GB2340725A

GB2340725A - Processing meat joints

Info

Publication number: GB2340725A
Application number: GB9902221A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher Pickup; Paul Noel Keenan; Samuel John Henry Johnston
Original assignee: ROATA Ltd
Current assignee: ROATA Ltd
Priority date: 1998-08-26
Filing date: 1999-02-01
Publication date: 2000-03-01
Also published as: GB9902221D0

Abstract

A process for processing a meat joint, which is preferably pig meat, comprises placing the meat in a mould 1, cooking the meat in the mould and freezing the meat in the mould. The meat is preferably wrapped in plastics and the mould 1 may comprises a base 2, a lid 3, an end plate 28 and means such as spacing plates 27 for adjusting the volume of the mould. Holding means such as securing pins 15,16 may be used to secure the lid 3 to the base 2. Preferably the meat is cured before being placed in the mould and is partially cooked and partially frozen. Preferably the meat is cooked for a period of from 4 hours to 6 hours 10 minutes at a temperature of 45{C to 50{C until the internal temperature of the mould achieves 35{C to 40{C. Preferably the meat is frozen for a period of from 5 to 9 hours at a temperature between -20{C to -30{C until the internal temperature of the mould is between -5{C to -7{C. Following freezing, which may be either blast, cryogenic or slow freezing, the meat joint can be conditioned, preferably at -6{C for at least 6 hours.

Description

2340725 "A method and device for processing meat joints,, This invention

relates to a method and device for processing meat joints.

Generally, pig meat may be processed in several ways including curing. Cured pig meat is generally referred to as bacon, gammon and picnic cuts of bacon. If a gammon is fully cooked it is referred to as a cooked ham or sometimes as a cooked gammon.

In the initial stages of curing, the colour of the meat changes from a slightly pink/grey colour of raw pork to the bright red colour of bacon. During cooking, the colour of the meat changes once again to the bright pink colour of cooked ham.

In addition, the joint of meat coagulates and becomes firm and sliceable.

In addition, it is common practice to constrain meat joints such as ham during cooking e.g. by stringing the meat, cooking the meat in a mould or using a casing or a bag. Use of stringing or a mould has long been recognized to enhance the binding process of the muscles of the meat and also to help determine the final shape of the meat.

i 1 2 Latterly, the processes of the prior art have been used to produce reformed meat products i.e. meat products reformed from small pieces of meat which have been bound together and shaped in casings and moulds to create the impression of a meat joint. In order to produce the reformed product it has been necessary to cook the meat in order to produce the necessary binding to form the reformed meat product.

A cooking process to two different levels can be used in the production of blocks of bacon for jointing or slicing. In the first level, the block is fully cooked thereby developing the pink colour of ham and is fully coagulated. However, in the second level, the block is partly cooked (sometimes referred to as "heat treated") to a degree where the original red colour is largely retained but coagulation is incomplete. Part cooking has the advantage that the resulting meat is a natural red colour. However, incomplete coagulation also occurs and results in a joint having reduced rigidity.

Accordingly, difficulties arise where it is desired to retain the red colour of the meat joint and in addition where it is desired to provide a desirable shape to the meat product without excessively cooking the meat product during processing.

3 An object of the invention is to overcome the problems of the prior art.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved method of processing meat.

According to the invention there is provided a process for processing a meat joint comprising placing the meat joint in a mould, cooking the meat joint in the mould and freezing the meat joint in the mould. Preferably, the meat is cured before placing the meat joint in the mould.

Advantageously, the meat is partially cooked and preferably, the meat is partially frozen.

Suitably, the meat is cooked at a temperature of 450C to SO'C until the internal temperature of the mould achieves 350C to 400C. Advantageously, the meat joint is cooked at 481C until the internal temperature of the mould reaches 38'C.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the meat joint is cooked for a period of from four hours to six hours ten minutes. Preferably, the meat joint is frozen at a temperature from -201C to -300C until the internal temperature of the mould is from - 50C to -70C.

1 1.

4 Suitably, the meat joint is frozen for a period of from 5 to 9 hours.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the meat joint is frozen at 25'C until the average internal 5 temperature of the mould is -61C.

