MXPA05013681A - Method for holding cooked food in a steam oven - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of cooking food with steam in an automatic household comprises a cooking step comprising operating a heating system to heat the cooking cavity at a cooking temperature and a holding step comprising operating the heating system to maintain the temperature of the cooking cavity at a holding temperature and operating a steam system to maintain the relative humidity of cavity at a predetermined relative humidity.

Description

METHOD FOR CONSERVATION OF COOKED FOOD IN A STEAM OVEN DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a method for preserving cooked food in an automated domestic steam oven. When cooking a food product, a person usually tries to schedule the completion of the cooking to match when the person eats or serves the food product because the food product is typically moist and at a desired temperature and term at the end of cooking . However, when the person does not properly measure the time of the cooking and eating / serving events or when it is not feasible for the person to match the completion of cooking with eating / serving so that the food item is ready prematurely, the The user leaves the food item in a heated oven, whereby the food tends to overcook and dries, or places the food product on a counter, whereby the food can be cooled to an undesirable temperature to eat it. Separate heating cabinets can be used to keep the food warm until it is served, assuming the person is nearby to remove the food. If so, the person has to inconveniently remove the food product from the oven and place it in the heating cabinet. Thus, it is desirable to have an oven that can cook a food and keep the food cooked to keep the food cooked hot and moist until it is served. A method for cooking food with steam according to an embodiment of the invention in an automatic household oven with a cooking cavity, a heating system for heating the cooking cavity, and a steam system for introducing steam into the cavity of the oven. cooking comprises a cooking step comprising operating the heating system to heat the cooking cavity to a cooking temperature and a storage step comprising operating the heating system to maintain the temperature of the cooking cavity at a storage temperature and operating the steam system to maintain the relative humidity of the cavity at a predetermined relative humidity. The predetermined relative humidity may comprise a predetermined range of relative humidity. The predetermined range of relative humidity can be from about 40% to about 60% relative humidity. The default relative humidity can be entered by a user. The default relative humidity can be entered as a vapor injection rate.

The storage temperature may be lower than the cooking temperature. The storage temperature may be lower than the boiling point of water. The storage temperature can be within a range of from about 62.78 ° C (145 ° F) to about 93.33 ° C (200 ° F). The storage temperature can be entered by a user. The storage step may comprise cycling a heating element of the heating system to maintain the temperature of the cooking cavity at the storage temperature. The conservation step may comprise cycling a steam boiler of the steam system to maintain the relative humidity of the cooking cavity at a predetermined relative humidity. The cooking step may further comprise operating the steam system to introduce steam into the cooking cavity. The conservation step can be automatically after the cooking step. The conservation step can immediately follow the cooking step. The conservation step can last for a predetermined period of time. The predetermined period of time can be entered manually by a user. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an automatic domestic furnace copy. Figure 2 is a schematic view of the furnace of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a furnace controller of Figure 1 and the exemplary components in operational communication with the controller to execute a method of preserving cooked food in a steam oven according to one embodiment of the invention. Figure 4 is a flow chart describing a method for preserving a cooked food in a steam oven according to an embodiment of the invention. Figure 5 is a schematic graph illustrating a temperature and relative humidity in a cooking cavity of the oven of Figure 1 during the execution of a conservation step of the cooked food preservation method in a steam oven shown in the Figure 4. With reference now to the figures, Figure 1 illustrates an exemplary automatic domestic oven 10 that can be used to implement a method for preserving a cooked food in a steam oven according to one embodiment of the invention. The oven 10 comprises a cabinet 12 with an open-faced cooking cavity 14 defined by the walls of the cooking cavity: a pair of separate side walls 16, 18 joined by an upper wall 20, a bottom wall 22, and a rear wall 23 (Figure 2). A pivotable door 24 in a hinge 27 selectively closes the cavity 14, and a sensor 26 detects an open position of the door 24 and a closed position of the door 24. When the door 24 is in the open position, a user can have access to the cavity 14, while the door 24 in the closed position prevents access to the cavity 14 and seals the cavity 14 of the external environment. Furnace 10 further comprises a control panel 28 with a user interface accessible to the user to enter desired data of the cooking parameters, such as the temperature and time of manual cooking programs or to select automated cooking programs. The user interface may comprise, for example, a button, a touch-sensitive keyboard, a fingerprint screen, or a voice command unit. The control panel 28 communicates with a controller 30 located in the cabinet 12, as shown in Figure 2. The controller 30 may be a controller proportional to its integral and its derivative (PID) or any other suitable controller, as shown in FIG. knows well in the technique of automatic ovens. The controller 30 stores data, such as default cooking parameters, manually entered cooking parameters and automated cooking programs, receives data input from the control panel 28 and sends the data output to the control panel 28 to display a condition of the oven 10 or otherwise communicate with the user. Additionally, the controller 30 includes a timer 32 to track the time during manual and automated cooking programs and a cooling fan 34 located in the cabinet 12 to draw cooling air into the cabinet 12 and direct air to the controller 30. to prevent overheating of the controller 30 by the heat conducted from the cavity 14. The cooling air flows around the outside of the cooking cavity walls 16, 18, 20, 22, 23 With continued reference