Vacuum Sealing In Everyday Kitchens

In college I went through a phase that I wanted "space saver bag" EVERYTHING.  It was an obsession.  I bought the bags, filled them up and giggled with joy as they condensed all the crap I had into one tight little package that I stuffed under a bed.  To say I had odd interests in college would be an understatement.  (or, perhaps I've just always been a housewife-ish-girl?)

What's that got to do with cooking you ask?  Well, my friends, apparently my obsession with vacuuming the air out of things doesn't end with pillows and last seasons clothing.  I also have a love for my food-vacuum-saver.

Last Christmas I put this handy little item on my wish list and my oh-so-fabulous mother got it for me.  Let me just say, the first several weeks of this appliance didn't go all that swell.  I found I wasn't using it as often as I thought and frankly, we just didn't have a ton of leftovers.  It just didn't fit into many practical areas of my kitchen.

That is, until I started marinating in it!

Let me tell you-this thing is the wonder-marinater.  Whisk up some marinade, lay the meat in the bag, pour the marinade over it, seal and suck.  Suck with all the might it will allow--and then set it in the refrigerator and walk away for 24 hours.  Take the package out of the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking and let the meat rest--and you're good to go.  This little dream-machine will have marinated your  meat, fish, etc. to a lovely flavor that is deep within every nook of your meal.

Again, I'm obsessed.

Tonight, I had top sirloin steak from Omaha Steaks (which, I have to say, were amazing) and had marinated them overnight in soy sauce, teriyaki sauce and white balsamic vinegar, with just a tad of whole-grain dijon mustard.  Hot-dang were these good steaks from the grill!

I shall never marinade any other way.

So, ladies, if you're in the market for a new "must-have" kitchen gadget, this is the one I'm saying  you need.  It preserves, it marinades, it's compact and its cheap.  Really, an all-around-win.