Method of cooking and thawing

Abstract

Abstract 1. A METHOD FOOR THAWING AND/OR COOKING A FOODSTUFF WHICH COMPRISES: (A) INTRODUCING A PERDETERMINED AMOUNT OF WATER INTO A THAWER-COOKER VESSEL HAVING A BOTTOM AND A SIDE WALL AND HAVING SEALING MEANS DISPOSED AT THE UPPER EDGES OF SAID SIDE WALL, A REMOVABLE LID EXTENDING OVER THE ENTIRE CONTAINER, SAID LID HAVING SEALING MEANS TO CO-OPERATIVELY ENGAGE SAID SIDE WALL SEALING MEANS, LATCHING MEANS FOR SECURING SAID LID TO SAID CONTAINER, SO THAT SAID LID SEALING MEANS CO-OPERATIVELY ENGAGE SAID SIDE WALL SEALING MEANS TO FORM A CLOSED AIR-TIGHT CHAMBER CONTAINING ONLY AIR ENTRAPPED WITHIN SAID CHAMBER, HEATING CONTROL MEANS TO REGULATE THE TEMPERATURE WITHIN SAID CHAMBER, AND PURGEVENTING MEANS IN COMBINATION WITH VACUUM RELIEF MEANS DISPOSED ON SAID VESSEL, SAID PURGE-VENTING MEANS AUTOMATICALLY OPENING TO THE ATMOSPHERE WHEN VESSEL PRESSURE EXCEEDS A PREDETERMINED PRESSURE GREATER THAN ABOUT 1/10 P.S.I.G. AND AUTOMATICALLY CLOSING TO THE ATMOSPHERE WHEN VESSEL PRESSURE FALLS BELOW SAID PREDETERMINED PRESSURE, SAID VACUUM RELIEF MEANS ALLOWING REMOVAL OF SAID LID, AND INTRODUCING SAID FOODSTUFF ONTO HOLDING MEANS IN SAID VESSEL; (B) CLOSING AND LATCHING SAID VESSEL WITH SAID LID AND LATCHING MEANS WHEREBY AIR IS ENTRAPED WITHIN SAID VESSEL; (C) HEATING SAID WATER IN SAID VESSEL WITH SAID HEATING CONTROL MEANS TO A TEMPERATURE ABOVE ABOUT 212* F. SO THAT STEAM IS GENERATED WHICH INCREASES THE PRESSURE WITHIN THE CLOSED VESSEL WHEREBY SAID PURGEVENTING MEANS AUTOMATICALLY OPENS FOR A TIME SUFFICIENT TO ALLOW ESCAPING STEAM TO SWEEP ALL OF SAID ENTRAPPED AIR LEAVING SUBSTANTIALLY AIR-FREE STEAM IN SAID VESSEL; (D) CONDITIONING SAID HEATING CONTROL MEANS TO REVERT TO A CONTROLLED COOKING TEMPERATURE BELOW ABOUT 212*F. WHEREBY STEAM TEMPORARILY CEASES TO BE GENERATED AND WHEREBY SAID PURGE-VENTING MEANS AUTOMATICALLY CLOSES AND SEALS SAID VESSEL AGAINST THE REENTRY OF AIR INTO SAID VESSEL; (E) COMPLETING THE COOKING OPERATION UNDER PARTIAL VACCUM AT COOKING CONDITIONS BELOW 212*F. WHEREIN THE TRANSFER OF HEAT TO THE FOOD IS VIA DIRECT CONTACT CONDENSATION OF SAID SUBSTANTIALLY AIR-FREE STEAM AT SUB-ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE ONTO SAID FOODSTUFF; (F) RELIEVING SAID VACCUM INSIDE SAID VESSEL THROUGH SAID PURGE-VENTING MEANS SO THAT SAID LID MAY BE UNLATCHED AND REMOVED; AND, (G) REMOVING SAID COOKED FOODSTUFF FROM SAID VESSEL.

Inventors

• 👤 M Hurwitz

Bibliographic Details