Method of making an animal muscle strip product

A method of making a food product from an unprocessed animal muscle material having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper and lower surfaces being spaced apart a predetermined distance and extending generally parallel with respect to each other, the material including a first end surface and a second end surface, the first and second end surfaces being spaced apart a first distance, said method comprising the steps of:

• cutting the material from the upper surface to the lower surface along a plurality of spaced generally parallel cut lines from he first end surface toward the second end surface a second distance;
• cutting the material from the upper surface to the lower surface along a plurality of spaced generally parallel cut lines from the second end surface toward the first end surface a third distance, said third distance combined with said second distance being less than said first distance to establish an uncut core area between said first ad second end surfaces, the spacing of the cut lines extending from the first and second end surfaces and the predetermined distance between the upper and lower surfaces being selected such that a plurality of strips of material of predetermined size extend from said core area toward the first and second end surfaces;
• and
• applying heat to said material to cook said material and to cause said strips of material to extend outwardly from said core area in a random manner, said predetermined size of said strips being selected such that said strips of material extend outwardly from said core area in a random manner upon the heat being applied to said material and wherein said strips of material are readily removable from said core area by grasping each of said strips and breaking the grasped strip from said core area.

A method of making a food product from an unprocessed animal muscle material having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper and lower surfaces being spaced apart a predetermined distance and extending generally parallel with respect to each other, the material including a first end surface and a second end surface, the first and second end surfaces being spaced apart a first distance, said method comprising the steps of:

• cutting through the first end surface of the material along a first cut line extending between the upper and lower surfaces a second distance, said second distance being less than said first distance to establish an uncut core area proximate said second end surface;
• cutting the material from the upper surface to the lower surface along a plurality of spaced generally parallel second cut lines extending between the first end surface and said core area, the location of the first cut line, the spacing of the second cut lines and the predetermined distance between the upper and lower surfaces being selected such that a plurality of strips of material of predetermined size extend from said core area toward the first and second end surfaces;
• and
• applying heat to said material to cook said material and to cause said strips of material to extend outwardly from said core area in a random manner, said predetermined size of said strips being selected such that said strips of material extend outwardly from, said core area in a random manner upon the heat being applied to said material and to cause said strips of material to extend outwardly from said core area in a random manner, said predetermined size of said strips being selected such that said strips of material extend outwardly from said core area in a random manner upon the heat being applied to said material and wherein said strips of material are readily removable from said core area by grasping each of said strips and breaking the grasped strip from said core area.