Method for oven-heating frozen fried foods

Claim 1

A method of heating, in an oven, frozen French fried potatoes which are subject to the release of oil during heating thereof, which method significantly improves the deep-fried appearance, texture and taste of the heated potato, said method comprising: (a) placing the frozen potatoes on a disposable tray having a plurality of raised ridges on its upper surface, said ridges comprising a first plurality of parallel, regularly-spaced ridges extending in a first direction and a second plurality of parallel, regularly-spaced ridges extending in a second direction and intersecting said first plurality of ridges thereby enhancing the rigidity of the tray structure, and said tray also having a plurality of apertures between the ridges, such that each aperture is surrounded by four end passing ridges, and said ridges being arranged and spaced to support the potatoes across the ridge crests irrespective of the orientation of the potatoes on the tray thereby minimizing conductive heat transfer from the tray to the potatoes; (b) placing the tray in the oven; (c) heating the oven, whereby heated air convectively heats the potatoes by passing through the plurality of apertures and around said potatoes, said apertures containing greater than 10% open area based on the horizontal area of the tray surface area; (d) increasing the convective flow of heated air around the potatoes by providing inwardly-tapered raised fins around the apertures each fin rising to a fraction of the height of the raised ridges, so as to not contact the potatoes; (e) heating the potatoes in the oven to give an appetizing product having deep-fried appearance and texture with proper moisture content; and (f) collecting oil during said heating step in troughs formed between said raised fins, and said raised ridges such that little or no oil will drip from the potatoes through apertures in the tray.

Claim 2

A method of heating, in an oven, frozen French fried potatoes which are subject to the release of oil during heating thereof, which method significantly improves the deep-fried appearance, texture and taste of the heated potato, said method comprising: (a) placing the frozen potatoes on a disposable tray having a plurality of raised ridges on its upper surface, said ridges comprising a first plurality of parallel, regularly-spaced ridges extending in a first direction and a second plurality of parallel, regularly-spaced ridges extending in a second direction and intersecting said first plurality of ridges thereby enhancing the rigidity of the tray structure, and said tray also having a plurality of apertures between the ridges, such that each aperture is surrounded by four end passing ridges, and said ridges being arranged and spaced to support the potatoes across the ridge crests irrespective of the orientation of the potatoes on the tray thereby minimizing conductive heat transfer from the tray to the potatoes; (b) placing the tray in the oven; (c) heating the oven, whereby heated air convectively heats the potatoes by passing through the plurality of apertures and around said potatoes, said apertures containing greater than 10% open area based on the horizontal area of the tray surface area; (d) increasing the convective flow of heated air around the potatoes by providing inwardly-tapered raised fins around the apertures each fin rising to a fraction of the height of the raised ridges, so as to not contact the potatoes; (e) heating the potatoes in the oven to give an appetizing product having deep-fried appearance and texture with proper moisture content; and (f) collecting oil during said heating step in troughs formed between said raised fins, and said raised ridges such that little or no oil will drip from the potatoes through apertures in the tray.