Grill rack and method

Abstract

Food products are characterized by grill markings, wherein the grill markings are generated by a simulated grilling process. The simulated grilling process includes maintaining a food item on a grill rack, the grill rack including a plurality of substantially solid rods, each of the plurality of rods being substantially parallel to, and laterally spaced from, an adjacent rod to define a plurality of spaces between the plurality of rods. The plurality of rods each define a substantially flat top surface and include a non-stick coating over the substantially flat top surfaces. The process also includes disposing the food product as maintained on the plurality of rods in a convection oven. The oven is convectively heated at or above about 400 degrees F such that the plurality of rods impart the grill markings on the food product, the grill markings being substantially darker than surrounding portions of the food item.

1 . A grill comprising: 
 a border defining a bottom surface and forming an outer perimeter and an interior;    a plurality of cross members secured to the border, each of the plurality of cross members: 
 being solid, substantially parallel, and laterally spaced from an adjacent cross member,  
 defining a bottom surface and a substantially planar top surface,  
 protruding above the border, and  
 spanning the interior of the border in a first direction; and  
   a plurality of support members secured to the border, each of the plurality of support members: 
 being solid, substantially parallel, and laterally spaced from an adjacent support member,  
 defining a bottom surface and a top surface, and  
 spanning the interior of the border in a second direction to intersect with at least one of the plurality of cross members;  
   wherein the grill is formed substantially continuously, as a single piece, of a substantially thermally conductive material, and such that the bottom surface of the border, the bottom surface of the plurality of cross members, and the bottom surface of the plurality of support members are substantially coplanar.    
   
   
       2 . The grill of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of cross members defines a quadrilateral shape in transverse cross section.  
   
   
       3 . The grill of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of cross members tapers in width from the bottom surface of each of the plurality of cross members to the top surface of each of the plurality of cross members.  
   
   
       4 . The grill of  claim 1 , wherein the border, the plurality of cross members, and the plurality of support members are formed of aluminum alloy.  
   
   
       5 . The grill of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a coating formed over the top surface of each of the plurality of cross members, the coating including a fluoropolymer-based coating.    
   
   
       6 . The grill of  claim 1 , wherein the border comprises: 
 a first side member;    a second side member extending substantially parallel to and opposed to the first side member;    a first end member extending orthogonally to and between the first and second side members; and    a second end member extending substantially parallel to and opposed to the first end member;    wherein the first direction at which the plurality of cross members span the interior of the border is disposed at an angle of about 45 degrees relative to each of the first and second side members.    
   
   
       7 . The grill of  claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of cross members extends orthogonally relative to each of the plurality of support members.  
   
   
       8 . A method of simulated grilling in an oven comprising: 
 supporting a food item on a rack including a plurality of bars, each of the plurality of bars extending substantially parallel to, and laterally spaced from, an adjacent bar and defining a substantially flat top surface, wherein the food item is supported on the top surfaces of the plurality of bars;    disposing the rack and the food item in a convection oven; and    convectively heating the oven at or above about 400 degrees F. to impart darkened grill markings on the food item with the rack, wherein the darkened grill markings are imparted free of actual grilling and substantially correspond to lines of contact between the plurality of bars and the food item.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 removing the food item from the rack after convectively heating the rack with the rack being substantially free of portions of the food item sticking to the rack.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the food item comprises meat including muscle fiber, and skin covering the muscle fiber, and further wherein the method further comprises: 
 imparting the darkened grill markings into the skin and the muscle fiber.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the food item includes lipids and the method further comprises: 
 releasing the lipids from the food item; and    substantially preventing the released lipids from collecting on the top surfaces of the plurality of bars.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 engendering a smoke flavor in the food item by generating smoke from the released lipids.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein engendering a smoke flavor in the food item is generated entirely by the released lipids such that the method is characterized by the absence of chemical or artificially introduced smoke flavoring.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein imparting the darkened grill markings is characterized by the absence of frying the food item.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 8 , including convectively heating the rack to a temperature where protein charring is initiated.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein imparting the darkened grill markings is characterized by the food item being free of artificially introduced coloring agents.  
   
   
       17 . A food product characterized by grill markings, wherein the grill markings are generated by a simulated grilling process including: 
 maintaining a food product on a grill rack including a plurality of substantially solid rods, each of the plurality of rods being substantially parallel and laterally spaced from an adjacent rod and defining a substantially flat top surface, wherein each of the rods includes a non-stick coating over the top surfaces of the rods;    disposing the food product as maintained on the plurality of rods in a convection oven;    convectively heating the oven at or above about  400  degrees F such that the plurality of rods impart the grill markings on the food product, the grill markings being substantially darker than surrounding portions of the food product.    
   
   
       18 . The food item of  claim 17 , wherein the food item is chicken.  
   
   
       19 . A grill comprising: 
 a frame defining a bottom surface and forming a substantially rectangular outer perimeter and an interior, the frame including a first side member, a second side member opposing the first side member, a first end member, and a second end member opposing the first end member;    a plurality of rods secured to the frame, each of the plurality of rods: 
 being solid, substantially parallel, and laterally spaced from an adjacent rod,  
 defining a bottom surface and a substantially planar top surface,  
 protruding above the border, and  
 spanning the interior of the border; and  
   a first support member and a second member, each of the support members: 
 being solid, substantially parallel, and laterally spaced from an adjacent support member,  
 defining a bottom surface and a top surface,  
 residing below the top surfaces of the plurality of rods,  
 intersecting with at least one of the plurality of rods,  
 wherein the first support member extends from the first end member of the frame to the first side member of the frame across the interior of the border and the second support member extends from the second side member of the frame to the second end member of the frame across the interior of the border;  
   wherein the grill is formed substantially continuously, as a single piece, of a substantially thermally conductive material.    
   
   
       20 . The grill of  claim 19 , wherein each of the plurality of rods includes a protective, non-stick coating disposed over the top surfaces of each of the plurality of rods.