Advantageously, the meat joint is frozen for between five and six hours.

Suitably, the meat joint is conditioned following freezing.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the meat joint is conditioned at -CC for at least six hours.

Suitably, the meat joint is partially cooked.

Preferably, the meat joint is partially frozen.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the freezing step is selected from the group comprising blast freezing, cryogenic freezing and slow freezing.

Suitably, the freezing step comprises blast freezing.

Preferably, the meat joint is wrapped in plastics in the mould.

Preferably, the meat joint comprises pig meat.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the mould comprises a base and a lid mountable on the base.

Preferably, the mould comprises adjusting means for adjusting the volume of the mould.

Advantageously the adjusting means comprises spacing plates insertable in the mould.

Suitably, the mould further comprises an end plate disposable between the spacing plates and a meat joint in the mould.

Preferably, the mould further comprises holding means for securing the lid to the base. More preferably, the holding means comprises securing pins.

The invention will now be described having regard to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the unassembled components of a meat moulding device in accordance with the invention for use in the method of 6 processing meat in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the components of Fig. 1, and Figs. 3 to 10 are top plan views of the sequence of events followed in processing meat in accordance with the invention with the components of the device of Figs. 1 and 2.

As shown in the drawings, a meat moulding device in accordance with the invention is made up of a mould 1 having a base 2 and a lid 3 mountable on the base 2.

The base 2 is made up of an elongate base bottom wall 4 having two side walls 5,6 extending upwards therefrom. The side walls 5,6 and the base 2 meet in an outwardly rounded fashion to provide a rounded shape to a meat 15 product as shall be explained more fully below.

The base 2 is further provided with two end walls 7,8 upstanding from the base bottom wall 4. The free edges of the side walls 5,6 and the end walls 7,8 are provided with outwardly and laterally extending lips 11,12 and 9,10 respectively.

The two side walls 5,6 of the base 2 are each further 7 provided with two spaced apart holes 13,14 visible in one side wall only in Figure 1, disposed immediately below the lips 11, 12 between the end walls 7,8. The holes 13,14 are adapted to receive two elongate fixing pins 15,16 for fixing the lid 3 to the base 2 through the side walls 5,6. The fixing pins 15,16 are provided with a pointed tip 17 and an angled end 18 at the opposite end of the pins 15,16, the angled end 18 serving to prevent the pins 15,16 from passing completely through the holes 13,14.

The base bottom wall 4, side walls 5,6 and end walls 7,8 together define a moulding chamber 20 for receiving meat joints therein and moulding the meat joints into the shape of the mould 1. The moulding chamber 20 of the base 2 is open at a mouth 19 defined between the side walls 5,6 and end walls 7,8 of the base 2.

The lid 3 is made up of a top wall 21 complimentary in shape to the base 2 having two side walls 22,23 depending downwards therefrom. The lid 3 is open ended at each end generally indicated by the reference numerals 24,25. The free edges of the side walls 22,23 in combination define a lid mouth 30. The mouth 19 of the base 2 is adapted to receive the mouth 30 of the lid 3 to complete the mould 1.

8 As shown in the drawings, the side walls 22,23 and the lid top wall 21 meet in an outwardly rounded fashion in order to impart a rounded shape to a meat joint inserted in the mould 1.

Internally, the lid top wall 21 and the side walls 22,23 define a lid chamber portion 29 for receiving a meat joint within the mould 1.

Externally, the lid 3 is provided with three outwardly extending spine plates 26 to reinforce the lid 3 and prevent distortion under pressure, and for supporting the lid top wall 21 on a flat surface when the lid 3 is not in use.

The moulding device of the invention is further made up of substantially square spacing plates 27 sized and shaped to be insertable in the moulding chamber 20 of the mould 2. The spacing plates 27 serve to vary the size of the moulding chamber 20 as desired according to the size of the meat joint inserted in the mould 1 as shall be explained more fully below. The spacing plates 27 are typically manufactured from a heat resistant plastics material such as any food grade plastics material which will withstand the operating temperatures. An end plate 28, shaped to correspond to the shape defined upon insertion of the lid 3 in the 9 base 2 between the base 2 and the lid 3 holds the spacing plates 27 and meat 31 in position within the moulding chamber 20.

