Method and apparatus for forming meat patties having a closer-to-handformed appearance and texture

A process for forming ground beef patties having a close-to-handformed appearance and texture, comprising:

• grinding beef having a fat content of approximately 22 percent into a loose columnar collection of individual visible strands, through grinder openings 3/32 to 1/8 in inch in diameter, this collection having a bulk transverse cross-sectional area of at least about fifty square inches and a temperature of 28.degree.-31.degree. F.;
• providing a forwardly moving, upwardly presented, at least generally horizontal conveyor surface;
• over an extended period of time, continuing to deposit successive increments of said column onto the moving conveyor surface at an upstream hopper site, these increments being distributed widthwise of the moving conveyor surface, to a width at least equal to that needed for fully constituting patties at a downstream patty cutting site;
• at a sheet-forming site located downstream of said hopper site, rollingly compressing the ground beef against the moving conveyor surface to provide a sheet of substantially even thickness widthwise of the moving conveyor surface, such thickness being substantially equal to the desired thickness of each patty in a run of patties;
• operating at least one transversally extending individual cutter bar in such juxtaposition with the moving conveyor surface at a patty cutting site located downstream of the sheet-forming site that die walls provided on each said at least one cutter bar divide a respective longitudinally succeeding increment of said sheet of ground beef along substantially the full width thereof, with the possible exception of two laterally opposite marginal portions of minor extent, against said moving conveyor surface, into a plurality of at least substantially separate patties of substantially uniform shape and weight within said run, which patties are close to handformed in appearance and texture, and include noticeable strands of ground beef.