Disclosed herein is a cooking system for cooking food, the cooking system being functional in a plurality of cooking modes. The cooking system includes a housing having a hollow chamber, and a cooking lid movable between an open position and a closed position relative to the housing. At least one heating element is associated with said lid. The cooking system is operable in a plurality of modes including a convective cooking mode and a pressure cooking mode. The cooking lid is configurable in the closed position when the cooking system is in both the convective cooking mode and the pressure cooking mode.

A method is disclosed for cooking food in an oven cavity, where air is the cooking medium. Using a predetermined cooking algorithm, a temperature of the oven cavity is adjusted in a plurality of temperature and/or time regulated cooking stages. An initial pre-heat stage targets a first target temperature including a user-selected oven cavity temperature plus a first offset. A subsequent post-heat stage targets a second target temperature including the user-selected temperature plus a second offset different from the first offset. Two or more heating elements and a fan are operated during the post-heat stage according to a duty cycle controlled via a hysteresis temperature control algorithm or a PID temperature control algorithm.

A process for processing animal protein product involves providing a meat product in a raw state having a core temperature of 32-34° F., slicing the meat product into a plurality of meat slices that are 1.0-9.0 mm thick, vacuum sealing a stack of the meat slices within a pouch with the meat slices of the stack stacked together in direct meat-to-meat contact, and cooking the vacuum sealed meat slices of the stack stacked together such that, during the cooking, the cut faces of the meat slices of the stack remain in contact with one another to essentially maintain the size and entire outer surface shape of the stack of meat slices to have the size and entire outer surface shape of the entirety of the meat forming the stack prior to the slicing.

A method of using a storage and cooking device having multiple thermal containers includes disposing a first food item in a first thermal container, a second food item in a second thermal container, and a third food item in a third thermal container. A volume of fluid is cooled and circulated through at least a portion of the device such that thermal energy from at least one of the first, second, or third food item is transferred to the cooled fluid. The device is transitioned from a first operating mode to a second operating mode in response to a criterion being satisfied. When in the second configuration, the volume of fluid is heated and circulated through at least a portion of the device such that thermal energy is transferred from the volume of fluid to at least one of the first, second, or third food item.

Popcorn machines having process chambers of increasing volume, and associated systems and methods of operation are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a popcorn machine includes a tube, a heating element positioned to heat the tube, and an auger positioned at least partially within the tube. The auger can include a central portion extending along a longitudinal axis from a first end to a second end. The central portion decreases in diameter from the first end to the second end, and the central portion and the tube at least partially define an annular popping chamber that increases in volume from the first end toward the second end. A flight extends around the central portion in a helical pattern between the central portion and an inner wall of the tube. In operation, the auger rotates about the longitudinal axis to move ingredients through the heated tube via the flight.

Food preparation includes utilizing food immersion into low temperature cooking fluids, high temperature cooking fluids, or a combination of applications thereof. Foods are generally closely wrapped in vented, pliable, formidable outer skins. An example construction of such an outer skin is provided, as are examples of food preparation processes.

A connected oven, including a set of in-cavity sensors and a processor configured to automatically identify foodstuff within the cooking cavity, based on the sensor measurements; and automatically operate the heating element based on the foodstuff identity.

A smoker includes a smoke generator that is configured to provide a controllable method of producing smoke without creating a flame. The device includes a housing including a hopper for storing a smoking fuel within the interior of the housing. The hopper feeds the smoking fuel to a fuel conveyor that is partially within the housing and partially exterior of the housing. A motor is connected to the fuel conveyor so that operation of the motor causes the smoking fuel to move along the length of the fuel conveyor. As the smoking fuel moves along the fuel conveyor, it is heated to produce continuous smoke without producing a flame. The smoke generator is capable of controlling the quality and the quantity of the smoke produced by the smoke generator independently of the heat that is used to cook food within a cabinet of the smoker.

A connected oven, including a set of in-cavity sensors and a processor configured to automatically identify foodstuff within the cooking cavity, based on the sensor measurements; and automatically operate the heating element based on the foodstuff identity.

A connected oven, including a set of in-cavity sensors and a processor configured to automatically identify foodstuff within the cooking cavity, based on the sensor measurements; and automatically operate the heating element based on the foodstuff identity.