AU2014246672B2

AU2014246672B2 - A meat juice recovery apparatus

Info

Publication number: AU2014246672B2
Application number: AU2014246672A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Gregory Malcolm Hay
Original assignee: Myoori Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Myoori Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2013-04-05
Filing date: 2014-04-02
Publication date: 2017-12-07
Anticipated expiration: 2034-04-02
Also published as: NZ621854A; WO2014161049A1; AU2014246672A1

Abstract

There is a requirement to separate meat juices from the liquid contained in a baking pan (1, 11, 41). Normally this liquid is fat which floats on the meat juice. Often all the liquids in the baking pan are poured into another container from which the floating liquid fat must be decanted or otherwise removed. An improved method of isolating the meat juices, and apparatus which enables the method to be carried out, are disclosed. A roast juice recovery apparatus for recovering meat juices generated whilst roasting meat above a baking pan in an oven takes the form of a container (3, 13, 23, 53, 153, 253) defining a volume of air and locatable within an oven, and a juice conduit interconnecting the air volume with the generated juices and terminating in an opening (5, 15, 25, 62, 162, 262) located below the level of the generated juices within the pan. During roasting the oven heats the air volume thereby expelling air from the container via the opening. As the container cools following removal of the baking pan and container from the oven, so atmospheric pressure drives at least some of the juice in the pan through the opening and into the container via the conduit.

Description

A MEAT JUICE RECOVERY APPARATUS

Field of the In vention

The present invention relates to cooking and, in particular, to the roasting of meat within an Oven.

Background Art

Meat is normally roasted within an oven by being placed on a baking pan, baking tray or similar container, which is sometimes provided with oil, fat or water and is intended to catch the juices generated by the roasting of the meat. These meat juices are regarded as a delicacy and are often consumed on their own, either when warm or when formed into a jelly after cooling. The meat juices are also consumed by being absorbed by a slice of bread and thus eaten, or are used as a base from which to form gravy.

This desire to consume the meat juices in either one of the various forms mentioned above, means that there is a requirement to separate the meat juices from the liquid contained in the baking pan. Normally this liquid is fat which floats on the meat juice. Often all the liquids in the .baking pan are poured into another container from which the floating liquid fat must be decanted or otherwise removed.

Genesis of Ihe Invention

The Genesis the present invention is a desire to provide an improved method of isolating the meat juices, and apparatus which enables the method to be carried out.

Summary of the Invention

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a roast juice recovery apparatus for recovering meat juices generated whilst roasting meat above a baking pan in an oven, said apparatus, comprising; a container defining a volume of air and loeatablc within said oven, and a juice conduit interconnecting said volume with said generated juices and terminating in an opening located below the level of said generated juices within said pan, whereby said oven during roasting heats said volume thereby expelling air from said container via said opening, and said container cools following removal of said baking pan and container from said oven so that atmospheric pressure drives at least some of said juice in said pan through said opening and into said container via said conduit.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a method of recovering meat juices generated whilst roasting meat above a baking pan in an oven, said method comprising the steps of: connecting a container having a volume of air with said meat pan via an opening, placing said meat pan. meat and container within said oven to heat same thereby both generating meal juices withi n said pan and dri ving at least some air from said container through said meat juices via said opening, removing said baking pan. meat and container from said Oven, and Cdoling said container to reduce the pressure of the air therein and thereby draw meat juices via said opening into said container.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now he described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic side elevation of a baking tray with a fowl such as a chicken supported on an inverted open topped container of a first embodiment and illustrating the meat juices at the end of the cooking,

Fig. 2 is a vie w similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating the rising of the meat juices as the air within the container cools.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a baking pan, support and container of a second embodiment.

Fig. 4 is a schematic side elevation of the apparatus of Fig. 3 showing the meat juices passing from the baking pan to the container,

Fig, 5 is schematic side elevational view of a container of a third embodiment which is able to be directly supported by the cooking meat.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view through a baking pan showing a container of a fourth embodiment,

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the baking pan of Fig. 6 but with the rack, chicken support, and container removed,:

Fig, 8 is ;in enlarged cross sectional view of the container of Fig. 6 showing the juices entering the container,

Fig, 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the container of Fig. 8 showing the removal of juices from the container,

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig, 8 but illustrating a container of a fifth embodiment.

