking in the Foodsaver?

Kent