# Reheating meat in vaccum seal bags



## cooknhogz (Jan 24, 2016)

Can you reheat meat in sealed vacuum seal bags with boiling water? If so, how? In ,my case, Pulled Pork, Thanks


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## b-one (Jan 24, 2016)

As far as I know certain brands are safe it should state it on the package. I think you want to simmer not a full on boil.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Jan 24, 2016)

Yes you can. Heat the water to 150-160 place your bags in. Make sure they aren't in direct contact with the bottom of the pot.


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## joe black (Jan 24, 2016)

We put the bag in a pot of water and turn on the heat to high.  When the water begins to boil, turn it down to med/high and let it boil for about 5-10 minutes.  Cut the bag open and enjoy.  This works for us for ribs, PP, CSR's, meatloaf, loin.  

Good luck with it,   Joe


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## crankybuzzard (Jan 24, 2016)

Joe Black said:


> We put the bag in a pot of water and turn on the heat to high.  When the water begins to boil, turn it down to med/high and let it boil for about 5-10 minutes.  Cut the bag open and enjoy.  This works for us for ribs, PP, CSR's, meatloaf, loin.
> 
> Good luck with it,   Joe



Same process here.  But, like others mentioned, make sure the bags you use are rated for this.


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## wade (Jan 25, 2016)

The same as above. You can even use this method to re-heat from frozen. The length of time required will depend on the size of your pack so you may have to test a couple of bags to begin with to ensure that the contents have reached at least 165 F (74 C) right to the centre.

The bags you use are important though as some of the thinner vac pack bags can soften and burst in boiling water. You would then end up with very weak pulled pork soup!! If you have them, use vac pack bags that are rated for sous vide. These are designed to withstand water temperatures up to 120 C (250 F). They will often have this stamped along one edge of the bag.













Sous Vide 120 C.jpg



__ wade
__ Jan 25, 2016


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## cooknhogz (Jan 25, 2016)

Thanks everyone for the replyes. I use the Food Saver bags not sure what their rating is I'll have to check. Again, thank you.


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## pit 4 brains (Jan 25, 2016)

Do a little research on sous vide cooking method. It is how a lot of restaurants prepare dishes ahead of time and simply keep simmering in water until needed. I picked up a sous vide circulator off of Amazon for under $100 and it works very well. I can sear a pork tenderloin, seal it in a bag, then put it on the counter in a pot of water and set it for 145 degrees. The meat will come to 145 and NOT go over. Once its time to serve, just open the bag bag and slice. No need to rest the meat at all. 

In the case of reheating meat, I doubt you could find a better way than an sous vide circulator. No unnecessary heat applied, no drying out like a microwave, etc..


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## pit 4 brains (Jan 25, 2016)

Wade said:


> The same as above. You can even use this method to re-heat from frozen. The length of time required will depend on the size of your pack so you may have to test a couple of bags to begin with to ensure that the contents have reached at least 165 F (74 C) right to the centre.
> 
> The bags you use are important though as some of the thinner vac pack bags can soften and burst in boiling water. You would then end up with very weak pulled pork soup!! If you have them, use vac pack bags that are rated for sous vide. These are designed to withstand water temperatures up to 120 C (250 F). They will often have this stamped along one edge of the bag.
> 
> ...


Wade mentioned it before me. I read right over his words...


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## johnmeyer (Jan 26, 2016)

I use Food Saver bags. They are rated for boiling water. I take my pulled pork and use a scale to divide it into 12 oz packages. There are two of us, so that makes two huge 6 oz sandwiches. I freeze these and then vacuum seal it (the pulled pork is too juicy to vacuum pack until it is at least partially frozen).

Weeks (or months) later, I put he frozen bags into the boiling water for about 20 minutes. When you initial do the smoke, you cook the pulled pork to near the boiling point of water (typical finish temps are in the 195-205 degree range), putting the pouches into boiling water won't change the character of the finished product. For other meals that would be ruined by heating this high (like tri-tip, which I usually cook to 145 degrees), I use something which controls the temperature of the water.

I have two different devices that I use. The first is a homemade version of the sous vide device someone already mentioned. This is a modified crock pot using a probe and temperature controller that I built (I need to use that EE degree I got forty years ago). I use this when I need precision control, down to 1 degree. For more approximate heating, I have a little induction cooktop that has pretty decent temperature control, and I can set it to 125, 150, or 175 degrees. I set it to one of those temperatures, fill a saucepan with warm water, and then immerse the vacuum bag in that.

Any one of these methods sure makes for some easy, but amazingly tasty leftover meals.


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