# US 2019/0313675 A1 · Method and system for processing ready-to-eat bacon with pan fried bacon characteristics

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- Number: US 2019/0313675 A1
- Document ID: US20190313675A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/180,863
- Filed: 2018-11-05
- Published: 2019-10-17
- Earliest claimed: 2014-11-10
- Assignees: Smithfield Foods, Inc.
- Applicants: Smithfield Foods, Inc.
- Inventors: Michael FRITZ; Anthony WHITE; Jeffrey PHILLIPS; James CATTIN; Robert BLONG; Bruce A. JOHNSON
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190313675A1

## CPC

- A23L 13/00: Meat products; Meat meal; Preparation or treatment thereof
- A23L 5/15: {using wave energy, irradiation, electrical means or magnetic fields, e.g. oven cooking or roasting using radiant dry heat}
- A23L 13/67: {Reformed meat products other than sausages}
- A23L 13/72: using additives, e.g. by injection of solutions
- A23L 13/76: by treatment in a gaseous atmosphere, e.g. ageing or ripening; by electrical treatment, irradiation or wave treatment
- A23V 2002/00: Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
- A23L: FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B)
- A23V: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND LACTIC OR PROPIONIC ACID BACTERIA USED IN FOODSTUFFS OR FOOD PREPARATION

## Abstract

Methods and systems for processing ready-to-eat bacon with pan-fried bacon characteristics comprising a combination of cooking in a microwave oven and finishing in a searing unit. The invention provides for a method for preparing bacon comprising (a) providing a bacon slab; (b) slicing said bacon slab into bacon slices; (c) cooking said bacon slices in a microwave oven; and (d) finishing said bacon slices in a searing unit.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for preparing ready-to-eat bacon comprising
(a) cooking bacon slices in a conveyor microwave oven to produce pre-cooked bacon slices; and
(b) finishing pre-cooked bacon slices in a conveyor infrared searing unit.

### Claim 2

A method for preparing bacon comprising
(a) providing a bacon slab;
(b) slicing said bacon slab into bacon slices;
(c) cooking said bacon slices in a microwave oven; and
(d) finishing said bacon slices in a gas searing unit.

### Claim at position 3

3-7. (canceled)

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the bacon slices have a thickness of about 7-20 slices per inch.

### Claim at position 5

9-11. (canceled)

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the microwave oven cooks the bacon slices to a product temperature of about 175-200° F.

### Claim at position 7

13-14. (canceled)

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the microwave oven cooks the bacon slices for about 40-150 seconds.

### Claim at position 9

16-22. (canceled)

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the infrared searing unit uses infrared energy with a wavelength of about 1 μm to 1 mm.

### Claim 24 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the infrared searing unit uses infrared energy with a frequency of about 300 THz to 300 GHz.

### Claim at position 12

25-27 (canceled)

### Claim 28 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the infrared searing unit cooks the bacon slices for about 8-10 seconds.

### Claim at position 14

29-37 (canceled)

### Claim 38 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the microwave oven and/or infrared searing unit is coupled to a thermal imaging device, vision system, near-infrared (NIR) imaging, vision systems, inline checkweigher, infrared sensor, a feedback control system, or a combination thereof.

### Claim at position 16

39-41 (canceled)

### Claim 42 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a series of parallel microwave oven-searing unit assemblages are arranged.

### Claim 43 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a multi-cavity microwave oven is used, optionally a 1-6-cavity microwave oven or a 2-5 cavity microwave oven.

### Claim 44

(canceled)

### Claim 45

A system for making pre-cooked bacon comprising
(a) a slicer for slicing bacon slabs;
(b) a microwave oven for cooking bacon slices;
(c) a infrared searing unit for searing bacon slices comprising both infrared and convective heating elements;
(d) an interleaves for interleaving and stacking the bacon slices; and
(e) a packaging machine for packaging the bacon slices.

### Claim at position 21

46-50 (canceled)

### Claim 51 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the infrared searing unit uses a combination of infrared radiation and convective heat.

### Claim 52 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the air temperature in the infrared searing unit is about 500° F. to 1,100° F.

### Claim 53 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the belt temperature in the infrared searing unit is about 500° F. to 600° F.

### Claim 54 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the bacon slices existing the infrared searing unit have a product temperature of about 230° F. to 260° F.

### Claim 55 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises interleaving the bacon slices onto parchment paper to form sheets of bacon slices, stacking the sheets of bacon, and packaging the sheets of bacon.

### Claim 56 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the cook yield of the pre-cooked bacon slices from the microwave is about 38% to 56%.

### Claim 57 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the cook yield of the finished bacon slices from the infrared searing unit is about 83% to 92%.

### Claim 58 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the cook yield of the microwave oven and infrared searing unit is about 25% to 40%.