CA2033789A1 - Process for producing a boneless portion of rib meat - Google Patents

Process for producing a boneless portion of rib meat

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Publication number
CA2033789A1
CA2033789A1 CA002033789A CA2033789A CA2033789A1 CA 2033789 A1 CA2033789 A1 CA 2033789A1 CA 002033789 A CA002033789 A CA 002033789A CA 2033789 A CA2033789 A CA 2033789A CA 2033789 A1 CA2033789 A1 CA 2033789A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
rib
ribs
cooking
meat
process according
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA002033789A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Jeffrey P. Bartlow
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
BARTLOW BROTHERS Inc
Original Assignee
BARTLOW BROTHERS, INC.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by BARTLOW BROTHERS, INC. filed Critical BARTLOW BROTHERS, INC.
Publication of CA2033789A1 publication Critical patent/CA2033789A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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Abstract

ABSTRACT

A process for producing a boneless portion of rib meat.
Ribs having rib bones surrounded by a layer of rib meat are cooked at a temperature of at least about 170° F.
Longitudinal force is thereafter applied to the elongate rib bones by which they are pushed out of and separated from the rib meat. The controlled temperature and duration of the cooking step combined with the application of longitudinal force to the rib bones results in removal of the rib bones from the rib meat which remains substantially intact.
Further preferred aspects and processing steps are described.

Description

2~33~

PROCESS ~OR PRODUCING ~ BONELFSS PORTION OF ~IB M~T

BACKG~OUND O~ THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to methods for processlng meat, and more particularly to a process for 5 producing a boneless portion of rib meat, which process involves removing each of a plurality of rib bones from a slab of ribs without substantially damaging the surrounding rib meat.
By way of background, beef and pork ribs are among the 10 most commonly enjoyed foods. Typically, these ribs are processed and served as either single or multiple-rib portions includlng rib bones from which the meat must be eaten. This arrangement can be particularly inconvenient with ribs as compared to other forms of meat because there is 15 9enerally a high bone to meat ratio in the portion served, and thus a cansumer must often deal with removing relatively little meat from a lot of bone.
Removing meat from bone in preparing food for consumption has been a long practiced task for man, with much modern 20 study being focussed on separating non-cooked meat from bone by using processes which include grinding or shredding the meat. The resulting meat product can then be processed into sausage or the like. Many processes and apparatus for accomplishing this task are known. For example, U.SO Patent 25 No. 3,112,203 to Watt relates to a method of producing a bone ree raw meat product by subdividing bone-containing meat into relatively small particles of bone with meat shreds remaining connected thereto, slurrying the resulting product, agitating the slurry, separating the bone particles from the ~3~ ~

meat, and then dewatering the slurr~ to recover a cornminuted meat material. The resulting raw meat product can then be processed into sausage or the like. As noted in the above-identified Watt patent, it is important in the sausage 5 industry that the meat product used to Eorm sausage be uncooked, as meat coagulation and binding is important in forming sausage, and as meat loses its binding properties when cooked and coagulated.
Despite focus in the substantial sausage industry upon 10 processes ~or removing ~one from raw meat, some processes ~or removing bone from cooked meat are also kno~n. For example, U.S. Patent No. 2,799,58~ to Robertson relates to producing a bone-free meat product by cooking bone containing meat, grinding the cooked product to reduce it to particles of 15 one-~uarter (1/4) inch or smaller, and then separating the bone and meat in a flow to provide a bone free meat product.
This process too, however, is limited in that it involves grinding the cooked product to separate the meat and bone.
As such, it does not provide a process by which a bones can 20 be removed from the layer of meat surrounding them without substantially damaging the layer of meat. Further, the process described in the above-identified Robertson patent does not address removing bones from beef or pork ribs or the like, but rather has its focus upon bone-free poultry meat 25 products. Beef and pork ribs present unique problems with respect to bone-removal because of their characteristic high bone to meat ratio and further because of their elongated, generally curved, rod-like bones. These aspects make it particularly difficult to remove the rib bones and especially 30 without substantially damaging the surrounding layer of rib meat.
What is needed, therefore, is a process for producing a convenient, attractive, bone-free portion of rib meat having a layer of rib meat remaining substantially intact while the 35 bones are removed. The applicant's invention addresses this need.

~33~

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One preferred embodiment of this invention relates to a process for producing a bone-free portion of rib meat comprising the steps of cooking ribs in an aqueous medium and at a temperature of at least about 170 F, the ribs having a layer of rib meat surrounding a plurality of elongated rib bones, the layer terminating adjacent to ends of the rib bones, and applying longitudinal orce to the rib bones after the cooking step, whereby the bones are separated from the layer of rib meat which remains substantially intact. The controlled cooking step together with the application of longitudinal force to the rib bones results in removal of the rib bones without substantially ripping or tearing the rib meat. In a particularly preferred mode of practicing the invention, the ribs are cooked at a temperature of about 198 to 200 F for about four hours prior to the bone-separating or removing step. In another preferred aspect, the process is applied to beef or pork back ribs.
Further preferred processing steps include placing the resulting bone-free portion of rib meat into a plastic bag suitable for cooking, adding flavoring, such as barhecue sauce, into the bag, and then removing the e~cess air from and sealing the bag. Another preferred processing step comprises heating the thus sealed package of rib meat, preferably in an aqueous medium, and most preferably at a temperature of about 160 to 165 F for about three hours.
The resulting product is then chilled, labelled and shipped as the market demands.
One object of the invention is to provide a process for producing a bone-free portion of cooked rib meat.
Another object of the invention is to provide a process for producing a bone-free portion of rib meat which involves cooking the rib meat and bone together thereby enhancing the flavor of the final meat product, and removing the rib bones ~3~7~

