[pct-l] Boiling a Bag in Water vs Freezer Bag Cooking

[Sean Nordeen]

I'd like to make some clarifications of things posted here the last 2 days on freezer bag cooking.  As there are 3 different things being
talked about.

1) Placing a freezer bag of food inside a pot of boiling water and letting it sit in the boiling water for several waters until the food cooks.
    None of the freezer bag manufactures recommend this since they haven't been tested for this.

2) Placing a freezer bag of food inside the microwave where the bag isn't sealed so that steam can escape.  The microwave is used
   to warm or defrost the food inside the bag.  Steam is being generated (steam is hotter then boiling water) and escaping out the
   top of the bag while the food warms up from the inside out until its steaming hot.

3) Pouring hot water (most likely 170-190F but could be at almost the boiling point) inside the freezer bag where after a few seconds
    its mixed with the food in the bag that is much cooler resulting in a hot wet mixture that is cooler then the water was when it
    was first poured in.  The bag is sealed to keep more heat in and to keep it from spilling.  It is placed inside some sort of
    insulation to hold much of the heat inside and allowed to sit for several minutes as the food rehydrates/cooks and then opened it
    where the food is much cooler then it was serveral minutes ago and is at an temperature that it can be eaten.


The links that have been posted against freezer bag cooking are talking about (1) but often say that (2) is safe and have
no comment on (3).  The reason I'm making a big deal of this is (1) is not equal to (3) and from what I know about whats
happening in (2) as an engineer with a BS degree but not as a scientist, I'd say (3) was less stressful on the fabric.

I'm not saying you have to practice any of the above 3 methods of cooking, after all its your body and your health.  But please, lets not try equating (1) and (3) as
they clearly aren't the same and only confuse people trying to educate themselves.

-Sean "Miner" Nordeen