Embodiments include systems and methods for heating materials, including heating materials for cooking and soldering. A representative system and method for cooking food includes passing electric current through the food, sensing a characteristic of the food, and modulating the electric current in response to the characteristic of the food to achieve a selected internal temperature of the food. The system and method can include searing the food with hot oil or photons directed at the surface of the food. A representative system and method for heating a material includes modulating a plurality of semiconductor light sources to emit photons toward the material, measuring a temperature of the material, and modulating the plurality of semiconductor light sources in response to the temperature of the material. The material can include solder and the method can include heating solder in a reflow soldering process.

A system for cooking pieces of protein may include a flour applicator that receives the pieces of protein in an uncooked state and applies a coating of flour to outer surfaces thereof; a batter applicator that receives the pieces of uncooked protein coated with the flour from the flour applicator and applies a batter made from high-gluten flour to the coated outer surfaces thereof; a packaging machine that receives the pieces of uncooked protein coated with the batter made from the high-gluten flour from the batter applicator and seals the pieces of protein in plastic pouches; and a heating unit that receives the sealed plastic pouches containing the uncooked protein coated with the batter from the packaging machine and cooks the battered protein pieces in the plastic pouches.

An apparatus for cooking food which includes a receiving container provided for receiving food, a stirring device arranged inside the receiving container, at least one main heating system and at least one ventilation motor for generating a heating airflow, the receiving container and the stirring device being designed to be imparted with a relative rotation movement.

A cooking appliance and method for cooking potato chips are provided. The appliance has a humidity control system, an air flow generation system and a heating system. The cooking process has a relatively low temperature and high humidity cooking cycle, a low humidity dehydration process and a relatively high temperature low humidity browning process. These three cycles enable good crisp crust formation for fresh non-frozen chips which are cooked using an air/steam based cooking process rather than a deep fat frying process.

A method for preparing frozen or refrigerated fried eggs from whole, fresh eggs, the method comprising: breaking whole, fresh eggs (1) into a support (3) impregnated with edible fat; introducing the support (3) carrying the broken whole fresh eggs (2) into an oven (4) comprising ventilation means; heating the oven until the inner part of the yolk of the broken whole fresh eggs reaches a temperature of 65 to 73 C.; taking said support carrying the eggs out of the oven, wherein said eggs are fried eggs; cooling the fried eggs for reducing their residual heat in order to prevent the inner part of the yolk to exceed 73 C.; freezing or refrigerating the cooled fried eggs.

A cooking apparatus has a cooking chamber, a microwave unit to radiate microwaves to the cooking chamber, a convection unit to supply hot air to the cooking chamber, a grill unit to supply radiant heat to the cooking chamber, an input unit to receive a cooking command and a control unit to perform a cooking corresponding to the received cooking command by performing one of a first heating stage and a second heating stage, and after performing the one of the first heating stage and the second heating stage, performing the other one of the first heating stage and the second heating stage. In the first heating stage, the control unit operates the microwave unit and at least one of the convection unit and the grill unit, and in the second heating stage, the control unit operates the grill unit and the convection unit while not operating the microwave unit.

An apparatus for cooking food which includes a receiving container provided for receiving food, a stirring device arranged inside the receiving container, at least one main heating system and at least one ventilation motor for generating a heating airflow, the receiving container and the stirring device being designed to be imparted with a relative rotation movement.

The present invention relates to a shelf-stable cooking-aid for coating and flying a food product in one step for example in a heating pan, the cooking aid comprising 3-28 wt % oil, 20-60 wt % water, 2.3-5.5 wt % modified starch, 3-15 wt % salt, 0.5-30 wt % sugar and 0.5-30 wt % flavorings and wherein the cooking aid has a viscosity in the range of 8 to 60 Pa.Math.s at a shear rate of 1 s.sup.?1 at 25? C., and the oil and water are in form of an emulsion. Further aspects of the invention are the method for making said cooking-aid as well as a method for coating and flying a food product in a heated pan or heated surface.

Described herein is a method of making an edible turmeric additive comprising the step of cooking a mixture of turmeric and pepper in a neutral oil.

Embodiments include systems and methods for heating materials, including heating materials for cooking and soldering. A representative system and method for cooking food includes passing electric current through the food, sensing a characteristic of the food, and modulating the electric current in response to the characteristic of the food to achieve a selected internal temperature of the food. The system and method can include searing the food with hot oil or photons directed at the surface of the food. A representative system and method for heating a material includes modulating a plurality of semiconductor light sources to emit photons toward the material, measuring a temperature of the material, and modulating the plurality of semiconductor light sources in response to the temperature of the material. The material can include solder and the method can include heating solder in a reflow soldering process.