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 9 but illustrating removal of the juice of the container of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view through a container of a sixth embodiment in the configuration of entry of the meat juices, and

Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 12 but showing the condition of the container for the exit of the meat juices.

Detailed Dcserintion

As seen Fig. 1. a baking pan 1 has a base 2 upon which an inverted glass 3, such as a beer glass, having an opening 5 stands. The glass 3 has a relatively narrow base 6 which is inserted into the body cavity (not illustrated) of a chicken 8 or other fowl (illustrated in broken lines in Fig, I), In this way the glass 3 supports the chicken 8 during roasting and the meat juices 10 generated by the roasting process run down the outside qf the glass 3 and into the baking pan 1, hi addition, the volume of air within the interior of the glass 3 is heated hi the oven and expands, thereby forcing some of the air within the glass 3 to pass through the opening 5 and bubble up through the meat juices 10 and re-join the atmosphere. This prolonged heat ing during the time required to cook the chicken 8 gives rise to the situation illustrated in Fig. 1.

Thereafter, the baking pan 1 with the glass 3 and chicken 8 is removed from the oven and the chicken 8 is then removed from the base 6 of the glass 3 and placed on a carving tray, or similar (not illustrated). Having been removed from the oven, the glass 3 rapidly begins tocool and the pressure ofthe air within the interior of the glass 3 decreases and thereby has a lower pressure than atmospherie pressure, As a consequence, the meat juices are driven by atmospherie pressure through the opening 5 and up into the interior of the glass 3 as illustrated in Fig. 2, Furthermore, since it is (he meat juice 10 adjacent the base 2 which is <1 riven into the opening 5, so any fat which is floating on the meat juice 10 in large part remains behind within the baking pan 1.

All that is required is to then,if necessary, pouf any juices from the pan I whilst holding the glass 3 against the base of the pan, and then quickly invert the glass 3. This causes the meat juice 10 within the glass 3 to move away from the opening 5 and towards the bottom of the glass 3 so the juice 10 can then be used as desired.

Turning now to the second embodiment illustrated in Figs 3 and 4, a capture pan 11 having a base 12 is provided with a wire support 14. The support 14 can be used to support a fowl by means of its body cavity in the same way as generally illustrated in Fig. 1. A container 13 has a stopper 21 which closes an opening 15. A flexible hose 22 has one end which passes through the stopper 21 and another end which is connected to a hole 23 in the side wall of the capture pan 11, The base 12 is slightly creased at 26 so as to form a drain 27 which leads towards the hole 25.

As with the first embodiment, in use. the capture pan 11 and container 13 of the second embodiment are placed within an oven (not illustrated) and the chicken is cooked whil st being supported by the support 14. As before, meat juices 10 collect in the base of the capture pan 11 and the air within the container 13 is heated and so babbles outwardly from the container 13, through the hose 22 and hole 25 to re-joi n the atmosphere. At the conclusion of the cooking process, the meat juices 10 within the capture pan 11 have reached the level indicated by A and the container 13 is essentially empty as indicated by level A,

The capture pan 11 and container 13, together with the chicken, are removed from the oven and the chicken is removed from the wire support 14. As the container 13 cools, so the air pressure within the container 13 falls. This creates a partial vacuum within the container 13. Thus the pressure within the container 13 is less than atmospheric pressure, whilst atmospheric pressure is applied to the meat juices. This pressure difference drives the meat juices 10 through the hose 22and into the container 13. Thus the level of meatjuiees 10 within the capture pan 11 falls to the level indicated by B and (he level of meat juices 10 within the container 13 rises to the level indicated by B.

Thereafter the stopper 21 is removed from the container 13 and (he meat juices 10 are able to be poured from the container 13 to be consumed as desired.

