Tony, this is not salting for seasoning, this is completely different. Watch the video and you'll understand what I mean. This technique really does a great job of tenderizing even the worst cuts of beef.

Now, I am a big fan of red meat, always have been, mainly because I knew, from my medical background, that eating lean, red meat was not any more harmful than consuming pork, chicken or turkey - SATURATED FAT IS FAT - nothing more, nothing less. The effect is the same as far as the human body is concerned. And, medically, no one on the planet consumes more fat than the French and Aleutian Eskimos - yet, they have a very low incidence of cardiovascular disease - amazing!

Chas, vacuum sealing meats keeps them fresh for up to 6 months, at least that has been my experience, and from what I have read, up to a year or more in some instances. Vacuum sealing and freezing fish fillets in water is good for up to 2 years. It's a wonderful process and now the average person can afford a quality vacuum sealer and bags. The heavier bags seem to provide the best protection from freezer burn.

Vacuum sealing meats, poultry and fish in marinates forces the marinate to penetrate the meat deeply, thereby adding far more flavor than just coating the meat and placing it in the refrigerator on a plate. I learned that from watching Beat Bobby Flay on the Food Channel (great show). I tried it on salmon fillets and WOW! What a difference it made over just basting the fish while cooking. Just 30 minutes of vacuum seal marinating is all it takes to completely infuse a thick steak. Can be a bit messy if you put too much marinate in the bag, though.

I began cooking at age 12 - mom said that one day she wouldn't be around and I needed to be able to fend for myself in the kitchen. We rarely had a good cut of steak or pork back then, but we managed and she knew more tricks about tenderizing and flavoring meats than anyone I knew of. All moms were great cooks in those days, though, at least I thought that was the case - especially my Italian aunts. When those ladies went into the kitchen, no one else was allowed to be anywhere nearby. That was when it took all day to make spaghetti sauce from scratch using home-grown tomatoes and herbs.

Tonight, the old codger is cooking bacon wrapped sea scallops and crab cakes. I'll probably steam some broccoli and cover it with cheese sauce.

Bona Petite,

Gary