Dessicants and O2 absorbers vs vacuum sealing

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

bigwheel

Master Chef
Joined
Jan 25, 2005
Messages
9,951
Location
Foat Wuth
Well the jerky hobby is moving right along. Been peddling about all i care to make and has been keeping the bar tab mostly covered on the marketing campaigns in the beer joints. Been getting rid of it in less than a week and packing in small cheap snack bags in 3 oz increments and all seemed well.

Well..we sent off two bags to one of the dearly loved grandchillins and it was returned to us as undelivered after about two or three weeks. So one bag was moldly. Which I assume was caused by the moisture build up in the airtight bag.

From what I can gather from doing a small amount of research a Tyvek clay desiccant pouch should be a first step to help this issue. I have started sticking a folded up piece of a paper towel in the bags and seems to be working pretty good..and are quite a bit cheaper than the little desiccant bags which seem to be about a quarter apiece depending on how many you buy at once. One guy said it also need an o2 absorber in there..but Rome wasnt built in a day huh?

They claim if the stuff is bag sucked it eleminates the need for the o2 absorber would speculate it still need a dessicant.

Anybody have any theories? Would you buy a bag of jerky with a piece of paper towel in it? How about if it was folded up in some type of attractive manner? Thanks. :confused:
 
I'm a huge advocate of vacuum sealing. As far as that goes, a napkin or paper towel wouldn't bother me personally, but I could see some weirdos questioning it. I think a vac sealed pouch could eliminate the need for either, as long as the vac bag is sanitized and the Jerky goes in it fresh and if possible still hot it should keep in there for months, even at room temp. But some of that depends on the salt and moisture content of your Jerky too.
 
Last edited:
Yep the stuff varies a little on the moisture content. Putting it in the bag warmish seems to make it more prone to cough up moisture and sweat the bag. After spending two days on research..I ordered a pail of food grade dessicant pouches and going to try that continuing to use the cheap snack bags..at least for a while. The fellow said one pouch in each bag should be plenty. Supposed to be getting a pail of 2,000 for around a hundred bucks including the shipping which seems to come out to about a nickle each. Thanks for your input on the matter.
 
Good luck with that Jeff. I keep my bags of jerky frozen until I open them and then they don't last long enough to mold.
 
Thanks for that tip. I been trying to keep in the fridge till sale time..hadnt thought out of freezing. I recall back in the real good old days when I first started making the stuff..I kept it in a gallon glass jar with a screw on lid and paper towel or two in the bottom..sitting at room temp. Managed to overlook a jar for a year which had one piece left. It still tasted ok..lol. Didnt kill me etc.
 
Yep the stuff varies a little on the moisture content. Putting it in the bag warmish seems to make it more prone to cough up moisture and sweat the bag. After spending two days on research..I ordered a pail of food grade dessicant pouches and going to try that continuing to use the cheap snack bags..at least for a while. The fellow said one pouch in each bag should be plenty. Supposed to be getting a pail of 2,000 for around a hundred bucks including the shipping which seems to come out to about a nickle each. Thanks for your input on the matter.
Is there something personal between you and vac sealing?
 
No..other than the high price bagging material is aggravating to us thrifty Scotsmen..lol. Its also a biotch to open the bag to get to the goodies using standard material. I found some vacuum bags with a re-closeable end which would work good but the smallest they seem to make is pint sized which is a little big for 3 oz of jerky. I also dont own a bag sucking machine.
 
Hey Griff..I have about decided to freeze some Jerky. I am assuming just load it in a trash bag and sticking in the freezer might work. Suspect it prob need drying out good after it comes out. Wonder do it jack with the flavor or texture too much? Any tips apprciated on the topic. Thanks. I made a double batch last week and prob wont need batch 2 till next week. Just noticed in todays newspaper ad's Tom Thumb Safeway is running flank steak for 2.99. That is a buying signal..lol
 
I've done both zip lock and vacuum pack before I stick it in the freezer. If you're zip locking it just be sure it's not still warm and is pretty dry. If if gets frosty dry it and rezip. That probably won't be a problem with those dessicants. I've never used those. Good luck.
 
Gotcha. This is a bulk amount prob about 3 lbs or so. I havent been putting the pouches in it till its ready to go in the small bags..so those woudnt be in the freezer currently. I have about 5 bags leftover from the last run..which thought I would try to peddle at the beer joint on Friday..but then a lady PM's me for five bags mail order..so now I have a dielmma. I am going to have to thaw some out one way or another..and it prob aint even fully frozen yet. kick kick.
 
Back
Top Bottom