How Do I Vacuum Seal Marinated Meats Or Foods With Liquids?

“I’m having some trouble figuring out how to vacuum seal marinated meats without the liquid spilling everywhere and ruining things! I recently tried sealing some delicious BBQ chicken in a marinade, but the liquid got sucked up into my vacuum sealer, and the seal wouldn’t hold. What am I doing wrong? Do I need a special technique or extra equipment? Help!” Thanks, Sarah, Albuquerque, USA.

How Do I Vacuum Seal Marinated Meats or Foods With Liquids?

You’ve hit on a really common issue, Sarah! Vacuum sealing marinated meats or anything involving liquid can be a bit tricky at first, but don’t worry—you can totally seal up that BBQ chicken without making a mess or ruining the seal. Let’s walk through a couple of easy methods and tricks to make sure those tasty marinades stay in your meat (and not in the vacuum sealer).

Why Vacuum Sealing Marinated Foods Is Worth It

Vacuum sealing is a game-changer, especially when it comes to marinated meats. By locking in the flavors, the marinating process becomes more effective than just letting the meat sit in a regular container. Plus, vacuum sealing makes meal prep so easy, and your marinated goodies stay fresh for so much longer in the freezer. But as you’ve seen, the liquid in the marinade can be a bit of a challenge.

Here’s the thing: when you’re sealing something that has a lot of liquid, the suction from your vacuum sealer can pull that liquid into the sealing area, making it impossible for the bag to close properly. This not only messes up your seal but can damage the machine if you’re not careful.

So let’s go through a few ways to avoid that mess and make sure everything is sealed up tight, liquid and all. There are a couple of different techniques depending on what sounds easiest for you.

Three Methods to Seal Vacuum Bags With Liquids

There are several simple methods to make sure liquid marinades stay where they belong and don’t interfere with your vacuum sealing. You can get great results with whichever one makes the most sense for your setup and what you’re sealing. Let’s look at the top three methods people (myself included) use to vacuum seal liquids without the mess.

1. *The “Freeze First” Method*

This has to be the most common solution, and for good reason—it’s easy and almost foolproof!

Here’s how it works:

• First, pour the marinade over your meat or food in a regular container or the vacuum-sealing bag, without sealing it yet.
• Place it in the freezer for an hour or two. You don’t need it to be frozen rock-solid, just enough so that the liquid is slushy (kinda like a slushie you’d get on a hot day). At this stage, the marinade won’t be pulled into your vacuum sealer because it’s thickened up enough to stay put.
• Once it’s firmed up, go ahead and vacuum seal the bag as normal. Easy peasy!

As a Utah gardener who freezes a lot of homegrown vegetables and fruits, I use the “freeze first” method all the time for soups, sauces, and well… too many tomatoes. It’s saved me so much mess!

2. *The Double-Seal Trick*

If you don’t want to deal with freezing or just don’t have the time, you can try the double-bag (or double-seal) option.

Here’s how:

• First, place your marinated meat in one regular freezer or plastic bag (doesn’t have to be heavy-duty) and seal it.
• Next, take that bag and *then* place it in your vacuum sealer bag.
• This way, even if any liquid sneaks out of the inner bag, it’s less likely to get into the sealing area. You can vacuum seal like usual and get a much cleaner seal.

This method works wonders for thicker marinades or stews—especially when you’re working with something that doesn’t lend itself well to the freezing method. Not as quick as freezing, but it’s much tidier than dealing with a soggy vacuum sealer.

3. *The Paper Towel Hack*

Here’s one that’s a little unconventional, but surprisingly effective: use a small piece of paper towel in the vacuum bag to catch any unwanted moisture!

This works best for foods that don’t have too much liquid, like lightly marinated meats or cuts that are prepped with only a bit of sauce.

• Place your marinated food in the vacuum bag, making sure the liquid is mostly sitting at the bottom of the bag.
• Right before sealing, fold a small piece of paper towel (enough to form a thin barrier but not block the seal) and pop it in the vacuum bag just above where the liquid starts.
• The paper towel absorbs any moisture the vacuum sealer tries to suck into the sealing area. It’s almost like a little barrier to hold the liquid in place.

Surprisingly, this works really well for things like juicy steaks or slightly runnier marinades when you don’t want to pre-freeze or use two bags.

Troubleshooting Common Vacuum Sealing Issues With Marinated Meats

Now even with the best methods, sometimes things don’t go as planned, right Sarah? There are a few common problems you might run into when trying to vacuum-seal liquids. But don’t worry—I’ve got fixes for these too!

1. *Liquid Is Getting Pulled Into the Machine*

If your vacuum sealer is pulling liquid into the sealing area but you *don’t* have a freeze-first option, you can try simply stopping the machine before it sucks up too much liquid.

Many vacuum sealers have a “pulse” or “manual” mode, which lets you control how much air is pulled out before sealing the bag. Just keep an eye on the liquid level, and stop the suction when it’s getting close to the top of the bag.

This isn’t a foolproof solution for really runny liquids, but it works in a pinch when you’re in a bit of a rush.

2. *Seal Not Holding*

If after all your work you notice that the seal isn’t holding, it’s probably because a bit of liquid got into the sealing area. The best solution is to wipe the inside of the bag at the seal area *before* you go ahead with sealing, just to make extra sure it’s dry. I’ve found that even the tiniest drop of liquid can interfere with getting that airtight seal.

3. *Bag Is Leaking in the Freezer*

If you’ve noticed the bag leaking once it’s in the freezer, it probably means the liquid inside was able to interfere with the factory seal, or the seal wasn’t strong enough for how much liquid you had. Double-check that the area near the seal is dry and that you’ve given the bag a good, strong vacuum pull. If you’re using one of the methods like freezing first or using paper towels, this helps prevent that long before anything goes into the freezer.

Advanced Tips for Sealing Liquids: Get the Most Out of Your Vacuum Sealer!

If you find yourself vacuum-sealing liquids often (whether marinades or even soups and broths), you might want to invest in a vacuum sealer with special settings or attachments for liquids. Some have a special “moist” setting for marinated meats or juicy foods, which slows down the vacuuming process and prevents mess. There are also external vacuum canisters, designed for liquids or things that could be easily crushed, that attach to your standard sealer.

But hey, you don’t need to go high-tech just yet. The tricks we talked about above should cover 99% of your liquid-sealing needs without any fancy gear.

Foods You Might Want to Try Vacuum Sealing With Liquids

If you’re excited to test out these methods, here are a few foods you might want to start with:

• Chicken breasts in a honey soy marinade
• Pork chops marinated with apple cider and garlic
• Steaks resting in a thick BBQ sauce
• Shrimp marinated with lemon and herb mixture
• Sliced veggies soaking in some olive oil and balsamic

Once you’ve got your system down, the sky’s the limit! I like vacuum-sealing batches of marinated meats during peak garden season so I’ve always got something ready to go. It’s a huge time-saver when everything’s busy and chaotic!

Final Thoughts…

Sarah, I really appreciate the question because it’s something so many people stumble over when they first try vacuum-sealing liquids. Start with one of the methods we went over—the freeze-first is generally my go-to—and see what works for your lifestyle. Whether you’re preserving that BBQ chicken or something else entirely, vacuum-sealed marinated foods are going to make it easier to have delicious, flavorful meals all year round.

Happy sealing, and keep experimenting out there!