System and method for cooking a food product

Abstract

A system for cooking a food product, in particular pieces of protein, includes a first station that receives uncooked pieces and applies an effective amount of a spoilage inhibitor to the pieces to delay growth of toxigenic bacteria; a batter applicator that receives the pieces of uncooked protein and applies a high-gluten batter to the outer surfaces of the pieces of uncooked protein; a packaging machine that receives the pieces of uncooked protein coated with the batter from the batter applicator and seals the pieces of protein in plastic pouches; and a heating unit that receives the sealed plastic pouches containing the uncooked protein coated with the batter from the packaging machine and cooks the battered protein pieces in the plastic pouches at a time and temperature below which the batter hardens, whereby the batter is sufficiently tacky such that breading can adhere thereto.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the flour has about 12% to 25% gluten. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the flour has about 12% to 15% gluten. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the flour has greater than about 15% gluten. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein applying the coating to the uncooked protein pieces includes applying the spoilage inhibitor to the pieces of protein by one of manually applying the coating, a tumbler, a duster unit, or a shaker unit. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the spoilage inhibitor is coated on the pieces of protein in a liquid concentration of between 0.05% to 6.0%. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising applying a pre-coating to the uncooked protein pieces consisting of one or more of flour, starch powders, egg components, gluten, nut flours, legume flours, non-wheat flours, whey, dairy, protein isolates, other protein sources, and combinations thereof to outer surfaces of the pieces of protein. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising chilling the plastic pouches of battered cooked protein pieces. 
     
     
         9 .- 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A method for cooking pieces of protein, the method comprising:
 applying coating to uncooked protein pieces consisting of a batter consisting of a mixture of flour containing gluten and water and an effective amount of a spoilage inhibitor to delay growth of toxigenic bacteria in the uncooked protein pieces;   sealing the battered uncooked protein pieces with the spoilage inhibitor in plastic pouches; and   cooking the sealed battered uncooked protein pieces with the spoilage inhibitor while in the sealed plastic pouches, at a temperature and time selected to completely cook the protein pieces, whereby the batter is sufficiently tacky such that breading can adhere thereto.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising mixing the spoilage inhibitor with the batter, and applying the batter mixed with the spoilage inhibitor to the uncooked protein pieces. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein applying the coating to the uncooked protein pieces includes applying the spoilage inhibitor to insides of the plastic pouches, then sealing the battered uncooked protein pieces in the plastic pouches. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising removing the cooked, battered pieces of protein with the spoilage inhibitor from the plastic pouches; applying a breading to the cooked, battered pieces of protein; and flash frying the breaded, cooked, and battered pieces of protein. 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein applying the spoilage inhibitor includes applying the spoilage inhibitor selected from lactates, diacetates, fruit extracts, phenols, fermented products, propionic acid, acids, herbs, spices, spice extracts, herb extracts, spice and herb oils, ferments of sugar, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         26 . A food product, comprising: a piece of protein that is prepared by the process of  claim 20 . 
     
     
         27 . The food product of  claim 26 , wherein the food product is vacuum sealed in a plastic bag. 
     
     
         28 . The food product of  claim 26 , further comprising a coating of breading applied to the coating of the batter and the spoilage inhibitor. 
     
     
         29 . The food product of  claim 28 , wherein the food product is flash fried to set the batter and the breading. 
     
     
         30 . A packaged food product, comprising:
 a piece of protein that is completely cooked and is coated with a batter consisting of a mixture of flour containing gluten and water that is sufficiently tacky such that breading can adhere thereto, and the food product consisting of the battered cooked protein is in a vacuum sealed plastic bag.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the pieces of protein are selected from chicken, turkey, duck, beef, pork, fish, game, patties made from the foregoing, and formed pieces of meat.