Process for smoking food items

Abstract

An apparatus, and method for cooking and smoking food items and a smoked product produced by the inventive method. The inventive apparatus preferably comprises (a) an oven including a belt-type conveyor, for continuously conveying food items through the oven, and a circulation system for circulating a cooking medium in the oven such that the cooking medium contacts and cooks the food items and (b) a smoke generation and delivery system for delivering smoke to the circulating system such that the smoke contacts the food items along with the cooking medium. The inventive method preferably comprises the steps of (a) continuously conveying food items through an oven and (b) delivering smoke into the oven such that the smoke contacts the food items. The oven used in the inventive apparatus and inventive method is preferably an indirect-fired oven. The smoke most preferably contacts the food items in an impinging manner.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.