Vacuum Plastic Sealing - Large Cheeses

[steffb503]

I am having a slight issue with an 8 gallon Emmenthal.
The make has gone well and I  now have it in a warm room but I am not sure how to seal it. My vac sealer bags are just a bit too small. If my memory serves me, and it usually does not , some one here was discussing how to make larger bags. I know I can get an impulse sealer but was trying to avoid it if possible.
Thanks

[Tomer1]

Portion it.

[Boofer]

I am having a slight issue with an 8 gallon Emmenthal.
The make has gone well and I  now have it in a warm room but I am not sure how to seal it. My vac sealer bags are just a bit too small. If my memory serves me, and it usually does not , some one here was discussing how to make larger bags. I know I can get an impulse sealer but was trying to avoid it if possible.
Thanks

That was DJDebi. She cuts the bags and reseals them as she goes to make bigger bags.

Debi, you out there?

-Boofer-

[Cheese Head]

There's a long thread on it here.

[steffb503]

Thanks for the link.
I am still unsure as just how she does that.
Debi are you out there?

[Cheese Head]

steff503, agree, that is a long thread with little detail. I thought there was a thread with pictures of overlapping and sealing sheets but I can't find it.

[MrsKK]

My vac sealer is only 11 inches wide, but I bought 15 inch wide bag material in a roll from EBay.  I cut it to the length I want, then pleat the ends to make them narrow enough to fit in the sealer.  That way, I am able to fit in an entire wheel of cheese or a chicken up to 9 lbs.

I have to make sure that all of the surfaces are very flat - no ripples - or it doesn't seal properly, but I've had pretty good luck with it.

[steffb503]

Now that sounds like it will work.
Thank you

[DeejayDebi]

Sorry guys I have been into my meat season and other things lately. Right now cleaning up trees and a mess from Ireane. I thought I posted a thread with a bunch of pictures but couldn't find it either. Hmmmm  Can't find anything on my puter either. If you only have smaller bags cut them at one of the seams then seal the two bags together. Then just seal sections all around the bag until you have just enough left for the final seal and vacuum and seal. If you are planning on making large wheels often I go the 15 inch bag route much easier. I buy my bags in cases of 50 foot rolls and rarely need a bigger bag so it works for me.

[Boofer]

I go the 15 inch bag route . . . I buy my bags in cases of 50 foot rolls

Hi Debi. Where do you get the 15" bags?

-Boofer-

[Sailor Con Queso]

Boof,

Most home baggers can't handle 15" bags.

[Boofer]

Yeah, but there must be some way that Debi is doing it. She either has a 15-inch wide bagger or she's pleating the bag.

Debi?

-Boofer-

[Hande]

Maybe It's possible to use large bag with home bagger this way:
First put cheese in bag.
Cut corners up of bag (so that left over area fits in bagger) and seal that corners before you make final seal.
I don't have do that, that is only theory 

Hande

[Boofer]

That answers it for me. Nice graphic.

Now the only question is...where does she get the 15-inch bags? I don't need them for what I do. The 11-inch bags (11-in x 50-ft) are what I use mostly...and a few 8-inch bags for smaller cut pieces.

-Boofer-

[Sailor Con Queso]

There are plenty available on E-Bay, but here's where I get mine:

Vacuum Bags

There is a BIG difference in bags for industrial vac baggers and those for home machines. Units like a Foodsavewr MUST use channel or embossed bags. Those for industrial machines are WAY cheaper, but will not work in most home machines. The 15" embossed style is generally only available in rolls, but there are 16" pre-made pouches.