The operation and use of the device of the invention in the process of the invention will now be described having regard to the drawings and in particular Figs. 3 to 10.

In use, joints of meat 31 such as those used for the production of gammon are deboned, trimmed and injected with a salt brine and tumbled, typically, for a period of two hours. Tumbling of the meat is carried out in a salt brine in order for the brine to be absorbed within the meat joint to cure the meat.

The moulding chamber 20 of the base 2 is then lined with a heat resistant plastics film 32. A joint of meat 31 is then weighed and the requisite number of spacing plates 27 required in order to fill the mould 1 following insertion of the joint of meat 31 into the mould is calculated. The spacing plates 27 are then inserted into the moulding chamber 20 of the base 2 so that a space, proportionate to the weight of the meat joint 31, remains within the mould chamber 20. The joint of meat 31 is then placed in the mould chamber 20 with the end plate 28 disposed between the joint of meat 31 and the spacing plates 27.

The sheet of plastics film 32 is then folded over the meat joint 31 within the moulding chamber 20 and the lid 3 is placed over the meat joint 31 by inserting the mouth 30 of the lid 3 into the mouth 19 of the base 2.

The lid 3 is held in place over the meat joint 31 by the pins 15,16 which are inserted over the lid 3 through the holes 13,14 in the side walls 5,6 of the base 2.

The filled mould 1 is then placed on a shelf on a rack (not shown) preferably having a minimum clearance of at least approximately 40mm between individual moulds on the rack. The rack is then placed in a conventional cooker used for processing meat for partial cooking or heat treating and the mould 1 heated in static wet air at approximately 450C to approximately SO'C until the internal temperature of the mould 1 achieves approximately 35'C to approximately WC. Heating in static wet air at approximately 4VC until the internal temperature of the mould reaches approximately 3VC has been found to be particularly advantageous. A period of between approximately four hours and approximately six hours ten minutes is normally required to reach an internal temperature of approximately 38'C.

The mould 1 is then removed from the cooker and placed in a blast freezer at a temperature of approximately -200C to approximately -301C for between approximately five and nine hours until the internal temperature of the mould reaches approximately -5'C to approximately -70C. A combination of blast freezing in air at approximately -25'C for between approximately five and approximately six hours to an average mould internal temperature of approximately -60C is particularly favoured.

The freezing time required can be reduced by allowing the mould 1 to cool following removal from the cooker and before insertion in a blast freezer. For example, in the case of a mould 1 containing gammon, the mould 1 could be cooled at VC for seven hours followed by blast freezing at -25'C for approximately seven hours.

Following blast freezing, the mould is removed from the blast freezer and placed in a conditioning room at approximately -CC for a minimum period of approximately six hours. Following conditioning the mould 1 is removed from the conditioning room and the pins 15,16 are removed from the holes 13,14 in the base 2 and the lid 3 removed from the mould 1. The jointing block of meat 31 is then removed from the moulding chamber 20 in the plastics film and replaced in the 12 conditioning room at approximately -6'C until required for jointing.

Alternatively, the meat joint 31 can be removed from the mould 1 before freezing to further enhance the freezing process and to facilitate a further reduction in the level of freezing required when the meat joint 31 is contained within the mould 1.

The heating and freezing periods can be varied as required according to the nature, type and cut of the meat joint 31. However, the aforementioned temperature ranges for heating and freezing should satisfy most requirements.

Freezing of the meat 31 in the mould 1 imparts rigidity to the meat joint 31 which facilitates packaging of an otherwise fragile partially cooked meat joint without damage. Blast freezing is particularly advantageous as a rapid rate of freezing is possible thereby minimising damage to meat tissue and also minimising tissue growth. In addition, blast freezing is an economical form of freezing. Cryogenic freezing could also be used for rapid freezing. Alternatively slow freezing could be used.