to Figure 2, the oven 10 further comprises a heating system 35 having an upper heating element 36, commonly referred to as a grate, and a lower heating element 38. The schematic illustration of Figure 2 shows the lower heating element 38 being concealed or mounted below the cooking cavity bottom wall 22 in a housing 40 of the heating element. The heat of the lower heating element 38 is conducted through the bottom wall 22 and into the cavity 14. Alternatively, the lower heating element 38 can be mounted within the cavity 14, as is well known in the art of the ovens. In addition, the upper and lower heating elements 36, 38 can be mounted on the side walls 16, 18 of the cavity 14, as described in US Patent No. 6,545,251 to Allera et al., Which is incorporated herein by reference. reference in its entirety. During use, the upper heating element 36 creates superior heat, or heat that emanates from the upper heating element 36 towards an upper portion of the cavity 14, and the lower heating element 38 creates lower heat, or heat emanating from the lower heating element 38 towards a lower portion of the cavity 14. The heating system 35 according to the embodiment illustrated further comprises a convection fan 42 which circulates air and steam, when present, within the cavity 14. The convection fan 42 can be any suitable fan and can be mounted in any suitable location in the cavity 14, such as in the rear wall 23. In addition to the heating system, the oven 10 comprises a steam system 44 preferably mounted within the cabinet 12 and configured to introduce steam into the cavity 14. The steam system 44 in the illustrated embodiment comprises a steam boiler 46 which heats the steam. water stored in steam system 44. However, the steam system 44 can be any suitable system that is capable of introducing steam directly into the cavity 14 or introducing water that becomes vapor in the cavity 14 and is not limited to the system shown schematically in Figure 2. Furnaces that have a heating system and a steam system are commonly referred to as mixed steam kilns. The heating system can be used alone, as in a traditional oven, or in combination with the steam system. When both the heating system and the steam system are used, the steam system functions as a support or accessory for the heating system. Alternatively, the steam system can be used in a unique way to cook only with steam. Figure 3 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a control system of the furnace 10. The control system comprises the controller 30, which is operably communicated with the control panel 28, as described above, the sensor 26 of door, cooling fan 34, heating system 35, and steam system 44. The door sensor 26 communicates to the controller 30 the open or closed position of the door 24 and the controller 30 communicates with the cooling fan 34 to activate or deactivate the cooling fan 34 to control the temperature of the controller 30. The controller 30 instructs the heating system 35 to activate or deactivate the upper heating element 36, the lower heating element 38 and the convection fan 42, either all together, individually or in groups, and provides instructions concerning the desired temperature of the the cavity 14 and the speed at which the heating system 35 heats the cavity 1. Similarly, the controller 30 instructs the steam system 44 to activate or deactivate the steam boiler 46 and provide instructions concerning the desired water temperature in the steam system 44 to achieve the desired relative humidity in the cavity 14. As stated in the foregoing, the exemplary oven 10 may be used to implement a method of preserving food cooked in a steam oven according to one embodiment of the invention. As shown in Figure 4, method 50 comprises a conservation passage 54 preceded by a cooking step 52. The cooking step 52 can comprise any suitable cooking cycle, either manual or automatic, for cooking a food product. During the cooking step 52, the heating system 35 operates to control a temperature of the cavity 14, and the steam system 44 operates to control a relative humidity of the cavity 14. The heating system 35 heats the cavity 14 to a cooking temperature, which may be a single set temperature or may vary during cooking step 52. For example, a common cooking step comprises heating the cavity 14 to a temperature set by the user through the control panel 28 and maintaining the temperature for the rest of the cooking step. Another exemplary cooking step comprises heating the cavity 14 in accordance with an automatic cooking cycle, which may include varying the temperature during the cooking step. The steam system 44 can introduce steam into the cavity 14 according to a relative humidity entered by the user or according to an automatic cooking cycle., which may include varying the relative humidity during the cooking step 52. However, it is within the scope of the invention to cook without steam during the cooking step 52. Exemplary cooking steps are described in the following, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety: Attorney File No. US20040240, entitled "Method for Baking Bread Using Steam" and filed on April 20, 2005; Attorney's File No. US20040239, entitled "Method for Cooking a Dessert Using Steam" and submitted on April 20, 2005, Attorney's File No. US20050064, entitled "Method for Cooking Meat Using Steam" and submitted on May 3, 2005; and Attorney's File No. US20050072 entitled "Steam Cooking Method" filed on May 3, 2005. Although some of these methods are described with respect to particular types of food, method 50 of food preservation cooked in an oven Steam according to the invention is not limited to its use with any particular food and can be used with any suitable food. Conservation step 54 follows step 52 of cooking to keep the food cooked hot and moist until the user is ready to eat and / or serve the cooked food. The conservation step 54 can start automatically when the cooking step 52 ends, or the conservation step 54 can be started manually by the user through the control panel 28. During the storage step 54, the heating system 35 maintains the temperature of the cavity 14 at a storage temperature, and the steam system 44 maintains the relative humidity of the cavity 14 at a predetermined relative humidity, as schematically shown in FIG. Figure 5. Figure 5 is not intended to report the actual behavior of the temperature and relative humidity during the conservation step 54, rather, Figure 5 represents a general behavior of these properties. It will be apparent to someone with ordinary experience in the furnace technique that, in reality, the actual temperature and the actual relative humidity fluctuate around a target temperature, whether a temperature is maintained