Turning now to Fig. 5, a third embodiment is illustrated in which the capture pan 11, support 14 and hose 22 are as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, however, a container 23 of a third embodiment is provided which is shafted to nestle alongside the chicken 8. Preferably the container 23 is provided with a pair of hooks 33 which enable the container 23 to he supported by the flesh of the chicken 8. Otherwise the operation of the embodiment of Fig. 3 is the same as the operation of the embodiment of Figs. 3 and 4.

Turning now to Figs. 6-9, a rectangular baking pan 41 has an inclined base 42 which leads into a trough 43, the pirn being maintained with the base 42 inclined when the pan is on a horizontal surface by means of two dimples 44,45 pressed into the base of the baking pan 41.

The baking pan 41 also has an interior lip 47 which supports a wire rack 48 with which the wire support 14 is integrally formed. A container S3 is supported on the wire rack 48 and has a tube 54 which extends: downwardly from the container 53 into the trough 43.

As seen in Fig. 8, the container 53 has a lid 55 and a base 56. The tube 54 passes through both the lid 55 and the base 56 and is slidingly retained in d grommet 57 in: the lid 55 and a further grommet 58 in the base 56. Tire Upper end of the. tube 54 is closed and is provided with a handle 59.

The lower end of the tube 54 is open. Adjacent the upper end of the tube 54 are two openings 61 arid aligned with the base 56 is ah opening 62. In the position of the tube illustrated in Fig. 8 the opening 62 is scaled closed by means: of the grommet 58,

Paring the roasting process, the air within the container S3 is heated and expelled from the container 53 via the openings 61 and the open end of the tube 54, During the roasting process meat juices 10 col lect in the trough 43 and when the baking pan 41 is remo ved from the oven, the lower end of the tube 54 is submerged in the meal juices 10.

As the container 53 cools, the pressure of air within the container is reduced below atmospheric pressure and therefore the meat juices 10 arc forced by atmospheric pressure into the open end of the tithe 54, past the: sealed opening 62, and exit the tube 54 via the two openings 61 as indicated by the arrows in Fig, 8. The result of this acti vity is that the meat juices 10 are transferred front the baking pan 41 into the container 53.

As illustrated irt Fig. 9, the meat juices 10 within the container 9 separate into a relatively shallow fat layer 64 and a relatively deep juice layer 65. After this separation has taken place, the handle 59 can be used to raise the: tube 54 upwardly as indicated in Fig. 9, thereby raising the openings 61 above the upper grommet 57 and raising the lower opening 62 above the lower grommet 58. As a eonsequenee, air enters the tube 54 via the opening 62 so as to equalise the pressure inside the container 53 with the atmosphere. In addition, the meat j uice layer 65 is able to drain from the container S3 via the opening 62 and Ihenee down the tube 54 where it can he collected in a gravy boat 67 or like: container.

Turning now Figs. 10 and 11, a, modified container 153 is substantially as before having a lid 155 and a base 156 . The tube 154 is substantially as before having the two openings 161 and the lower opening 162. However, the tube 154 also includes an upper opening 163.

The lid 155 is provided with the a grommet 157 which, as seen in Fig. 10. is extended upwardly on One side so as to be higher on the right hand side than on the left hand side. The lower grommet 1.58 is similarly extended. As a consequence, with the tube 154 in the position illustrated in, Fig. 10, both the lower opening 162 and the upper opening 163 are closed by the respective grommets 158, 157. As a consequence, the meat juices enter the container 153 in the same way as described above in relation to Fig. 8.

However, in order to remove the contents of the meal juice layer 65 from the container 155. it is only necessary to rotate the tube 154 by means of the handle 159 though 180"thereby simultaneously opening the lower opening 162 and the upper opening 163. The consequence is that air enters the container 153 via the upper opening 163 and thence via the two openings 161 into the inferior of the container 153. Simultaneously, the contents of the meat juice layer 65 drain through the lower opening 62 and thence into the gravy boat 67,

For both containers 53, 153 the draining of the meat juice layer 65 can be terminated before the contents of the fat layer 64 reach the lower opening 62,162 by reversing tire action required to open the lower opening 62, 162. A still further embodiment of a container 253 is illustrated in Figs, 12 and 13, As before, the container 253 has a tube 254 which is open at its lower end and contains the lo wer opening 262 and the two openings 261. The container 253 has a lid 255 without: a grommet but With an annular boss 257 which retains the upper end of the lube: 254 by means of a Melion fit. As before the base 256 of the container 253 contains a grommet 258 which in the condition where the lid 255 is fully screwed home, seals the lower Opening 262.