from the rib meat to form a bone-free product having a substantially intact layer of rib meat.
Another object of the invention is to provide a bone-free portion of rib meat substantially intact but having the rib bones removed.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will he apparent upon reading the description that follows.

~3~

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to preferred embodiments of applicant's invention and specific S language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications of the principles of the invention as described herein being contemplated as would normally occur 10 to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.
As stated above, one preferred embodiment of the invention relates to a process for producing a bone-free portion of rib meat comprising the steps of cooking ribs in an aqueous medium and at a temperature of at least about 170 lS F, the ribs having a layer of rib meat surrounding a plurality of elongated rib bones, the layer terminating adjacent to ends of the rib bones, and applying longitudinal force to the rib bones, whereby the rib bones are separated from the layer of rib meat which remains substantially intact.
The ribs used in this invention are preferrably pork or beef back or spare ribs, and more preferrably pork or beef back ribs. When pork back ribs are used, it is preferred that they be from sows weighing approximately 440-460 pounds. Prior to removal of the rib bones, a slab of back ribs from such a sow with 10 or more rib bones weighs about two and one-half to three pounds. In general, these ribs from such a sow are larger than, tougher than, and less expensive than smaller back ribs derived from younger butcher-type hogs weighing about 220-260 pounds. In any 3Q case, the ribs used in the invention appear as generally known in the art and have rib meat surrounding a plurality of elongate rib bones (commonly about five inches long), with the rib meat terminating adjacent the ends of the rib bones.
Typically, the slab of ribs preferably used in the invention `` 2 ~ 3 3 ~ 3 ~

will include at least 3 rib bones, more preferably at least 7 rib bones, and most preferably 10 or more rib bones.
The cooking step is performed at a temperature of at least about 170 F and in an aqueous rnedium. In this regard, 5 cooking the ribs in an aqueous medium as used herein is meant to include cooking the ribs either submersed in an aqueous liquid medium or in an aqueous steam medium. Preferably, however, the cooking step is performed in a water-filled stainless steel, open-top tank or cooking vat as is commonly 10 used in the field, although any other cooking apparatus meeting the demands of the cooking step is acceptable. The vat is preferrably equipped with a drain, running water, and a pneumatically operated temperature control. In addition, the applicant's preferred vat is filled with water which is 15 heated by direct, live steam.
As to further preferred aspects, the ribs have preferably been placed in a stainless steel wire basket which is open on top to enable loading and unloading of the ribs by hand. The basket containing the ribs is then submersed in the 20 water-filled vat, and thereafter the steam is turned on and the water heated until it reaches the cooking step temperature. In this regard, more preferred cooking step temperatures are between about 190 to 212 F, and most preferred have been temperatures of about 198 to 200 F.
25 The duration of the cooking step will vary, of course, in accordance with the temperature of the cooking step ~i.e.
longer cooking step durations are required at lower cooking temperatures), but in any event the cooking step is for a duration sufficient so that the rib bones are separable from 3~ the rib meat as described herein without substantially tearing or ripping the rib meat. In the applicant's most preferred temperature range of 198 to 200O F, cooking times of approximately four hours have been preferred.
~fter the cooking step, the basket of ribs is removed 35 from the vat, and longitudinal force is thereafter applied to ~3~r~

the rib bones whereby they slide out the openings of the rib meat adjacent the ends of the bones, thereby leaving a layer of rib meat substantially intact. In the applicant's work, this longitudinal force has been applied by hand. To do 5 this, after the cooking step, the slab of bone-containing ribs has been placed in front a person with the backbone side of the ribs preferably being the farthest away from the individual, and the ends of the rib bones curving upwardly thereby appearing from the side as a "U" shape. An index finger has then been placed on e~ch end of a rib bone whereafter the rib bone is pushed with steady pressure toward the backbone side. The bone then slides out the opening of the rib meat on the backbone side without substantial ripping or tearing of the layer of meat formerly surrounding the bone. This process has been repeated until all of the bones rom the slab of ribs are removed. While it is preferred that the bones be slipped out the backbone side of the ribs, it is also acceptable in accordance with the invention to push the bones out of the brisket side of the ribs. This latter mode is not as preferred, however, as it may in some instances lead to slightly more damage to the meat product since the backbone sides of the rib bones are often slightly larger and must exit slightly smaller openings of the ribs on the brisket side.
Further, it is contemplated that other methods of applying longitudinal force to the rib bones in a manner which causes them to slip out of the end of the meat layer without substantially damaging it are possible and are within the scope of the invention. For instance, this may be done mechanically and/or with instruments which facilitate the pushing and removal of the bones. Additionally, the step of removing the bone is preferrably done while the ribs are warm (i.e. about ~0 F or above and preferably at least about lO0 F), and most preferably while still warm from the cooking step.

