Anyone used a dessicant?

[hondabbq]

I just had an idea.
I posted in another thread that I have issues with keeping my snack stick casings snappy. I love them after the cook and for a few days after but once I cryovac them they get soft and chewy and peel away from the meat.
When they come out from the cook the casings are full adhered to the meat so there isnt an issue there, its only after storage in cryo in the fridge.

Why cant I use a dessicant pack when I put them into cryovac? They seem to be cheap enough to add for the length of time Ill need them stored for.
My calculations from reading and the volume of the sticks I put in the bag it would indicate I need a 5 gram dessicant pack.

Anyone tried this??

 

[jcam222]

I've used food grade oxygen absorber packets when I vacuum seal my jerky but never a dessicant.

 

[hondabbq]

I've used food grade oxygen absorber packets when I vacuum seal my jerky but never a dessicant.

Interesting.
The jerky is low moisture content to start so that would make sense.

 

[chef k-dude]

My thoughts are you need some actual air in the package for desiccant packs to work well. Vac seal is the antithesis of that.

I dont make them but maybe some here that do can advise on those casings. I buy Weavers beef sticks from the Cheese Shop about 45 mins from here when passing through. The big honkin' 40oz pack. I separate and food saver in to several packs in groups that fit an old Tupperware container I keep in my office. They stay refrigerated for months (maybe more, sometimes I'm in the mood, other times I wont touch them for weeks), then when my stash in my office runs out, I pull one out of refrigeration and in to the container at room temp . They last for weeks and months at room temp even after bieng refrigerated for months. I have never had them get nasty or make me sick.

Whatever their secret, all of that doesn't seem to take away from snap or flavor.

 

[hondabbq]

My thoughts are you need some actual air in the package for desiccant packs to work well. Vac seal is the antithesis of that.

I dont make them but maybe some here that do can advise on those casings. I buy Weavers beef sticks from the Cheese Shop about 45 mins from here when passing through. The big honkin' 40oz pack. I separate and food saver in to several packs in groups that fit an old Tupperware container I keep in my office. They stay refrigerated for months (maybe more, sometimes I'm in the mood, other times I wont touch them for weeks), then when my stash in my office runs out, I pull one out of refrigeration and in to the container at room temp . They last for weeks and months at room temp even after bieng refrigerated for months. I have never had them get nasty or make me sick.

Whatever their secret, all of that doesn't seem to take away from snap or flavor.

I do something similar and put them into a paper bag for a day or 2 and they dry back out. I want to mitigate that step and be able to pull from the fridge in Cryo and eat right away like they were fresh made.

 

[chopsaw]

Not sure of your batch size , but I store mine in pink paper in the fridge ( 36 degrees ) .
I just need to watch that they don't dry out to much , but I like them dry .
That's a 1 1/2 pound batch .