As before, the meat juices enter the container 253 via the open end of the tube 254 and the two openings 261, However, in order to release the contents of the juice layer 65. it is necessary to only slightly unscrew the lid 255 which moves upwardly as indicated in Fig, 13. This movement allows air to penetrate through the screw thread of the lid 255 and into the interior of the container 253,

Simultaneously, the upward movement of the lid 255 and tube 254 moves the lower opening 262 above the level of the grommet 258 thereby permitting the contents of the juice layer 65 to drain through the tube 254 and into a container such as a gravy boat, or other container, as desired.

As the fat layer 65 falls within the container 253 and approaches the lower opening 262, it is only necessary to retighten (he lid 255 thereby driving down the tube 254 and closing off the Lower opening 262. This prevents any of the contents of (he fat layer 64 contaminating the meat juices separated via the container 25 3 .

The foregoing, describes only some embodiments of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the cookware arts, can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the hooks 33 can be replaced by a loop which is supported by the stem of a meat thermometer (pot illustrated).

The term •‘•‘comprising** (and its grammatical variations) as used herein is used in the inclusive sense of “including” or “having” and not in the exclusive sense of “consisting only of’.

Claims

CLAIMS The claims define some aspects of the present invention,

1.. A roast juice recovery apparat us for recovering meat juices generated whi 1st roasting meat above a baking pan in alt oven, said apparatus: comprising; a container defining a volume of air and loeatable within said oven, and a. juice conduit interconnecting said volume with said; generated juices and terminating in an opening located below the level of said generated juices within said pan, whereby'Said oven during roasting heats said volume thereby expelling air from said container via said opening, and said container cools following removal of said baking pan and container from said oven SO that atmospheric pressure drives at least some of said juice in said pan through said opening and into said container via said conduit.
2., The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said container has a single aperture which is located in said pan below the anticipated level of said generated juices, whereby said aperture comprises said opening and said conduit,
3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said, container comprises a Support for said meat, 4:. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said meat; is a fowl haying a body cavity and said; support container has an upper end dimensioned to be received in said body cavity.
5. The apparatus as: claimed in claim 1 wherein said container is sealable and said conduit is a flexible hose which extends from said container into said baking pan.
6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said baking pan has a base and said hose is connected to said baking pan closely adjacent said base.
7. The apparatus as claimed it! claim 6 wherein said hose is releasably connected wilh said baking pan.
8. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 5-7 wherein said hose is connected with a lid for said container;
9. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 5-8 wherein said container is adapted to be located closely adjacent said meat in said oven, ID. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 5-9 wherein said baking pan includes a support for said meat,
11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said container has a lid and a base and a tube which extends through said hase, said tube having an open lower end, at least one: inlet opening located between the ends of said tube, and a releasably sealable outlet opening located between said lower end and said inlet openi ng.
12. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 ] wherein the upper end of said tube is sealed,
13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11. wherein the upper end of said tube is able to he releasably scaled.
14. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 11-13 wherein said lube is movable with respect to said lid and base.
15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein said tube is sealed by being retained in a first grommet located in said lid, and a second grommet located in said base.
16. A method of recovering meat juices generated whilst, roasting meat above a baking pan in an oven, said method comprising the steps of: connecting a container having a volume of air with said meat pan via an opening, placing said meat pan, meat and container within said oven to heat same thereby both generating meat juices within said pan and driving at least some air from said container through said meat juices via said opening, removing said baking pan, meat and container from said oven, and cooling said container to reduce the pressure of the air therein and thereby draw meat juices via said opening into said container.