Chicken ring cooking device and method

An apparatus for cooking a solid food item having a non-uniform thickness on two sides of the food item simultaneously with a two-sided grill, comprising:

• a vertically compressible, heat-resistant ring member, a two-sided grill comprising a lower platen and an upper platen, the heat-resistant ring member for being removably placed between the upper and lower platens of the two-sided grill to form a cavity sufficient to contain a food item to be cooked on the two-sided grill within an inner perimeter of the ring member and between the upper and lower platens, the cavity having a height approximately equal to an uncompressed height of the ring member, the height of the cavity contracting to a compressed height of the ring member when the ring member is compressed by the platens, the ring member being compressible to a height of about 90% or less of the uncompressed height of the ring member when the ring member is subjected to a compression force of 2 pounds per square inch, and
• a flexible, non-stick, heat-resistant thin film material separate from and for being located under the ring member to form a cavity within the inner perimeter of the ring member between the upper platen and the film material, wherein the cavity is adapted to hold water, and so that when the food item is placed within the inner perimeter of the ring member, the food item is in direct contact with the film material over the lower platen and the film material is in direct contact with the heated lower platen.