Abstract Cooked meat in units having uniform cross section and quality is prepared by arranging meat in a trough, evacuating the trough and compressing the meat therein into a unit of the desired cross section, sliding the unit of meat bodily into a container of the desired cross section while maintaining vacuum and compression, and cooling and cooling the meat while maintaining compression thereon. A container is used comprising a tubular body containing two slidable plugs between which the meat is confined, and a spring maintaining pressure on the meat, and a meat press to fill the containers comprising an evacuable trough in which the meat is arranged, and oppositely acting rams of unequal force operative to compress the meat in the trough and slide it bodily from the trough into the container.
A method according to claim 1 wherein the tubular container within which the meat is to be cooked is aligned in end to end relationship with the trough there is arranged in said aligned trough and container a compression spring, a first laterally slidable plug, the meat to be cooked, and a second laterally extending longitudinally slidable plug, with the meat lying within the trough, sealing and evacuating air from the trough and container, and compressing the components within the trough between rams acting from the free end of the trough and the free end of the contaiNer respectively, displacing both said rams relative to the trough and container so as to transfer the meat and the plugs from the trough to the container and so as to compress the spring, and closing the end of the container adjacent the trough to secure its contents.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
71 words
A method according to claim 2 wherein the spring and the first plug are preassembled in the container before it is aligned with the trough, and the second plug is placed against the head of the ram acting from the free end of the trough: and the second plug is secured within the container by locking means before removal of the container so as to secure the contents of the latter.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method according to claim 2 wherein the second plug is preassembled in the container, and the spring and the first plug is placed at the outer end of the trough; and after this latter assembly has been projected into the container, it is secured there by the application of locking means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 including the steps of providing plugs for the opposite ends of the container, and utilizing the plugs to apply the longitudinal pressures on the opposite ends of the meat.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the plugs are moved into the container serially with the movement of the meat thereinto.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 wherein one of the longitudinal pressures is at least in part a spring pressure which is utilized in maintaining the longitudinal compression on the meat in the container.