or the temperature is increased, and a relative humidity during the operation of a furnace. The storage temperature can be a single set temperature, as indicated in the scheme of Figure 5, or it can be a range of temperatures. For example, the storage temperature may fluctuate between a minimum storage temperature and a maximum storage temperature during storage step 54. The storage temperature is selected so that the cooked food is maintained in a hot condition without causing the cooked food to overcook. The storage temperature may be lower than the cooking temperature, however, if the cooking step 52 is a slow cooking cycle, where the cooking temperature is low, the storage temperature may be higher than the cooking temperature . According to one embodiment of the invention, the storage temperature is lower than the boiling point of water, which is 100 ° C (212 ° F) at sea level. Exemplary conservation temperatures are temperatures between approximately 62.78 ° C (145 ° F) and 93.33 ° C (200 ° F). In addition, the storage temperature can be set automatically by the controller 30 or it can be entered manually by the user through the control panel 28. The heating system 35 of the illustrative oven 10 maintains the cavity 14 at the storage temperature by cycling at least one of the upper and lower heating elements 36, 38 in accordance with a duty cycle. An exemplary duty cycle is the percentage of time that the heating element 36, 38 is on (i.e., power is supplied to the heating element 36, 38) for a certain time interval, such as 1 minute. Similarly, the predetermined relative humidity can be a single set relative humidity, as indicated in the scheme of Figure 5, or it can be a range of relative humidity. For example, the predetermined relative humidity can fluctuate between a minimum relative humidity and a maximum relative humidity during the conservation step 54. The predetermined relative humidity is selected so as to maintain the cooked food in a moisture condition without causing the cooked food to become soggy. According to one embodiment of the invention, the predetermined relative humidity is lower than the maximum relative humidity of the cavity 14. Relative humidity is the ratio of the amount of water vapor in the air at a specific temperature to the maximum amount that the air can maintain a specific temperature, and the maximum relative humidity decreases when the temperature increases above 100 ° C (212 ° F) at a certain pressure. Below 100 ° C (212 ° F) the maximum relative humidity at an atmospheric pressure is 100%. Exemplary predetermined relative humidity are relative humidity between about 40% and 60%. In addition, the predetermined relative humidity can be set automatically by the controller 30 or it can be entered manually by the user through the control panel 28. In the latter case, the user can enter the desired relative humidity directly or a steam injection rate, which controls the relative humidity. When the user enters the desired relative humidity directly, the controller 30 can relate the desired relative humidity with a corresponding steam injection rate to control the steam system 44, or the oven 10 can comprise a humidity sensor to detect the relative humidity of the cavity 14 so that the controller 30 can control the steam system 44 to maintain the desired relative humidity. The steam system 44 of the illustrative furnace 10 maintains the cavity 14 at the predetermined relative humidity and the corresponding steam injection rate when cycling the steam boiler 46 in accordance with a duty cycle. The exemplary duty cycle is the percentage of time that the steam boiler 46 is turned on (ie power is supplied to the steam boiler 46) during a certain time interval, such as 1 minute. To achieve the relative humidity less than the maximum relative humidity of the cavity 14, the duty cycle of the steam boiler 46 is less than 100% depending on the type of oven used. The exemplary values for the preset temperature and predetermined relative humidity determined above depend on the furnace 10 which is used to implement the method 50. Different furnaces have different types of heating systems (for example, some furnaces do not have the convection fan 42 ) and steam systems, which affects the implementation of method 50. Conservation step 54 can have any suitable duration ranging from minutes to hours. The duration of the conservation step 54 may be entered manually by a user through the control panel 28 or may be established automatically by the controller 30. The conservation step 54 may terminate after a predetermined period of time, or the user can manually finish the conservation step 54 when the user is ready to eat / serve the cooked food. When the user wishes to cook a food using the inventive method, the user prepares the food, places the food together with a support for the food, if used, in the cavity 14 and closes the door 24. If desired, the cavity 14 can be preheated and / or prehumidified prior to placing the food in the cavity 14. The user selects a manual or automatic cooking cycle in the oven 10 through the control panel 28 and enters operational parameters, if necessary. Depending on the furnace 10 and the manner in which the conservation step is initiated, the user may also enter either a conservation step 54 if desired, the conservation temperature and the predetermined relative humidity or a steam injection rate . The oven 10 can be configured so that the preserving step 54 with a pre-programmed storage temperature and a pre-programmed relative humidity or steam injection rate automatically starts after the cooking step 52. The oven 10 then implements the method 50, starting at the cooking step 52. Following the cooking step 52, the conservation step 54 begins, either automatically according to the user data entries described above or manually by the user through the control panel 28. The conservation step 54 continues for the predetermined time period or until the user completes the conservation step 54. Subsequent to this, the user removes the cooked food, which is moist and hot, from the cavity 14 and eats / serves the cooked food. As a result of the method 50, the cooked food is maintained in a desirable serving condition due to the controlled storage temperature and the predetermined controlled relative humidity, and the user does not have to inconveniently move the cooked food from one appliance to another to keep it hot. and moist before serving. Although the invention has been specifically described in conjunction with certain specific embodiments thereof, it should be understood that this is by way of illustration and not limitation, and the scope of the appended claims should be interpreted as broadly as the prior art permits.

