Repackaging Asian Pickles or Sausages into Single Serve packets

[Phong D]

Hey Guys.  Some more food prep questions, thanks for your previous help.

The variety of pickles you can pick up at the Korean market or 99 Ranch is amazing.  They all add a nice crisp pop to meals.  Not just kim-chi, but my favorite are the pickled radishes. They sell them in fairly large packets though.

Has anyone found a way to repackage these into single serving packets?  I have a vacuum sealer.  Was thinking of using one of these narrow continous rolls: https://rb.gy/gqnjls to make 1 inch x 8inch strips filled with pickles and their liquids.  Would this work?  Anyone tried this?  Do you think I would need to freeze it before sealing so the liquid doesn’t get sucked into the sealer?

[Terran Terran]

I think baggies are lighter. Easier to use. I’ve used a seal-a-meal to resize them. When sealing liquids, it’s easy to make a mistake and have small leaks. I’d freeze the liquid anyway. You’re rolling the dice with an off name brand though some are better than the name brand.
Have you tried sous vide? In theory, it should pasteurize if not sterilize your food.

[Brad W]

Most foods that do not require refrigeration after opening do ok with repackaging in vacuum sealed bags. If it does require refrigeration, cracking the seal on the original package starts the spoiling process clock. Of course some foods that require refrigeration after opening-mostly high salt, preservative heavy-can last longer repackaged, but once exposed to air, the process has started and vacuum sealing slows but does not prevent spoilage.

I would think high salt pickles would not need refrigeration and would last much longer than any trip. The sausage may last as well depending on how it’s made-more like beef jerky stick, you are probably more than fine.

[Phong D]

“Have you tried Sous vide”?

No.  Is that kind of like boiling it?  Will that affect the pickel?

[Jon Fong / Flat Cat Gear]

Sous Vide allows you to hold water at a specific temperature.  For example, I recent pasturized egg yokes in the shell by heating it to 135 F for 2 hours.  The yolk remained a liquid but was sage to eat.  My 2 cents

[Phong D]

Oh so is the idea that I could repackage my sausage or pickles in a sealed sous vide bag, then “pasturise” them in water?  I might have to learn more about this.

[Terran Terran]

Like Jon said, it’s pasteurization at low temperatures over a period of time. I slowed down on my recommendation as I’m not an expert. I find it increases shelf life, but it’s probably better if you did your own research. Make your own judgements, so I don’t give bad advice and get somebody sick. Beyond that, it makes some tasty meals.

[Terran Terran]

resized baggie

[Terran Terran]

Couple more uses for seal-a-meal

[DAN-Y]

“I’d freeze the liquid anyway. You’re rolling the dice with an off name brand though some are better than the name brand.”

That’s the best route.

[Author]

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