cruzmisl Posted January 31, 2007 Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 I'm thinking about buying one. It sounds like a great fast way to marinate meat. Any thoughts? http://www.amazon.com/Eastman-Outdoors-38229-MariVac-Tumbler/dp/B0002OOMS0/sr=8-1/qid=1170213191/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-5747716-5137703?ie=UTF8&s=outdoor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeDJ16 Posted January 31, 2007 Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 Re: Anyone ever use one of these?? I'm thinking about buying one. It sounds like a great fast way to marinate meat. Any thoughts? http://www.amazon.com/Eastman-Outdoors-38229-MariVac-Tumbler/dp/B0002OOMS0/sr=8-1/qid=1170213191/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-5747716-5137703?ie=UTF8&s=outdoor Have seen them but never used one. Though for that price you could get a very nice foodsaver system. It just would not rotote the meat. Hehehe, maybe use a food saver canister and one of those cheap rock tumbler setups??? hehe FYI, I love my foodsaver. -=Jasen=- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruzmisl Posted January 31, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 Good point. Since I have a foodsaver already I can buy this, save $180 and have my wife spin it http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00027NZFI/ref=pd_luc_02102B0000CFFSLB00027NZFI/102-5747716-5137703 Hopefully for my sake she doesn't read this post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeDJ16 Posted January 31, 2007 Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 They also make a nice square marinade container too. $12 at Walmart. I cannot imagine tumbling the food would in liquid would be any better than just completely submerging it; just use a little more liquid. Though there is a cool factor with it. -=Jasen=- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curly Posted January 31, 2007 Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 Re: Anyone ever use one of these?? I'm thinking about buying one. It sounds like a great fast way to marinate meat. Any thoughts? http://www.amazon.com/Eastman-Outdoors-38229-MariVac-Tumbler/dp/B0002OOMS0/sr=8-1/qid=1170213191/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-5747716-5137703?ie=UTF8&s=outdoor Yeah I saw one at a store one time. Good idea there DJ, my daughter has a rock tumbler, maybe we'll give it a try. But I've marinated with the foodsaver and it supposedly opens up the pores so that the marinade can get it there really deep. Seems to work very well. So rotiserie marinades in a vacuum container may just be a lot of overkill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanny Posted January 31, 2007 Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 The roto thingy holds 5 lbs of uncooked food. Since when have any of you cooked only 5 lbs of anything on the cooker? Maybe a steak or two, or single 4 lb. chicken, but usually it's a larger cut of meat, no? Seems to me that even if it's a good idea, it's too small for the average (or above average) KK-forum person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firemonkey Posted January 31, 2007 Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 Look as Sanny chiming in with the voice of reason...almost like a surrogate wife! But I can admit that she has a point (something you cannot do with a real wife) , 5# just isnt going to cut it. We need the 5 gallon bucket size. Dj, you want a project to work on?? The foodsaver group has a discussion where people are vac sealing 5 gallon buckets All you have to do is fabricate a rotation system! Honestly, I think the spinning is a gimmick. The only valid use I could see is to prevent separation of amarinade, and if I am concerned with that, I can blend it to get a better emulsification. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruzmisl Posted January 31, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 I agree the spinning is a gimmick. I bought four of the foodsaver cannisters for $30! I plan on using it to marinate my jerky strips. I think it will work well, if not I don't have too much invested in the project. Thanks for the advice! Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firemonkey Posted January 31, 2007 Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 I have a few FS canisters, too. I have tried them a few times for marinades, and had inconclusive results. I am really not sure if marinating under a vac made much difference. I didnt have a control group for comparison, though. Next time I will try some in the vac canister and some in a ziplock and see if I can notice a difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeDJ16 Posted January 31, 2007 Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 I would think a 5 gallon bucket idea would be no problem as all that is needed is a simple airlock (basically just like you described on the other thread discussing steaks. But the issue I have with it (the same issue with my steak draining container), is that they are not very sturdy and could not stand up to very much vacuum at all. That is why the foodsaver containers are so rigid. So I cannot see any benefit to vacuum verses just tossing it in on a 5 gallon bucket. Now on the vacuum verses non vacuum marinade. While I also have never had a test batch with some marinaded and some not, I have noticed that the 1 hour vacuum marinaded seemed to have marinade inside the meat when cutting into while eating. The non vacuum 1 or 2 hours marinade was not noticeable. Now of course, this was on meats not drained as described in the draining topic of the technique section. As meats properly drained absorbed the marinade whether under vacuum or not. Cruzmisl, I would not toss out the idea of just using a foodsaver bag too. Before foodsaver, I always marinaded my jerky in a plain old large zip lock bag. Once the air is removed (from either), you have 100% contact with marinade and meat. Once in a while (when I get a beer out of the fridge or something - ok - more than once in a while then - hehe), I just flip that sucker over so it does not sit on one side more than the other. 