# US 9,775,369 B2 · Fire braising process for meat

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- Number: US 9,775,369 B2
- Document ID: US9775369B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/797,087
- Filed: 2013-03-12
- Published: 2014-09-18
- Granted: 2017-10-03
- Earliest claimed: 2013-03-12
- Assignees: Hormel Foods Corporation
- Applicants: Hormel Foods Corporation
- Inventors: Thomas W. J. Dickhans; Christopher C. Candullo; Vern J. Noland; Joel D. Reiman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9775369B2

## CPC

- A23L 13/00: Meat products; Meat meal; Preparation or treatment thereof
- A23B 4/06: Freezing; Subsequent thawing; Cooling
- A23L 5/10: General methods of cooking foods, e.g. by roasting or frying
- A23L 13/50: Poultry products, e.g. poultry sausages
- A23L 13/76: by treatment in a gaseous atmosphere, e.g. ageing or ripening; by electrical treatment, irradiation or wave treatment
- A23L: FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B)
- A23B: PRESERVATION OF FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES

## Abstract

A fire searing process for meat comprises cooking meat in an oven and then at least crust-freezing the meat in a freezer. The oven has a temperature of at least 1500° F., and the meat is cooked in the oven for approximately 10 seconds to 3 minutes. The meat is cooked to a depth of approximately 0.25 to 25% of the meat extending into an inner surface of the meat from an outer surface of the meat to form a crust-like portion proximate the outer surface of the meat. The meat is then at least crust-frozen in a freezer having a temperature of approximately −35 to 0° F. for approximately 1 to 6 minutes. The freezer prevents the meat from being further cooked to preserve the crust-like portion proximate the outer surface of the meat.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A fire searing process for meat, comprising:
cooking meat in an oven having a temperature of at least 1500° F. for approximately 10 seconds to 3 minutes, the meat being cooked to a depth of approximately 0.25 to 25% of the meat extending into an inner surface of the meat from an outer surface of the meat to form a crust-like portion proximate the outer surface of the meat; and
crust-freezing the meat to a depth of approximately 0.25 to 25% of the meat extending into an inner surface of the meat from an outer surface of the meat in a freezer having a temperature of approximately −35 to 0° F. for approximately 1 to 6 minutes, the crust-freezing preventing the meat from being further cooked to preserve the crust-like portion proximate the outer surface of the meat and to prevent a deep cook ring from forming.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the meat is from the group consisting of beef, poultry, seafood, wild game, and pork.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the meat is seared.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the meat is cooked in the oven by moving the meat through the oven on a conveyor belt.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The process of claim 4, wherein a rate at which the conveyor belt moves through the oven controls a time period the meat is cooked in the oven.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, further comprising packaging the meat after the freezing step.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, further comprising slowly cooking the meat after the freezing step to obtain a braised product.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The process of claim 7, wherein the meat is slowly cooked in a steam oven having a temperature of approximately 140 to 195° F. for approximately 0.25 to 20 hours.

### Claim 9

A fire braising process, comprising:
cooking meat in a first oven having a temperature of at least 1500° F. for approximately 10 seconds to 3 minutes, the meat being cooked to a depth of approximately 0.25 to 25% of the meat extending into an inner surface of the meat from an outer surface of the meat to form a crust-like portion proximate the outer surface of the meat;
crust-freezing the meat to a depth of approximately 0.25 to 25% of the meat extending into an inner surface of the meat from an outer surface of the meat in a freezer having a temperature of approximately −35 to 0° F. for approximately 1 to 6 minutes, the crust-freezing preventing the meat from being further cooked to preserve the crust-like portion proximate the outer surface of the meat and to prevent a deep cook ring from forming; and then
slowly cooking the meat in a second oven having a temperature of approximately 140 to 195° F. for approximately 0.25 to 20 hours.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The process of claim 9, wherein the meat is from the group consisting of beef, poultry, seafood, wild game, and pork.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The process of claim 9, wherein the outer surface of the meat is seared in the first oven.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The process of claim 9, wherein the meat is cooked in the first oven by moving the meat through the oven on a conveyor belt.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The process of claim 12, wherein a rate at which the conveyor belt moves through the first oven controls a time period the meat is cooked in the first oven.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The process of claim 9, wherein the second oven is a steam oven.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the meat is a piece of raw meat.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The process of claim 9, wherein the meat is a piece of raw meat.