Automated machine and related methods for seasoning meat

An automated machine for seasoning poultry comprising,

• a housing having sides for containing, at least in part, the seasoning, and apertures at entrance and exit ends sufficiently large to enable poultry to pass into, through and out of the housing via an overhead conveyor mechanism, wherein the poultry is removably suspended from the overhead conveyor mechanism,
• a seasoning projecting mechanism disposed in the housing for projecting seasoning contained within the housing at the poultry as it passes between the entrance and exit apertures, and
• at least one blower assembly including a blower motor and ducting, the ducting in fluid communication with the blower motor, having perforations and extending along a bottom portion of the housing, the blower being configured to draw in air and gust it out through the perforations in the ducting, a force created by the air exiting the perforations being sufficient to propel seasoning in a bottom portion of the housing up toward the poultry,
• wherein the seasoning projecting mechanism includes at least one paddle wheel assembly rotatably mounted within the housing and including a plurality of radial projections sized and shaped to sweep seasoning toward the poultry in response to the paddle wheel assembly rotating.