Author Topic: Storing raw rice & beans  (Read 12270 times)

Offline Kentactic

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Storing raw rice & beans
« on: December 16, 2011, 03:11:33 PM »
hey guys im finally going to go buy raw rice and beans in bulk and plan to store it in 5 gallon food grade buckets... ive read that most rice contains little bugs from the get go off the shelf that will inevitably hatch in the containers and ruin my rice. is there anything i should know as far as storage other then putting the food in the 5 gallon buckets? should i stick those moisture packets in there aswell like you find in the pocket of a new coat?

-Kenny

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Offline gapatriot

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Re: Storing raw rice & beans
« Reply #1 on: December 16, 2011, 03:51:29 PM »
you can use dry ice to get all the oxygen out, I vacuum seal in 5 pound packages all my dry goods.

Offline JohnyMac

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Re: Storing raw rice & beans
« Reply #2 on: December 16, 2011, 03:52:55 PM »
This is what I did and lecture on when I give a Prepping class.

1) Keep in mind bugs have to have Oxygen to survive. Rice and other grains keep longer with no O2
    so the two work hand and hand.

2) I have purchased all of my bulk product supplies from: https://www.usaemergencysupply.com/information_center/food_storage_faq/mylar_bags.htm
    They seem to be very reasonably priced and good quality.

3) I use and recommend big box home center (Home depot, Lowes, etc) 5 gallon pails if you can
    not get used food grade buckets. Those big box store buckets are in actuality food grade. Don't
    believe me look at the symbol on the bottom of the bucket.

4) I buy the 6 gallon mylar bags and 1,000 cc O2 absorbers from the above company.

5) To start you will need buckets, lids to the buckets, mylar bags, O2 absorbers, clothes iron, a 2x4
    maybe 18-24" long and your bulk food. Make sure you have enough food to fill 10 buckets as
    the O2 absorbers come 20 to a pack and once you open the pack you have to use them up. You
    will need 2, 1,000 cc O2 absorbers per bucket.

6) Clean out bucket with warm water and a mild soap. You do not have to go crazy here. Let air
    dry. Do not wipe dry as this can cause you to apply unknowingly germs.

7) Once dry open up a mylar bag and place in bucket. Open up O2 absorbers. Fill mylar bag that is
    in the bucket about 1/4 full. Throw in a O2 absorber. Then continue to fill to 3/4 full and add
    another O2 absorber. Now fill to desired level. DO NOT OVER FILL!. For Rice I typically use
    30#'s per bucket. Wheat is a little less maybe 25#'s. Sugar 35#'s. Etc. I put bucket on a B-room
    scale so I get a good idea where I am while filling.

8) Once the bag is at the correct weight or volume I bounce the bag in the bucket to help settle
    the bulk item being stored. I then take the clothes iron place the bag lip on the 2x4 and seal
    the mylar bag with the exception of an inch or two on the corner. The iron should be set
    on a linen setting. Then I take the top of the mylar bag and pressdown trying to get as
    much air out as I can. Then I seal the corner that you had left open to purge the last of the air
    out.

9) I put the cover on the container and mark the side of the bucket with a code. I use a code and
    do not write what is in the bucket so if I am robbed folks may think that it is only paint in the
    bucket.

10) Last. A warning: Do this process in a well ventilated area. I have asthma and by the end of my
      first 10 buckets I was having an asthma attack and had to go for the inhaler.

You can use several smaller mylar bags if you choose however you can reseal the 6 gallon over and over as you take out of the bag what you need.

If you have any questions just let me know.
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Offline Kentactic

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Re: Storing raw rice & beans
« Reply #3 on: December 16, 2011, 04:00:37 PM »
Great write up JM thanks a bunch!
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Offline JohnyMac

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Re: Storing raw rice & beans
« Reply #4 on: December 16, 2011, 04:01:27 PM »
 [URL=http://www.smileyvault.co
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Offline Reaver

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Re: Storing raw rice & beans
« Reply #5 on: December 16, 2011, 04:36:09 PM »
Great write up JM thanks a bunch!

I second that motion.

