Cyclical process and apparatus for tenderizing meat

Claim 1

A PROCESS OF TENDERIZING MEAT PIECES WHICH COMPRISES REDUCING MEAT PIECES UNIFORMLY TO A TEMPERATURE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 32* F., PRODUCING A HIGH DEGREE OF STERILIZATION OF THE SURFACES OF SAID MEAT PIECES,. THEN RAISING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE MEAT PIECES TO A HIGH TENDERIZING TEMPERATURE SUBSTANTIALLY BETWEEN 60* AND 90* F., MAINTAINING THE MEAT IN SUCH HIGH TEMPERATURE FOR A PERIOD OF HOURS, THEREAFTER REDUCING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE MEAT PIECES TO BELOW AROUND 45* F. AND AGAIN SUBJECTING THE SURFACES THEREOF TO A STERILIZATION TREATMENT, AND CONTINUOUSLY MAINTAINING THE HUMIDITY OF THE AIR SURROUNDING THE MEAT PIECES SO AS SUBSTANTIALLY TO PREVENT BOTH LOSS OF MOISTURE BY THE MEAT PIECES AND CONDENSATION OF MOISTURE THEREON BY VARYING THE HUMIDITY OF SAID AIR IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ACTUAL TEMPERATURE OF SAID MEAT PIECES, AND INITIATING THE LAST MENTIONED LOW TEMPERATURE TREATMENT UPON THE ATTAINMENT OF A PREDETERMINED MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE BY PORTIONS OF THE MEAT PIECES LYING ADJACENT THE BONE THEREIN.