A meat product, and apparatus and method of producing the same including a piece of meat which is heat treated to have no outer skin about its surface is disclosed. The meat is placed inside of an air-tight chamber, in which the meat is to be cooked, wherein steam is generated from a source of water and is introduced into the cooking chamber. The steam heats the inside of the cooking chamber and serves as a heat transfer media to heat the meat product. The steam and pressure within the cooking chamber are regulated so as to create an atmospheric humidity of 100% within the chamber, so any water present within the meat is prevented from evaporating into the atmosphere of said cooking chamber. The pressure within the cooking chamber may also be reduced so as to produce a low temperature steam from 150.degree. to 180.degree. F. to cook the meat product. A flavored ingredient, such as liquid smoke, may be added to the water utilized in generating the steam in order to flavor the meat product being cooked. Additionally, the pressure within the cooking chamber can be further reduced after the steam has been heat treating the meat for a predetermined time period, so that a thin layer of skin can be formed on the surface of the meat product, if desired.
This is a Divisional application of Ser. No. 08/310,756, filed Sep. 26, 1994, now abandoned which is a continuation-in-part application of Ser. No. 08/099,418, filed Jul. 30, 1993, now abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part application of Ser. No. 07/852,785, filed Mar. 17, 1992 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,903.
A pressure regulator and steamer oven for cooking food at low pressure is provided which conserves water and space. The oven includes heating elements and a cooking cavity having a pool for holding water to be turned into steam. A pressure regulator mechanism attached to the rear of the steamer includes a reservoir and a float switch. A steam outlet conduit connects the cooking cavity to the reservoir and extends below the normal water level in the reservoir. The lower end of the conduit is blocked by water in the reservoir. The float switch is operable to turn off the heating elements when the pressure in the conduit exceeds a pre-determined level. Thus, the pressure regulator employs a water seal and float switch to help indirectly measure the pressure in the cooking cavity and control the heating elements accordingly. The reservoir is connected to the pool via an overflow which allows condensate to be recirculated to the cooking cavity. The steamer optionally includes a fill trough disposed above and in front of the cooking cavity and connected to the fluid reservoir for ease of filling.
A process for combined smoking and cooking of foodstuffs involves feeding a mixture of superheated steam and liquid smoke vapor into a treating medium which is circulated in a treatment chamber. The mixture is produced by an arrangement of mixing nozzles that are connected to a superheated steam duct and a liquid smoke duct.
A steaming oven having a collector plate disposed in an oven chamber. A collector plate is disposed above a boiling water reservoir in the oven chamber. The collector plate has drain tube inserted into an overfill tube disposed in the reservoir. Waste material from the steam and food droppings is conveyed from the oven chamber via the drain tube and the overfill tube.
A transportable, commercial, barbecue cooking apparatus housed in an insulated, conventionally shaped building structure, the apparatus further including a vertical diametrical smoke chamber having an adjacent force draft heat chamber integral therewith, the smoke chamber fitted with sloped, horizontal screens attached to a rotating vertical shaft thereby providing increased visibility, efficient, circulation and improved rendering, the heat chamber being fired with a gas burner and utilizing hardwood saw dust to produce a heavy smoke which is force drafted through a duct into the cooking chamber. The cooker is further provided with onboard hot water tanks for cooking and cleanup and includes provisions for humidity and temperature control. Provisions are made for food boiling, frying and steam cooking capability and includes amenities such as a storage locker, internal oven lighting, smoke blow back fans, and view windows.
An apparatus and method of producing a food product is disclosed. The food product is placed inside of an air-tight chamber, in which the food product is to be cooked, wherein steam is generated from a source of water and is introduced into the cooking chamber. The steam heats the inside of the cooking chamber and serves as a heat transfer media to heat the food product as well as a color and flavor transfer media to color and flavor the food product. That is, a flavoring and coloring additive, such as liquid smoke, may be added to the water utilized in generating the steam in order to flavor the food product being cooked. The steam then transfers the flavoring and coloring additive to the food product which condenses on the food product adding flavor and color to the food product.
