Don't Even Think About BBQ-Ing Without This Nifty Tool On Deck

BBQ is a summertime staple, whether you're out at the beach or relaxing in your backyard. The aroma of grilled meat and veggies is nothing short of irresistible. But, after a night of grilling, the last thing you want is to throw out those tasty leftovers. Sadly, leftover BBQ lasts only several days and loses its quality while sitting in the fridge. To maintain your BBQ leftovers, it's best to wrap them tightly in tinfoil or, even better, vacuum seal them with a vac sealer. 

This method of preserving food is nothing new, with vac sealing food becoming popular in the 1970s. Given that you can enhance the leftover's shelf life from a few days to upwards of a year when storing in the freezer, it's no wonder the practice took off. Moreover, the airtight sealing physically traps the juices inside the meat, preserving its flavor in addition to retaining its nutritional value.

Overall, the best vacuum sealers will average around $100, leaving storage space for the appliance as the main inconvenience. Although it's not uncommon for your leftovers to come out dry after reheating them, this is usually from using an improper reheating method for your vacuum-sealed BBQ.

If you just reheat your BBQ in the microwave, you're going to dry out the food and cause the texture to get rubbery. Rather than running your vacuum-sealed grilled chicken for three minutes on high, it's best to use hot water to heat your leftovers up to a safe temperature.

Using water to cook your food is called sous vide. Essentially, use simmering water to cook your food. Although this sounds like you're simply boiling your food, this process is much slower and emphasizes temperature control, slowly cooking dishes around 140 degrees Fahrenheit, whereas boiling prioritizes high heat, leading to a firmer result. Ultimately, it's personal preference on how you'd like to reheat BBQ in this manner.

Regardless of your preference, once your favorite summer time BBQ is completely warmed up, simply cut the plastic bag open and top with whatever sauce you enjoy most. Although it's easy to think that vacuum sealing food is only good for storage and preservation, it's also an ideal container for marinating meat.