The jointing block formed from a single joint of meat 13 31 enjoys the red colour of raw bacon as opposed to the pink colour of cooked meat but nevertheless has enjoyed a degree of coagulation brought about by the heating process described above. The jointing block 31 is also 5 firm due to freezing thereby rendering it suitable for jointing or slicing. Moreover, the moulding device of the invention, through the use of the end plates 27 and the mould 1 ensures that a consistent weight: length ratio can be achieved in relation to individual meat 10 pieces and within each joint.

Finally, the use of the spacing plates 27 in combination with the end plate 28 ensures that a substantially even or flat faced end to the joint can be achieved using the mould 1 of the invention in 15 accordance with the process of the invention.

Accordingly, the size of the mould 1 in accordance with the invention is variable according to the size required of the joint relative to the weight of the joint.

Part freezing in the mould ensures that a firm joint suitable for slicing or cutting is achieved without resulting in a fully cooked meat joint and which retains an uncooked appearance in terms of the colour of the meat particularly pork meat.

14 Clearly, the device and process of the invention can be adapted for producing various types of meat joints e.g. gammon, picnic and the like.

The mould 1 of the invention is typically manufactured from stainless steel material which is heat and water resistant. The shape of the mould 1 can be selected according to the shape it is desired to impart to the meat e.g. appropriate shapes for picnic, gammon etc.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment hereinbefore described which may be varied in construction and detail.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A process for processing a meat joint comprising placing the

meat joint in a mould, cooking the meat joint in the mould and freezing the meat joint in the 5 mould.
2. A process for processing meat as claimed in Claim 1 characterised in that the meat is cured before placing the meat joint in the mould.
3. A process as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 10 characterised in that the meat is partially cooked.
4. A process as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 3 characterised in that the cooked meat is partially frozen.
5. A process as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 4 is characterised in that the meat is cooked at a temperature of 45'C to SO'C until the internal temperature of the mould achieves 350C to 400C.
6. A process as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 5 characterised in that the meat joint is cooked at 481C 20 until the internal temperature of the mould reaches 3CC.

1 1 16
7. A process as claimed in Claim 6 characterised in that the meat joint is cooked for a period of from four hours to six hours ten minutes.
8. A process as claimed in any of the preceding claims characterised in that the meat joint is frozen at a temperature from -201C to -3VC until the internal temperature of the mould is from - 5'C to -71C.
9. A process as claimed in Claim 8 characterised in that the meat joint is frozen for a period of from 5 to 10 9 hours.
10. A process as claimed in Claim 8 or Claim 9 characterised in that the meat joint is frozen at -251C until the average internal temperature of the mould is -60c.
11. A process as claimed in Claim 10 characterised in that the meat joint is frozen for between five and six hours.
12. A process as claimed in any of the preceding claims characterised in that the meat joint is 20 conditioned following freezing.
13. A process as claimed in Claim 11 characterised in j 17 that the meat joint is conditioned at -60C for at least six hours.
14. A process as claimed in any of the preceding claims characterised in that the meat joint is 5 partially cooked.
15. A process as claimed in any of the preceding claims characterised in that the meat joint is partially frozen.
16. A process as claimed in any of the preceding claims characterised in that the freezing step is selected from the group comprising blast freezing, cryogenic freezing and slow freezing.
17. A process as claimed in any of the preceding claims characterised in that the freezing step comprises blast freezing.
18. A process as claimed in any of the preceding claims characterised in that the meat joint is wrapped in plastics in the mould.
19. A process as claimed in any of the preceding claims characterised in that the meat joint comprises pig meat.
20. A process as claimed in any of the preceding claims characterised in that the mould comprises a base and a lid mountable on the base.
21. A process as claimed in Claim 20 characterised in that the mould comprises adjusting means for adjusting the volume of the mould.
22. A process as claimed in Claim 21 characterised in that the adjusting means comprises spacing plates insertable in the mould.
23. A process as claimed in Claim 22 characterised in that the mould further comprises an end plate disposable between the spacing plates and a meat joint in the mould.
24. A process as claimed in Claim 23 characterised in that the mould further comprises holding means for securing the lid to the base.
25. A process as claimed in Claim 24 characterised in that the holding means comprises securing pins.
26. A process substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.

19
27. Meat whenever processed by a process as claimed in any of the preceding claims.