I picked up two new BBQ Tools that I had been looking for about a month now.  Nothing fancy, but could not find it anywhere.  I went to my normal store to pick up a few spices for this weekends cooking and that place was out of Mustard Seed.  So I went to the next closest store and as I was walking down the spice aisle, I spotted them out of the corner of my eye and I about screamed of excitement.  These are great for spreading the rub on large pieces of meat:

The FoodSaver device is one of favorite pieces of equipment in my BBQ Collection.  I have been using one since I bought my smoker.  When barbecuing large pieces of meat you generally will have leftovers that are great to save for a rainy day or for lunches at the office.  I am on my third one now and will not go without one. 

The first one I purchased was the FoodSaver brand and it worked great, even though it was a low end model I picked up for $40 on sale.  It did a great job until the little ones got a hold of it one day and accidentally broke it (my fault for leaving it in reach for them to get a hold of).  After that I decided to get an off-brand model and it never worked that well overall, as it would leave air in the bags.  The other night, I went to pack up some pulled pork and the device stopped sealing the bags.  Today I went out and purchased a new one, and this time I went with the FoodSaver brand again.  Cost was a lot more than I had paid in the past, but it has some very nice features that I have already used today. 

I recommend the FoodSaver V2440 Advanced Design model.  Here are some of the key features of this model:

• Hands Free Operation, set the lock, press a button and its off to vacuum sealing your food
• Dry and Wet Food modes, great for storing food with marinades
• 2 speed modes fast and normal

FoodSavers can be used for more than just storing your leftovers.  I use it for packaging meat, such as chicken and ground meats, that I buy in bulk.  I like to buy my meat in bulk as it saves money and the FoodSaver allows you to store it for a longer period of time while keeping the meat fresh.

Here are a few tips for using a FoodSaver:

1. When using it with wet foods, place a paper towel on top before freezing or freeze it for about an hour first than vacuum seal it closed.
2. Keep it clean
3. Ensure wrinkles are out of the bags when sealing
4. Leave a few inches off empty space on top of the bag.

If you have ever tried marinating a brisket, it is difficult to find a container large enough to hold it.  A simple solution to this is to use the FoodSaver, put the brisket in the bag, add the marinade and seal it closed (no vacuum).