Beans in mylar ?

[Lurker]

So I'm attempting to pack some beans in mylar bags with O2 absorber's (I've done this MANY times with other foods) and the bags will just not get a vacuum going on them. Usually when I pack a mylar bag with O2 by the next morning I have a 'brick' of product as the O2 makes a nice vacuum; not so with the beans. I'm testing on 3lbs of dried split pea's with TWO 2000CC O2 absorbers (one a little old, the other new). Once I prove that it works I'll move down to a single 2000CC absorber.

Since these work just fine in 5 gallon buckets I don't get why they won't work with my little 12x18 mylar bags now.

Any suggestions? The mylar is good mylar 5mils thick and sealed very well. I'm wondering if the peas are giving off some sort of gas.

Thanks!

[Lurker]

23 views and no answers; thank you for search engines! Looks like I found my issue and hopefully it will help others.

You must take the beans OUT of the bag they come in from the store (the little plastic one). I tried it again with some blackeyed peas and we have a nice brick of peas now and in just a few hours.

[DIMDAL]

Glad you found the answer, I'm getting ready to pack up my beans. Thank you for posting.

[Lurker]

Glad you found the answer, I'm getting ready to pack up my beans. Thank you for posting.

Sure thing. Finding that the bags and beans are picky. We've had to rebag two of our split pea bags 3 times now - it's finally taking; and that was with NEW O2's and mylars. Very odd. Just did all the pintos too, those are looking good.

Now.....where to put all this!!!

[bluepoppy]

Now I am wondering if I can take the wide mouth 2 qt jars and put the beans in and use an
O2 and then use the plastic screw on lids if this would work??? Anyone ever do that????

[Lurker]

Now I am wondering if I can take the wide mouth 2 qt jars and put the beans in and use an
O2 and then use the plastic screw on lids if this would work??? Anyone ever do that????

It should, however, unless your jars are brown or green your going to get light transmission which is supposed to be bad. Now, if these jars are for your 'working' beans (stuff you use all the time, rotate, etc) then I would believe that would be great. Those O2's seal a jar quite well. In fact, when I open up a pack of O2 absorbers they go right into a qt jar and in no time I hear a 'ping!' - nice to know they're working.

Oh....and my 4th attempt at getting my split peas in mylar w/O2 FINALLY worked! I know have a few more bricks of split peas!

[Leigh19717]

lurker I have never done my beans that way. I put mine in mason jars with o2 and then back in the box they came in on the top shelf of our dark walk in pantry. I also do my bean soups this way, though I don't know if the packet that comes with them will taste aweful when I start using them. Now my rice I do, which is about 30 lbs to a tub (also all my grains). Again, you must take them out of the bag though honey and put in the mylar bag and seal it. Make sure when you are sealing to leave about an inch worth and push down to get all the air mostly out, then seal it. That way the o2 doesn't have so much work to do =). I use an old 1x2 across my buckets for sealing. They are too heavy for me to lift up and down.

[genrim]

Now I am wondering if I can take the wide mouth 2 qt jars and put the beans in and use an
O2 and then use the plastic screw on lids if this would work??? Anyone ever do that????

That works fine if you use the metal lids and rings. The plastic screw-on lids aren't airtight enough, imho.

[Lurker]

That works fine if you use the metal lids and rings. The plastic screw-on lids aren't airtight enough, imho.

Metal one's work great. Not sure if you're talking about tattlers or some other plastic lid. The O2 will create a very nice vacuum though unless the lid is complete junk. That O2 makes a big difference.

[bluepoppy]

I was asking about the plastic lids that Ball sells to use after you open the jar that had the metal sealed lid on..

[summerthyme]

Right... no, those plastic lids WON'T seal anything air tight enough for using with an O2 absorber.

They're pretty good for keeping insects and moisture out, but I only use them in the fridge for short term. If I use them for longer term storage, I put a canning lid underneath (the plastic lids don't rust like the jar rings can in my damp root cellar, so they are useful for that reason) But they just don't seal very tight.

Summerthyme

[Beth]

It isn't wise to keep grains in metal long term because of the toxic side effects. Mylar (sealed) will keep grains and legumes fresh for twenty+ years (at least), provided you put the sealed backs inside Rubbermaid containers and add a desiccant - I just use an old sock filled with rice. I've kept my grains for decades in this manner.

[myrtlemaye]

We packed our split peas recently. Out of ten bags we had two fail to seal and pack into bricks as you describe. We repackaged into two new bags and they sealed fine. We hypothesized that the two bags that failed had small pin holes in them.