Vacuum sealing foods is a great way to preserve them for longer storage times than ordinary canning or freezing allows. Vacuum sealing also keeps your food fresher and prevents freezer burn, which makes it ideal for storing things like meat and vegetables that you'll use over several months. There are many different kinds of vacuum sealers out there (including some very high-tech ones), but they all work by removing air from the jar and sucking it into some kind of pump. This creates an airtight seal around your food so that it doesn't dry out or lose nutrients over time in storage bags or containers.
Take the jar, lid and blue vacuum sealer (that's what we're calling it).
This is a simple process that will take you about 15 minutes. You'll need:
- A jar with a lid (don't worry about the label, it will be removed later). They come in all shapes and sizes, but look for something round or square.
- A vacuum sealer (you can buy these online or at any store that sells kitchen supplies). You'll also want to make sure the sealer is compatible with the jars you're using by checking the packaging before you buy one! If you plan on making lots of mason jars with your vacuum sealer, it might be worth looking into buying an automatic jar opener too so that your hands don't get tired holding on tight while sealing them all up nice and tight!
- Some food storage bags - either plastic or resealable ones are fine here depending upon what kind of food preservation techniques they will be used for after being sealed inside those pretty glass containers."
Set up the sealer according to the instructions.
- Make sure the sealer is turned on and plugged in.
- Make sure you have the right kind of jar, lid and sealer for your machine (this might be a little confusing – see "The Different Parts of a Mason Jar Sealer" below).
- Carefully place your mason jar into the chamber of the machine (see "How to Put Mason Jars into Your Sealer" below).
- Wait for the light to turn green indicating that it has successfully sealed your mason jar (see "Checking for Seals" below).
Put the lid on the jar. As long as it fits, you're fine.
This is the last step. When you're ready, put your lid on the jar. As long as it fits, you're fine! If your lid is too big, it won't fit in the sealer and will let air in. If your jar is too small, getting a good seal will be difficult. But if all is well? Congratulations—you've successfully sealed mason jars with vacuum sealing!
Place the jar in the center of the sealer's platform. Line up the openings with the holes on the edges of the machine's front.
- Make sure that your jar is centered and that its lid is on tight before you start vacuuming it, as a loose lid will cause air to leak out of your jar during sealing and prevent it from getting vacuumed properly.
- Once your mason jar is lined up correctly, press down firmly on both sides to ensure that all air has been removed from inside and then turn off your vacuum sealer machine by pressing its power button or unplugging it if there isn't an option for turning off automatically when done sealing mason jars!
Press down on the handle to clamp down on the jar and lid. Note that it may be hard to press at first because you don't want to crush your food.
Don't worry, this is normal! Use a gentle, steady pressure that doesn't vary as you're pressing, but also doesn't push too far or move too fast. The right amount of pressure will be different for each person and type of jar (for example: tomatoes are more fragile than apples). Once the seal has been made and air has been sucked out of your jar—and there's no longer any room left inside—you can take off your mason jar vacuum sealer if you like.
You'll know if something went wrong when: You pressed too hard; or Your hand slipped off its mark; or You pressed quickly and then slowed down halfway through; or You pressed in a circle instead of straight up-down/left-right motions
Flip on the vacuum switch. Watch as it vacuums all the air out of your jar! When it has finished, it will ding, which indicates that you can release pressure by flipping off this switch.
Now that your jar is sealed, flip on the vacuum switch. Watch as it vacuums all the air out of your jar! When it has finished, it will ding, which indicates that you can release pressure by flipping off this switch.
Now you're ready to place your jars in the freezer or pantry and begin using them for storage!
If you want to, flip on your heat-sealing switch and let it heat seal your jar (after waiting a few seconds) so that any moisture will stay out of your food.
If you have a heat-sealing switch on your vacuum sealer, it may be tempting to use it. Don’t! It is not necessary, and in fact not recommended for the following:
- Foods that will be canned
- Foods that will be frozen or stored in the refrigerator
Vacuum sealing is a great way to preserve foods for longer storage times than ordinary canning or freezing allows!
Vacuum sealing preserves foods for up to 5 years, which is perfect if you want to keep your canned goods on hand in case of an emergency. The process uses an airtight seal and pressure differential to remove oxygen from the jar and keep out bacteria that would otherwise spoil the contents. This means you can still enjoy your favorite homemade jam, salsa or pickles even after a few years have passed!
We hope this blog post was helpful! If you have any questions about vacuum sealing mason jars or would like to share your own tips and tricks, please leave a comment below.
