for deedles:

11 years ago

I am up here with DS1 and I asked him about the compressed watermelon with verbena that you were interested in. He said you take a nice big slab of watermelon..seedless with or without the rind and put the leaves of verbena or whatever herb you want to use...could use mint or basil or flavored geranium. Then you vacuum pack it using your seal-a-meal. That's it. It sucks all the air out of the cells in the watermelon and this intensifies the color and the flavor and imparts the herb flavor in the watermelon. Also it will keep a longer time while stored this way. Hope you can try it next Summer !! c

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Comments (11)

deedles
11 years ago
wow, you remembered! Thank you! I'm afraid this sounds dense, but, does it flatten the watermelon at all?

Tell DS1 I said thanks very much and I will definitely try it next summer. Cantaloupe and mint?
angie_diy
11 years ago
TR: do you know if he uses a chamber-type sealer, or just an inexpensive seal-a-meal?
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a2gemini
11 years ago
Sounds delicious and refreshing - I love watermelon on a hot day - might have to add a vacuum sealer to the kitchen - I could probably store in my pantry as it is powered.
User
Original Author
11 years ago
Flatten isn't the right term so much as makes it solid. He said to start with a nice thick wedge , he even did diced so that he had compressed pieces. Just try it out and see. Yes cantaloupe with mint would work great. Try honeydew also ! You go girl and please post pics when you do it . c
breezygirl
11 years ago
DH keeps telling me we need a meal sealer thing for storage. I've been resisting as I didn't want yet another expensive gadget using p cupboard space. I hadn't considered the culinary aspects of one. Very interesting!

Anise hyssop goes well with melon also.
User
Original Author
11 years ago
Angie - it is just a regular seal-a-meal. Nothing fancy. He said he wishes he had one of the fancy chamber sealers :) but he is so used to making do that I am not sure he would really use anything too expensive. His creativity has increased since he has so little money and has to figure out new ways to do things. Any fruit or food that has a lot of air/volume ratio will work. c
deedles
11 years ago
Mmmm, anise hyssop and melon does sound good! The possibilities are endless.
bmorepanic
11 years ago
@breezy - this was someone else's idea (and I'm sorry I don't recall who), but also gorilla sous vide by using the vacuum sealer and a crock pot.

Very instant bbq marinade too.
angie_diy
11 years ago
The cheapo sous vide -- that was me. I bought a seal-a-meal and made a controller for my crockpot (although you can also buy them). It makes some really awesome meals.

Part of my temporary kitchen (Now it sits in my Super Susan! Yay!):

Makes, for example, this:
User
Original Author
11 years ago
just asked DS and he said he DOES have a $3000 Chamber sealer. He says a good butcher shop will have one and will put your bag in it if you take it there and ask them. Other wise he said give the seal a meal a try and see if it works. I am sorry..should have been more clear when I asked him.

angie that is very cool ! c
breezygirl
11 years ago
Gorilla sous vide!!!! Love it! I could experiment without all the fancy equipment. I think Costco has a coupon on the vacuum sealer right now.....hmmmmmm

Angie--I would correct you in your use of the term "cheapo". You are merely being highly creative, my dear! :)