Microwave simmering method and apparatus
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorEdward C. Groeschel, Jr.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for stewing and simmering food in a microwave oven wherein the control causes energization of the microwave generator for a preselected period of time at a preselected low power level correlated with other power levels in the overall heating of the food, including a start-heating, a continued-cooking, and keep-warm cycle. The simmering operation is initiated automatically upon the sensing of the food reaching a temperature slightly below the boiling temperature. The control is selectively operable to provide different times of simmering, as desired by the user.
Claims24
A method of simmering food in a microwave oven having a microwave generator having a preselected maximum power level, and an adjustable control including a timer for causing energization of the generator to deliver microwave energy to food in said oven for selected times and at selected power levels, and means for sensing the degree to which food is said oven has been cooked by the subjection thereof to said microwave energy, said method comprising the steps of:
- causing said control to energize said generator to deliver microwave energy to food in said oven at a first power level to raise the temperature thereof to a preselected heated condition, causing said control to energize said generator to deliver microwave energy to said food at a second power level less than said first power level to raise the temperature thereof to a start-simmer temperature subjacent 100.degree. C.;
- causing said control to energize said generator to simmer said food for a period of time at a simmer power level which is less than 50% of said maximum power level;
- and
- maintaining the power level of said generator at a maintained-warm power level lower than said simmer power level.
In a microwave oven having a microwave generator having a preselected maximum power level, an adjustable control including a timer for causing energization of the generator to deliver microwave energy to food in said oven for selected times and at selected power levels, and means for sensing the degree to which food in said oven has been cooked by the subjection thereof to said microwave energy, apparatus for providing a controlled continuous simmering of food by said oven, said apparatus comprising:
- means for sequentially causing said control to energize said generator at:
- (a) a high start-heating power level to bring said food to a preselected heated condition,
- (b) at a continuous lower continued-heating power level to bring said food to a start-simmer temperature,
- (c) at a further lower simmer power level, and
- (d) at a further lower keep-warm power level.
A method of simmering food in a microwave oven having a microwave generator having a preselected maximum power level, and an adjustable control including a timer for causing energization of the generator to deliver microwave energy to food in said oven for selected times and at selected power levels, and means for sensing the degree to which food in said oven has been cooked by the subjection thereof to said microwave energy, said method comprising the steps of:
- causing said control to energize said generator to deliver microwave energy to food in said oven sufficient to raise the temperature thereof to a start-simmer temperature subjacent 100.degree. C., including the steps of sequentially causing the control to energize said generator at a high start-heating power level to bring the food to a preselected heated condition;
- sensing said heated condition of the food;
- causing said control to energize said generator at a reduced continued-heating power level as an incident of said sensing means sensing said heated condition to bring said food to a simmer temperature;
- and
- automatically initiating a simmering of said food for a selectable period of time at a simmer power level which is approximately 30% of said maximum power level to maintain said food selectably at said simmer temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.