When considering tumbling, or just starting, the biggest question is why? How will this help me? Many people ask these questions to get an understanding of what these types of machines do and how it will benefit them. Among the many product benefits that both the processor and consumer see, it also helps the bottom line by reducing production lead times and solution efficiency. 

Many brine and soak recipes call for marinating hams for 10+ hours, or chicken for 3 hours. If scheduled accordingly, product can still hit the cases in a timely manner, however, supply has to reflect demand. You have to be thinking days ahead when ordering, processing and scheduling in order to meet your customers’ demands. If an influx in demand were to occur, like that which happened during the initial COVID outbreak, these lagged lead times could lead to rushed product results in lesser quality or even lost opportunity. One of the benefits of vacuum tumbling is that it accelerates part of production’s lead time. With an average tumble time of over just 2 hours for most products, vacuum tumbling allows processors to get their hams in

to the smokers faster, chicken into the cases quicker, and jerky to the dehydrators to hit the shelves. This time savings reduces marinating lead time anywhere from 30-100%+. Like any other business, processors want products in the cases for as little as possible while selling it as fast as possible, limiting resource allocation. 

Not only does tumbling help capital expenditure and resource allocation, the vacuum process allows for less solution to be used when marinating the product as well. We recommend using 10-15% of product weight for brine usage compared to the total submerging of the brine and soak technique. The combination of vacuum tumbling with the solution allows for the solution to penetrate more evenly throughout t

he product instead of worrying whether or not the solution evenly distributes seasonings. Tumbling allows “less for more” for the processors enabling them to focus on other products as well. 

Though vacuum tumbling has many benefits to the product the consumer purchases, it provides the processor efficiency, better allocated resources and consistency throughout production. Faster inventory turnover, increased product yield and improved cost control all give the processor more control while giving the consumer a better tasting product.M&M Equipment has been a leader distributor for new and used Lance meat marinator tumblers for over 20 years. Our team can help you achieve efficiencies in your operation with immediate ROI.

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