LIST OF PARTS oven 54 conservation step 12 cabinet 56 14 cooking cavity 58 16 side walls 60 18 side walls 62 20 top wall 64 22 back wall 66 23 back wall 68 24 door 70 26 door sensor 72 27 hinge 74 28 control panel 76 30 controller 78 32 stopwatch 80 34 cooling fan 82 35 heating system 84 36 heating element 86 upper 38 heating element 88 lower 40 housing element 90 heating 42 convection fan 92 44 steam system 94 46 steam boiler 96 48 98 50 method 100 52 cooking step

Claims (22)

1. CLAIMS 1. A method for cooking a food with steam in an automatic household oven with a cooking cavity, a heating system for heating the cooking cavity, and a steam system for introducing steam into the cooking cavity, the method is characterized in that it comprises: a cooking step comprising operating the heating system to heat the cooking cavity to a cooking temperature; and a conservation step comprising operating the heating system to maintain the temperature of the cooking cavity at a storage temperature and operating the steam system to maintain the relative humidity of the cavity at a predetermined relative humidity.
2. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the predetermined relative humidity comprises a predetermined range of relative humidity.
3. 3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the storage temperature is lower than the cooking temperature.
4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that the storage temperature is within a range from about 62.78 ° C (145 ° F) to about 93.33 ° C (200 ° F).
5. 5. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the predetermined range of relative humidity is from about 40% to about 60% relative humidity.
6. 6. The method of compliance with the claim 2, characterized in that the predetermined relative humidity is entered by a user.
7. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the storage temperature is lower than the cooking temperature.
8. 8. The method of compliance with the claim 7, characterized in that the storage temperature is lower than the boiling point of the water.
9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the storage temperature is within a range from about 62.78 ° C (145 ° F) to about 93.33 ° C (200 ° F).
10. 10. The method of compliance with the claim 8, characterized in that the conservation temperature is entered by a user.
11. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the conservation step comprises cycling a heating element of the heating system to maintain the temperature of the cooking cavity at the storage temperature.
12. 12. The method in accordance with the claim 11, characterized in that the conservation step comprises cycling a steam boiler of the steam system to maintain the relative humidity of the cooking cavity at the predetermined relative humidity.
13. 13. The method according to the claim 12, characterized in that the cooking step further comprises operating the steam system to introduce steam into the cooking cavity.
14. 14. The method according to the claim 1, characterized in that the storage temperature is lower than the cooking temperature.
15. 15. The method of compliance with the claim 14, characterized in that the storage temperature is lower than the boiling point of water.
16. 16. The method of compliance with the claim 15, characterized in that the storage temperature is within a range of from about 62.78 ° C (145 ° F) to about 93.33 ° C (200 ° F).
17. 17. The method of compliance with the claim 1, characterized in that the conservation step comprises cycling a heating element of the heating system to maintain the temperature of the cooking cavity at the storage temperature.
18. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the conservation step comprises cycling a steam boiler of the steam system to maintain the relative humidity of the cooking cavity at the predetermined relative humidity.
19. 19. The method according to the claim 1, characterized in that the cooking step further comprises operating the steam system to introduce steam into the cooking cavity.
20. 20. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the conservation step starts automatically after the cooking step.
21. 21. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the conservation step lasts for a predetermined period of time.
22. 22. The method of compliance with the claim 20, characterized in that the predetermined time period is entered manually by a user.