7 ~ ~

In another preferred aspect of the invention, the ribs have been ~massaged~ in an aqueous salt solution [preferably about a 1 weight ~ NaCl solution) prior to the cooking step using a massaging machine with agitating paddles as known in 5 the art. Further preferred processing steps have been performed subsequent to the cooking step and and the bone-removal or separation step. For example, it has been preferred to place the bone-free layer of rib meat into a plastic bag suitable for cooking as known in this field (for instance, a CRYOVAC bag), and to also place flavoring, for instance barbecue sauce, into the bag. The bag containing the rib meat and flavoring has then been placed in a heat seallng vacuum chamber machine as known and used in this field (such as that available from Multivac), which removes e~cess air from and seals the bag in one process. After the bag is sealed, the sealed package of rib meat has preferably been heated in an aqueous medium. In applicant's preferred work to date, the sealed package is placed in the wire basket and lowered into the cooking vat for this subsequent heating step. This subsequent heating step is preferrably performed at a temperature of at least about 100 F and for a time of at least about fifteen minutes, more preferrably at a temperature of about 15Q to 180 for at least an hour, and most preferably has been performed at a temperature of about 160 to 165 for a duration of about three hours. After this subsequent heating step has been completed, the ribs are preferably chilled, and appropriately labelled and shipped as the market demands.
While certain aspects of the invention have been described in detail in the foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention ale desired to be protected.

Claims (15)

1. A process for producing a bone-free portion of rib meat, comprising the steps of:
cooking ribs in an aqueous medium and at a temperature of at least about 170° F, the ribs having a layer of rib meat surrounding a plurality of elongate rib bones, the rib meat terminating adjacent to ends of the rib bones; and applying longitudinal force to the rib bones after the cooking step;
whereby the bones are separated from the layer of rib meat which remains substantially intact.
2. A process according to claim 1 wherein:
said cooking step includes cooking pork or beef ribs.
3. A process according to claim 2 wherein:
said cooking step includes cooking the ribs at a temperature of about 190° to 212° F.
4. A process according to claim 3 wherein:
said cooking step includes cooking the ribs at a temperature of about 198 to 200° F.
5. A process according to claim 4 wherein:
said cooking step is for a duration of about 4 hours.
6. A process according to claim 5 wherein:
said cooking step includes cooking pork back ribs.
7. A process according to claim 6 wherein:
said cooking step includes cooking pork back ribs from a sow weighing about 440 to 460 lbs.
8. A process according to claim 2 and wherein:

said applying longitudinal force step is performed while the ribs are warm.
9. A process according to claim 8 wherein:
said applying longitudinal force step is performed while the ribs are still warm from the cooking step.
10. A process according to claim 7 wherein:
said applying longitudinal force step is performed while the ribs are still warm from the cooking step.
11. A process according to claim 9 and also including the step of:
sealing the rib meat in a plastic bag after the applying longitudinal force step.
12. A process according to claim 11 and also including the step of:
including flavoring in the plastic bag prior to the sealing step.
13. A process according to claim 12 and also including the step of:
heating the plastic bag after the sealing step.
14. A process according to claim 13 wherein:
the heating step includes heating at a temperature of about 160° to 165° F for about 3 hours.
15. A process according to claim 14 and also including the step of:
massaging the ribs in an aqueous salt solution prior to said cooking step.
CA002033789A 1990-01-10 1991-01-08 Process for producing a boneless portion of rib meat Abandoned CA2033789A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US46283790A 1990-01-10 1990-01-10
US462,837 1990-01-10

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2033789A1 true CA2033789A1 (en) 1991-07-11

Family

ID=23837961

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA002033789A Abandoned CA2033789A1 (en) 1990-01-10 1991-01-08 Process for producing a boneless portion of rib meat

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA2033789A1 (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US10182579B1 (en) 2017-02-16 2019-01-22 Tyson Foods, Inc. Method of making a meat product and a meat product
US10660344B1 (en) 2017-02-16 2020-05-26 Tyson Foods, Inc. Method of making a meat product and a meat product
US10674736B1 (en) 2017-02-16 2020-06-09 Tyson Foods, Inc. Method of making a meat product and a meat product

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US10182579B1 (en) 2017-02-16 2019-01-22 Tyson Foods, Inc. Method of making a meat product and a meat product
US10660344B1 (en) 2017-02-16 2020-05-26 Tyson Foods, Inc. Method of making a meat product and a meat product
US10674736B1 (en) 2017-02-16 2020-06-09 Tyson Foods, Inc. Method of making a meat product and a meat product

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