HOW TO CYROVAC AT HOME

Professional chefs use large chamber-style vacuum-packing machines to cryovac their food in plastic before submerging it in hot water for sous vide cooking.

But you can cryovac effectively at home with a FoodSaver or other vacuum-sealing system used by many hunters to package meat or fish before freezing. People who buy food in bulk are also fans of such systems because foods last longer when they are vacuum-sealed, whether fresh or frozen.

The FoodSaver is widely available in discount, department and kitchen-specialty stores, as well as hardware and outdoor stores (such as Cabela's), and ranges in price from about $80 to $250. Though the initial cost may seem steep, the packaging keeps foods fresh much longer, which reduces food waste and saves money in the long-run.

How it works: The food and marinating ingredients go into the plastic bag, and the FoodSaver removes all the air by vacuum and seals the bag, leaving an airtight, watertight package that can be cooked sous vide. To view how this works, watch the video at www.foodsaver.com.

Special food-safe plastic bags come with the FoodSaver. Or you can make your own customized bags from a roll of FoodSaver plastic by using the machine to seal off one end. (A box of plastic costs about $10 and lasts a long time.)