Method of operation of a pressurized rotary blancher

A method of blanching or cooking a food product using a rotary blancher comprising:

• a) providing a substantially-sealed blancher housing defining a chamber therein and having a substantially-sealed food product inlet and a substantially-sealed food product outlet, a rotary food product transport mechanism disposed in the chamber, the food product transport mechanism comprises an auger received inside a drum that is also located inside the blancher housing, the drum having (1) an inlet opening in communication with the food product inlet for receiving the food product therein and (2) an outlet opening in communication with the food product outlet for enabling the food product to be discharged from the drum and out the blancher housing, and a heat transfer medium inlet in fluid flow communication with the chamber;
• b) introducing a heat transfer medium into the chamber;
• c) pressurizing an atmosphere within the chamber to a pressure greater than an atmosphere outside the blancher;
• d) introducing the food product through the food product inlet into the chamber;
• e) rotating the food product transport mechanism relative to said housing to urge the food product toward the food product outlet;
• both the auger and the drum are rotated in unison during the rotation of the food product transport mechanism;
• and
• f) discharging the food product from the blancher housing through the food product outlet.