Method for heating par-fried, batter-coated frozen foods

A method of heating, in an oven, batter-coated and par-fried, frozen, three dimensional comestibles, which method produces a uniformly deep-fried appearance and crisp texture of the batter coating while the interior portion of the comestible is moist and sufficiently cooked, said method comprising:

• (a) orienting vertically the batter-coated and par-fried frozen comestible on a tray by means of spaced-apart, upstanding support elements affixed to said tray, said elements fixedly engaging the comestible, and said elements containing apertures, said tray having a plurality of apertures distributed over its surface and said tray having a surface which consists of an ovenable, nonmetallic material which will absorb liquids in such a manner that no portion of the comestible remains in contact with free liquid;
• (b) placing the tray and vertically oriented comestible into said oven;
• (c) heating the oven whereby heated air passes through the tray apertures and around all surfaces of the comestible in order to convectively heat the comestible, said tray apertures containing greater than 10% open area based on the horizontal area of the tray surface area and wherein heated air passes through said support element apertures from below the bottom surface of the tray and out through said support element apertures thereby enhancing the convective flow of heated air;
• (d) heating the comestible in the oven for a time effective to produce an appetizing batter-coated product having a deep-fried appearance and coating;
• (e) collecting, by means of the adsorbent surface of the tray, the liquids which are released from the comestible during oven heating, said tray containing upwardly-projecting rims around each of the apertures so that substantially no liquids will pass through the apertures in the tray.