I thought you could just throw the 20lb bag into a food grade container and be done with it.
Is that somewhat effective as well? Or should I put them into air seal them into ziploc bags?
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Offline JohnyMac

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Re: Storing raw rice & beans
« Reply #6 on: December 16, 2011, 04:53:45 PM »
As I mentioned earlier Reaver O2 is your enemy. By removing O2 you prevent eggs (It is in all bulk food) from hatching and the bulk food from deteriorating. A great example of how O2 affects food is an apple.

If you open an apple what happens to the flesh? Yup it turns brown. That is the affect of O2 helping to feed the enzymes to break down the apple. The apple that is not cut that sits next to the one you cut open sits there and does not break down. The skin provides an air tight seal. Now of course an uncut apple will break down over time depending on temperature.

My brother in the old days used dry ice and was relatively happy with the process. It took a lot of experimentation because you have to have the correct size (Weight) for the process to work correctly.

He started out with a chunk the size of a softball and well the bucket exploded (I forget, maybe in imploded- What ever). He finally got it right for rice which was a chunk about the size of a golf ball.

Then he started using the process on Navy beans and again he had to figure out the size needed  for the end product as beans take up different volume then rice.

I convinced him to go my rout which he uses exclusively now. You get more consistent result.

He also bought 100cc O2 absorbers and uses them when he uses his vacuum sealer. On the other hand he doesn't use his vaccum sealer as much as in the past as the material needed is expensive.

Last, zip lock bags are porous. Take one Reaver, cut an apple in half and put in the zip lock bag. Although it will not brown as fast as leaving the apple in the open it will brown.

Good questions and comments.
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Offline Kentactic

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Re: Storing raw rice & beans
« Reply #7 on: December 16, 2011, 05:37:24 PM »
as you listed JM im ordering a pack of the 1000cc absorbers and (10) 6 gallon bags to kick this off. with all full i should be some where in the ballpark of 300lbs of rice & beans right?
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Offline rah45

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Re: Storing raw rice & beans
« Reply #8 on: December 16, 2011, 06:00:30 PM »
as you listed JM im ordering a pack of the 1000cc absorbers and (10) 6 gallon bags to kick this off. with all full i should be some where in the ballpark of 300lbs of rice & beans right?

Now you just have to find and secure a renewable, purified source of water for yourself, and you're set!

Offline thatGuy

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Re: Storing raw rice & beans
« Reply #9 on: December 16, 2011, 06:27:19 PM »

That is somewhere in the area of 180lbs Ken, and way to be dude!

Great write up Johny. Everything you said was spot on but I would like to add that a couple of days after sealing your bags you should take a look at them. They should be vacume sealed i.e. sucked up tight to the food.

 

Offline JohnyMac

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Re: Storing raw rice & beans
« Reply #10 on: December 16, 2011, 08:01:35 PM »
Ken with an average per bag of 25-30#'s that's pretty close. Beans take up more space then rice. IMO to save on shipping charges get a few extra bags.

TG, you are 100% correct. I should have mentioned this but I let my freshly sealed bags sit for a day or two before I put the lid on. Visually you will see that the O2 absorbers take as the packaging shrinks a bit. The bags that don't shrink a hair no worried just squish the bag to release the air through a pin hole that maybe you didn't seal with the iron and hit the seam with an iron again.

Adavance sealing of mylar bags:
My brother now does everything I wrote but he adds one step. When you seal the open end except for 2" or so: He inserts a hose from his vacuum cleaner to the inside of the bag and turns on the vac. He then quickly withdraws the vacuum cleaner hose and irons the remaining opening.

I don't know if that adds value but he does it. Just another step.
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goodnightChesty1775

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Re: Storing raw rice & beans
« Reply #11 on: December 16, 2011, 08:33:10 PM »
hell yeah JM that is what we need on this site.

Ghost

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Re: Storing raw rice & beans
« Reply #12 on: December 16, 2011, 08:34:29 PM »
Good stuff all around. Here is a vid Parlusk did a little while ago on this topic.