24 hrs later and I am making jerky. One thing though, the jerky cure I use is a powder, but once it mixes with the juices, it turns into a bit of a liquid. Also, how about some pics for us of your new machine and jerky???? -=Jasen=- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curly Posted January 31, 2007 Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 ... One thing though, the jerky cure I use is a powder, but once it mixes with the juices, it turns into a bit of a liquid. Also, how about some pics for us of your new machine and jerky???? -=Jasen=- So DJ, I just recently ordered a variety of that Hi-mountain cure...unfortuneatly Chubby found the package on the porch before we got home and he ate the one I wanted most to test (Bourbon BBQ Blend). But I had some that survived But I didn't realize you can add it too your liquid marinaids. I was talking to another guy that uses it dry by putting the meat in a large baggy and shaking the heck out of it to get it equally on all the meat....and then letting it sit (still dry) for 24 hours or so. So the liquid doesn't do anything negative to the cure process huh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeDJ16 Posted January 31, 2007 Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 ... One thing though, the jerky cure I use is a powder, but once it mixes with the juices, it turns into a bit of a liquid. Also, how about some pics for us of your new machine and jerky???? -=Jasen=- So DJ, I just recently ordered a variety of that Hi-mountain cure...unfortuneatly Chubby found the package on the porch before we got home and he ate the one I wanted most to test (Bourbon BBQ Blend). But I had some that survived But I didn't realize you can add it too your liquid marinaids. I was talking to another guy that uses it dry by putting the meat in a large baggy and shaking the heck out of it to get it equally on all the meat....and then letting it sit (still dry) for 24 hours or so. So the liquid doesn't do anything negative to the cure process huh? Oh that should be good. Dry cure and dog slobber - hehe. I have tried most of the Hi mountain cures, but always come back to original or peppered and add a good heaping teaspoon of red pepper to it. I lay out all the cut jerky meat on tin foil, shake the mixed cure on it, flip it, shake again. Then stack it all and place it in bags for the fridge. I do not know why the guy would say that the meat liquid has a negative effect on it. To me, it would help it spread the cure since most of it is water soluble. Most curing products that I have used can be made into a brine or used dry. -=Jasen=- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruzmisl Posted January 31, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 Here you go, I posted earlier on my jerky process here. http://komodokamado.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1123&highlight=jerky More pictures It's the best investment I've made in a while. I really like it and it's built well. Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeDJ16 Posted January 31, 2007 Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 Man that thing is nice. Just curious, about how long is it taking, about what temp and do you have to rotate racks any? I am seriously considering getting one. The oven has always worked good for me, but if this is easier / better, I am all for it. Thanks for the pics too. -=Jasen=- Opps, just noticed the big 145 degrees for jerky in the photo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruzmisl Posted January 31, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2007 It usually takes 3 hours or so before the jerky is done (cut at 1/8" thick). I don't rotate the racks, no need to. The fan is located at the back of the unit so all racks get the same amount of heat. I was deciding between this unit and the Excalibur but this is all stainless while the Excalibur is all plastic. The price is the same so I went for the stainless model. I make jerky at least once a week so for me it was well worth the investment. Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeDJ16 Posted February 1, 2007 Report Share Posted February 1, 2007 It usually takes 3 hours or so before the jerky is done (cut at 1/8" thick). I don't rotate the racks, no need to. The fan is located at the back of the unit so all racks get the same amount of heat. I was deciding between this unit and the Excalibur but this is all stainless while the Excalibur is all plastic. The price is the same so I went for the stainless model. I make jerky at least once a week so for me it was well worth the investment. Joe Wow, 3 hours??? That is all??? Man that is a great deal. That was why I quit with my old dehydrator, as it took forever. I would have to leave my old one overnight and rotate racks too. I might have to seriously consider one of those then. My wife just saw the dehydrator and the jerky pics; she is not convinced and requested samples too - hehe! -=Jasen=- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curly Posted February 1, 2007 Report Share Posted February 1, 2007 I use the Excalibur and it's about 7 hours. I used to cut it really thin too but started cutting about 1/2 inch thick somewhere along the line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruzmisl Posted February 1, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2007 WOW! 1/2 thick jerky?? Must be like tree bark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curly Posted February 1, 2007 Report Share Posted February 1, 2007 WOW! 1/2 thick jerky?? Must be like tree bark No, not at all, when I did it thin it was hard and crunchy (very tasty still), but thick and not dryed as long (for the 1/2 thickness) is very tender...try it sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Central Pork Posted April 29, 2007 Report Share Posted April 29, 2007 foodsaver Going back a few posts but... if I were to go get a food-saver, which model do people recommend? I see ones going all the way from 50-200 bucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...