IN-BAG PROCESS FOR COOKING OR PARTIALLY COOKING WATER-ABSORBING AND OTHER FOOD PRODUCTS IN A CONTINUOUS OVEN

Abstract

A process for cooking rice, quinoa, couscous, pasta, beans, chick peas and other products which absorb water during the cooking process. The product is placed in sealed cooking bags along with a sufficient amount of liquid for absorption. The sealed bags are then conveyed through a continuous oven in which they are contacted with a superheated vapor cooking medium.

Claims

1. A method of at least partially cooking a product which absorbs water when cooked, wherein the product is selected from rice, quinoa, or other water-absorbing grains, couscous or other water-absorbing granular products, macaroni, pasta shells, or other past products, or beans, pinto beans, chickpeas, or other water-absorbing legumes, and the method comprises the steps of: a) placing an amount of the product and an amount of liquid in each of a plurality of bags, the liquid being water, other cooking liquid, or a combination thereof; b) sealing the bags; c) placing the sealed bags on a conveyor which conveys the sealed bags through a continuous oven; and d) at least partially cooking the product in the continuous oven by contacting the sealed bags with a vapor cooking medium in the continuous oven.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the vapor cooking medium comprises at least 30% by volume superheated steam.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the vapor cooking medium consists of air and the superheated steam or consists entirely of the superheated steam.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein during step (d) the vapor cooking medium in the continuous oven is maintained at a temperature of greater than 212° F.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the vapor cooking medium in the continuous oven is maintained at a temperature of greater than 212° F. by adding superheated steam to the vapor cooking medium and heating the vapor cooking medium using one or more heating elements.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the continuous oven is a spiral oven and wherein the conveyor conveys the sealed bags upwardly or downwardly in the spiral oven in a spiral pattern.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the liquid placed in the bags in step (a) is provided for placement in the bags in step (a) at a temperature of not more than 60° F.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step, prior to step (a), of equilibrating the liquid at a temperature in the range of from about 40° F. to about 50° F.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step, after step (d), of cooling the at least partially cooked product by contacting the sealed bags with a cooling medium.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the at least partially cooked product is cooled in the step of cooling by conducting the sealed bags through a chilled water bath, a spiral chiller, a drenching water spiral chiller, or a combination air and water chiller.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step, after step (d), of shipping the at least partially cooked product to another location in the sealed bags.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step, after step (d), of providing the at least partially cooked product to consumers or food service institutions in the sealed bags.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the product is rice, quinoa or couscous.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the amount of liquid placed in the bags in step (a) is in a range of from about 80% to about 300% by weight of the amount of the product placed in the bags.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein at least 70% of the amount of liquid is absorbed in step (d) by the amount of the product.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein (i) each of the bags has a size of at least 15 cm×15 cm and (ii) after filling and when placed on the conveyor, each of the bags has a maximum vertical thickness above the conveyor surface at all points on the bag of not more than 6 cm.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the maximum vertical thickness is not more than 3 cm.

18. A method of at least partially cooking a product which absorbs water when cooked, wherein the product is selected from rice, quinoa, or other water-absorbing grains, couscous or other water-absorbing granular products, macaroni, pasta shells or other pasta products, or beans, pinto beans, chickpeas, or other water-absorbing legumes, and the method comprises the steps of: a) placing an amount of the product and an amount of liquid in each of a plurality of bags, the liquid being water, other cooking liquid, or a combination thereof; b) sealing the bags; c) placing the sealed bags on a conveyor which conveys the sealed bags upwardly or downwardly in a spiral pattern in a continuous spiral oven; d) at least partially cooking the product in the continuous spiral oven by contacting the sealed bags with a vapor cooking medium in the continuous spiral oven, the vapor cooking medium comprising at least 35% by volume superheated steam; and e) maintaining the vapor cooking medium in the continuous spiral oven in step (d) at a temperature of greater than 212° F. by adding superheated steam to the vapor cooking medium and heating the vapor cooking medium using one or more heating elements.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the amount of liquid placed in the bags in step (a) is in a range of from about 80% to about 300% by weight of the amount of the product placed in the bags.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein at least 95% of the amount of liquid is absorbed in step (d) by the amount of the product.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the vapor cooking medium is heated using one or more electric, gas, or thermal fluid heating elements located in the continuous spiral oven.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein the vapor cooking medium is heated using a plurality of finned electric heating elements located in the continuous spiral oven.

23. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step, prior to step (a), of equilibrating the water at a temperature in the range of from about 40° F. to about 50° F.

24. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step, after step (d), of cooling the at least partially cooked product by contacting the sealed bags with a cooling medium.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the at least partially cooked product is cooled in the step of cooling by conducting the sealed bags through a water chiller, a spiral chiller, a drenching water spiral chiller, or a combination air and water chiller.

26. The method of claim 18 wherein (i) each of the bags has a size of at least 15 cm×15 cm and (ii) after filling and when placed on the conveyor, each of the bags has a maximum vertical thickness above the conveyor at all points on the bag of not more than 5 cm.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the vertical thickness is not more than 3 cm.

28. The method of claim 18 wherein the product is rice, quinoa or couscous.

29. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step, after step (d), of shipping the at least partially cooked product to another location in the sealed bags.

30. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of providing the at least partially cooked product to consumers in the sealed bags.

31. The method of claim 18 wherein the liquid is water.

32. The method of claim 18 wherein the liquid comprises a broth.

33. The method of claim 18 wherein the liquid comprises a wine.

34. The method of claim 18 wherein the liquid comprises a beer.

35. The method of claim 18 wherein the liquid comprises a milk.

36. The method of claim 18 wherein the liquid comprises a fruit juice or a vegetable juice.

37. The method of claim 18 wherein the liquid comprises a brine solution.

38. The method of claim 18 wherein the liquid comprises a curry sauce.

39. A method of at least partially cooking a product selected from potatoes, carrots, other root vegetables, or a combination thereof, the method comprising the steps of: a) placing an amount of the product and an amount of liquid in each of a plurality of bags, the liquid being water, other cooking liquid, or a combination thereof; b) sealing the bags; c) placing the sealed bags on a conveyor which conveys the sealed bags through a continuous oven; and d) at least partially cooking the product in the continuous oven by contacting the sealed bags with a vapor cooking medium in the continuous oven.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein the vapor cooking medium comprises at least 30% by volume superheated steam.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein the continuous oven is a spiral oven and wherein the conveyor conveys the sealed bags upwardly or downwardly in the spiral oven in a spiral pattern.

42. The method of claim 41 further comprising the step, after step (d), of cooling the at least partially cooked product by contacting the sealed bags with a cooling medium.

43. The method of claim 40 wherein (i) each of the bags has a size of at least 15 cm×15 cm and (ii) after filling and when placed on the conveyor, each of the bags has a maximum vertical thickness above the conveyor surface at all points on the bag of not more than 6 cm.

Description

EXAMPLE

[0053] Six products were successfully cooked in accordance with the present invention in 10″ by 12″ sealed cook-in bags in a Unitherm Mini Spiral Oven. The cooking recipes used for cooking the six products were as follows:

[0054] During cooking, the Unitherm Mini Spiral Oven was operated such that an amount of superheated steam was continuously exhausted from the oven inlet and discharge openings for the spiral conveyor belt to thereby maintain a 100% superheated steam cooking environment within the spiral oven.

[0055] Thus, the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objectives and attain the ends and advantages mentioned above as well as those inherent therein. While presently preferred embodiments and steps have been described for purposes of this disclosure, the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the preferred embodiments and steps. Numerous changes and modifications will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Such changes and modifications are encompassed within this invention as defined by the claims. In addition, unless expressly stated, the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for purposes of description and not limitation.