sous vide bag buoyancy issues

2 years ago by Imgonnatrythis to c/cooking

I've been sous viding for years but I always struggle with the darn bags floating. I've tried spoons (what a joke, does nothing for me), magnets, clips. It doesn't matter if I'm cooking three pounds of meat or one little vegetable, my bags always want to float up at least enough that some portion of my cook isn't fully submerged. Others report success with these techniques, and I can usually rig something after several minutes of fussing but it's an ugly ordeal every time. What am I doing wrong? Any good videos of a technique that really works?

fodderoh 21 points 2 years ago

If it's floating you aren't getting all the air out of the bag. If you sous vide regularly, it may be worth investing in a vacuum sealer. If you don't want to do that there's all sorts of videos that show different techniques for getting the air out. Experiment and find one that works well for you.

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Meltrax 10 points 2 years ago

Vacuum sealers aren't too expensive. Sounds like if you've been struggling for years, you're overdue to just get one and be done with it.

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Imgonnatrythis 3 points 2 years ago

Ahh, an excuse for more gadgetry. Might need to look into this.

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rockstarmode 1 point 2 years ago

It's a game changer.

Honestly I only used regular bags once in a sous vide before I gave up and ordered a cheap vacuum sealer.

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ExhaleSmile 3 points 2 years ago

I'm surprised the magnets don't work for you. I use magnets when sous viding all the time and they always do the trick. Maybe they're not strong enough?

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jordanlund 2 points 2 years ago

Maybe add some pie weights to the bottom of the bag?

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just_another_person 2 points 2 years ago

Metal pot and strong earth magnets always works for me. Vacuum sealer always helps as well, but if you don't have access to one, try using the water displacement method to get as much air out of the bag as possible. Pop the bag in the metal pot, and lock it down with magnets to the bottom. Just make sure there is enough space between the heating element and the bag.

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evasive_chimpanzee 1 point 2 years ago

Do you have magnets that you know are food safe?

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just_another_person 1 point 2 years ago

Magnets are outside of the bag and don't come into contact with any food. They're just metal magnets.

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evasive_chimpanzee 1 point 2 years ago

Ah, so it's just pinching a little bit of the bag or something?

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just_another_person 1 point 2 years ago

Yeah, you just close up the bags, push them to the bottom, then put magnets around the edges. The magnets attract to the metal pot and hold the bag in place. If you don't want to use a metal pot and only have plastic, put a piece of metal or another magnet on the outside, then magenta inside, and it's the same effect.

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evasive_chimpanzee 2 points 2 years ago

I often just put a baking dish or something on top. I think the main thing is making sure to get as much air out as possible, which may be also necessary midway through cooking. I have some fermentation weights, though, that I think would really do the trick well.

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demerara 1 point 2 years ago

@Imgonnatrythis A few clear glass marbles work better than spoons for me. Also there is always some air expansion after heating, so I do a second immersion purge after the air in the bag is hot.

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Imgonnatrythis 2 points 2 years ago

I don't understand the concept of this. If I have three pounds of meat and the darn thing is floating, the idea of a spoon or a few marbles seems like magical thinking to me. I feel like I need something in the brick range.

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stealth_cookies 5 points 2 years ago

The weight of the meat is fairly inconsequential since it is just a bit denser than the water. Floating is purely due to trapped air in the sous bide bag so you just need enough weight to overcome the buoyancy force of the air.

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Tolookah 1 point 2 years ago

I have a Corningware dish that fits really well in my Cambro bin. I fill it with water and put it above what I'm cooking, though if it's a zip bag, I will empty it of air mid cycle.

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Imgonnatrythis 2 points 2 years ago

Recently tried something like this with a frying pan. Worked ok, but allowed for some water channeling out of the cooking pot. Pie dish might be better for this

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TheRealCharlesEames 1 point 2 years ago

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TheRisingApe 1 point 2 years ago

They make reasonably inexpensive racks made for this purpose . I have an adjustable one which I generally tie things into with butchers twine.

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