Basic "diy" on long term food storage, mylar & buckets




Offline JohnyMac

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Re: Storing raw rice & beans
« Reply #13 on: December 16, 2011, 09:21:38 PM »
There you go gang. Thx Frosty.
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STRAITJACKET

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Re: Storing raw rice & beans
« Reply #14 on: December 16, 2011, 11:02:14 PM »
  Great info guys, I have a question. I filled 5 buckets a while back. I used 02  absorbers and mylar the whole nine yards. Heres my question, I had left over 02 Absorbers, I put them into a mason jar for use when I get more buckets and supplies , do you think those 02 absorbers are still going to be good or should I pitch them. Any one ever done this or have experience storing 02 absorbers this way?

Offline JohnyMac

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Re: Storing raw rice & beans
« Reply #15 on: December 17, 2011, 08:19:57 AM »
Hey Straightjacket.

My guess is yes. That all depends though on how long they were out of the vacuum sealed bag they came in to the time you sealed the mason jar.

Similar subject just different gear:

My brother vacuum seals EVERYTHING! Strike anywhere matches, bulk box's of .22's, loaded AK mags, hot chilie peppers, seeds, socks, survival packs...Well you get the idea.

Well he figures out how many buckets he is going to process with bulk food. He opens the vacuum sealed O2 absorbers- Pulls out the number he needs for his job and then vacuum seals the ones he didn't use. 
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Offline rah45

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Re: Storing raw rice & beans
« Reply #16 on: December 17, 2011, 09:58:59 AM »
My brother vacuum seals EVERYTHING! Strike anywhere matches, bulk box's of .22's, loaded AK mags, hot chilie peppers, seeds, socks, survival packs...Well you get the idea.

 ???

Er, well whatever floats his boat, I guess....  :-\

Lol.

Offline thekiltedpatriot

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Re: Storing raw rice & beans
« Reply #17 on: December 17, 2011, 12:12:06 PM »
I second everything that JohnnyMac stated EXCEPT we used 1 gallon bags. 

The theory is that one you open 6 gallons, you need to use it within a reasonable amount of time.  With the 1 gallon bags, you have a easier to handle weight and portion size.  Yes it is slightly more labor intensive to bag all that, but the benefits outweigh that IMO.  Also, if you do the math, it is also cheaper (albeit only by a few dollars) when you run it out per bag/o2 absorber.


Offline JohnyMac

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Re: Storing raw rice & beans
« Reply #18 on: December 17, 2011, 12:27:09 PM »
Right on thekiltedpatriot!  [URL=http://www.smileyvault.co

Keep in mind:
> You can always reseal a 6 gallon bag post opening and,
> You typically can not put 5, I gallon bags in one 5 gallon bucket due to space. My neighbor up at
    the BOL uses food grade drums- I think they are the 30 or 35 gallon size and the lid comes off.
    The lid when ready is secured with a hose clamp type thingy. He does everything in
    1 gallon mylar bags and puts into the drum. He labels the drum (s) spring, summer, winter and
    fall. Tough to move in a pinch but a great idea if your preps are at your BOL.

One fun thing I started late into the process- Typically there is a little space in the 5 gallon bucket before you close with the lid. I put singly wrapped candy in those voids just for fun. 
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Offline thatGuy

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Re: Storing raw rice & beans
« Reply #19 on: December 17, 2011, 01:26:03 PM »
Strait, I'm not sure which oxy-absorbers you buy (not sure they are all packaged the same) but the ones I buy come with a 'pill' in the package that turns green or something to that effect if it has been exposed to too much oxygen.

If I ended up with left over packs I would put that pill in the jar too so I could know later that my packs still had juice left in them but really you guys should be buying the ten packs (25g worth) and doing it in full runs to avoid waste like that and wasted time. 25g is 5 buckets at 30-35lbs each makes 150-175lbs that is $30-40 worth of feed store grain. Not too much to have on hand at one time ;)


STRAITJACKET

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Re: Storing raw rice & beans
« Reply #20 on: December 18, 2011, 06:30:53 PM »
 Thanks for the info guys, not sure what kind of absorbers i got, didnt see a "pill" of any kind though.