Food product including fully or partially cooked egg

Abstract

A food product involving an integral combination of an egg layer and an edible, grain-based solid substrate can be provided by a method that involves providing a precursor product which then is heated to provide the food product. The precursor product can be provided by introducing an egg mixture to a primary surface of the edible solid substrate. The heating of the precursor converts the egg mixture into the at least partially cooked egg layer of the food product.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of making a food product that comprises an at least partially cooked egg layer and an edible, grain-based solid substrate, said method comprising:
 a) introducing from about 1.5 to about 3 ounces of a flowable egg-containing composition to a primary surface of said edible solid substrate, wherein the thickness of said flowable egg-containing composition is from about 0.3 to about 0.5 inches, said edible solid substrate being amenable to being handheld,   b) allowing said flowable egg-containing composition to soak or wick beyond the top-most layer of said primary surface of said edible solid substrate so as to provide a food product precursor, and   c) heating said food product precursor so as to convert said flowable egg-containing composition to said at least partially cooked egg layer, which is integrally connected with and bound to said substrate,   
       thereby providing said food product. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising repeating steps (a), (b) and (c) so as to provide a second food product and introducing said second food product to said food product so as to provide a sandwich construction. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein, at the time of being introduced to said primary surface of said edible solid substrate, said flowable egg-containing composition is at a temperature of from about 90° to about 150° F. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein said flowable egg-containing composition has had its temperature elevated via exposure to a kettle heater, convection, conduction, microwaving, tube heating, RF or induction heating. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said flowable egg-containing composition comprises one or more solid additives. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said primary surface of said edible solid substrate comprises macroscopic roughness. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said edible solid substrate is a portion of a bagel. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said edible solid substrate is a portion of an English muffin. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said primary surface of said edible solid substrate comprises microscopic roughness. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said edible solid substrate is a tortilla. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising packaging said food product and then cooling the resulting packaged food product. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said heating step involves raising the internal temperature of said at least partially cooked egg layer to at least 165° F., thereby providing a fully cooked egg layer. 
     
     
         13 . A process of making a food product that comprises an at least partially cooked egg layer and an edible, grain-based solid substrate, said method comprising:
 a) providing a flowable egg-containing composition at a temperature of from about 90° to about 150° F.,   b) introducing from about 1.5 to about 3 ounces of said flowable egg-containing composition to a primary surface of said edible solid substrate, wherein the thickness of said flowable egg-containing composition is from about 0.3 to about 0.5 inches, said edible solid substrate being amenable to being handheld,   c) allowing said flowable egg-containing composition to soak or wick beyond the top-most layer of said primary surface of said edible solid substrate so as to provide a food product precursor, and   d) heating said food product precursor so as to convert said flowable egg-containing composition to said at least partially cooked egg layer, which is integrally connected with and bound to said substrate,   
       thereby providing said food product. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13  further comprising repeating steps (b), (c) and (d) so as to provide a second food product and introducing said second food product to said food product so as to provide a sandwich construction. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 13  wherein said flowable egg-containing composition comprises one or more solid additives. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 13  wherein said primary surface of said edible solid substrate comprises macroscopic roughness. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 16  wherein said edible solid substrate is a portion of a bagel or of an English muffin. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 13  wherein said primary surface of said edible solid substrate comprises microscopic roughness. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 13  further comprising packaging said food product and then cooling the resulting packaged food product. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 13  wherein said heating step involves raising the internal temperature of said at least partially cooked egg layer to at least 165° F., thereby providing a fully cooked egg layer.