TWM667196U - Dual-stage vacuum cooking system - Google Patents

Abstract

A two-stage low-temperature vacuum cooking system is designed for cooking poultry, especially chicken. The two-stage low-temperature vacuum cooking system integrates fattening, vacuum sealing and high-pressure steaming technology in a single process. It includes a high-pressure steamer, a vacuum sealer and a vacuum cooling device. The high-pressure steamer can accurately adjust the temperature between 65°C and 80°C. First, the poultry is fattened at 65°C to keep the meat tender and juicy; then it is vacuum sealed and seasoned by a vacuum sealer, and then high-pressure steamed at 80°C to ensure deep flavor penetration. Finally, the vacuum cooling device is used to quickly cool down the temperature to extend the shelf life of the product. The dual-stage low-temperature vacuum cooking system not only improves cooking efficiency, but also effectively preserves the flavor, texture and nutritional components of poultry. It is particularly suitable for commercial kitchens and food processing industries, providing consistent and high-quality cooking results.

Description

Dual-stage vacuum cooking system

The present invention relates generally to cooking technology and more particularly to a cooking system for poultry, particularly chicken, which combines fattening, vacuum packaging and high pressure cooking technology to enhance flavor, texture and shelf life.

Soufflé is a method of cooking ingredients in a vacuum-sealed bag at a precisely controlled low temperature in a water bath. Known for its ability to cook evenly and retain moisture, this technique enhances the texture and flavor of foods. However, while soufflé has many advantages, it also has some limitations when applied to poultry such as chicken. A common problem with traditional soufflé cooking is the inability to fully penetrate deep flavors into the meat, as the low temperatures used are sometimes not low enough to fully penetrate the spices and seasonings. In addition, the desired external texture cannot be achieved by soufflé cooking alone, and additional processing steps such as frying or grilling are usually required after souffléing to complete the product. Another related technology is vacuum cooking and packaging, which is often used to extend the shelf life of cooked foods and prevent oxidation and moisture loss. However, traditional vacuum packaging and cooking methods can result in uneven cooking and poor flavor integration, especially in complex dishes involving multiple ingredients and spices. High-pressure steaming offers a solution to these problems, cooking food faster than traditional steaming methods and helping flavors penetrate deeply. However, without precise temperature and pressure control, high-pressure steaming can easily result in overcooked poultry, tough meat, or uneven cooking. Therefore, there is a need for a cooking system that can combine the advantages of sous vide, vacuum packaging and high pressure cooking into a single process, providing a method of cooking poultry that can maintain tenderness and juiciness while ensuring depth of flavor and extended shelf life.

The invention relates to an improved cooking system for cooking poultry, specifically designed to overcome the limitations of conventional sous vide, vacuum packaging and high pressure cooking methods. The invention provides a dual stage low temperature sous vide cooking system that integrates these technologies into a unified process to enhance the tenderness, juiciness and flavor of poultry, especially chicken, while extending its shelf life. The invention comprises a specially designed high pressure steamer, designed to operate efficiently at different temperature and pressure ranges to accommodate different stages of the cooking process. The steamer is equipped with a high precision temperature control device that can be precisely adjusted between 65°C and 80°C, ensuring that the poultry is cooked under optimal conditions during both the sous vide and high temperature cooking stages. The cooking process is further enhanced by a pressure regulator inside the steamer, which maintains the right pressure level to ensure even cooking and flavor penetration. A key feature of this innovation is the two-stage cooking process. Initially, the poultry is cooked in a high-pressure steamer at a low temperature of 65°C, a period of time that allows the meat to heat up evenly and expand its cell structure while remaining moist and tender. After this fattening phase, the poultry is vacuum-sealed and infused with a variety of seasonings and spices, including specially prepared garlic and other aromatic ingredients that are designed to deeply penetrate the meat during the subsequent cooking phase. The second stage is high temperature cooking at 80°C in the same high pressure steamer, which further cooks the vacuum sealed poultry. This stage not only ensures that the spices and flavors fully penetrate the meat, but also helps to achieve a tender and juicy final texture. High pressure and precise temperature control at this stage are essential to achieve the ideal cooking effect. In addition to the cooking process, the new model also includes an efficient vacuum sealer to ensure that there is no significant oxidation or moisture loss of the poultry during the sealing process. This sealing process is essential to protect the initial quality and flavor of the poultry after the first cooking and before the second cooking. After high temperature steaming, the cooking system uses vacuum cooling equipment to quickly cool the poultry. This step is critical to extending the shelf life of the product by inhibiting bacterial growth by rapidly evaporating water under reduced pressure. The vacuum cooling process ensures that the poultry is quickly cooled to safe temperatures, cooling the product evenly, further improving its shelf life. The system described in this invention significantly improves on traditional methods by integrating these processes into one efficient operation, producing poultry products with better flavor, texture and nutritional content. The use of black-feathered free-range chickens and specific preparation techniques, such as Taiwanese Yunlin garlic soaked in ice-salted water, further differentiates this invention in the quality and uniqueness of the final product. Overall, the new device offers an innovative poultry cooking method that combines the best features of soufflé, vacuum packaging and high pressure cooking in a way that is both innovative and effective, providing significant advantages in texture, taste and shelf life compared to existing methods. This integrated cooking device represents a major advancement in cooking technology, particularly for commercial kitchens and the food processing industry, which are designed to optimize their cooking processes while providing a consistently high quality product.

Please refer to FIG. 1 , which is a block diagram of one embodiment of the novel cooking system. The cooking system 100 is intended to improve the cooking process of poultry, especially chicken, by integrating fattening, vacuum packaging and high-pressure cooking technologies into an efficient unified process. The goal is to enhance the flavor, texture and shelf life of the cooked poultry through a series of innovative steps and specialized equipment or devices. A core device of the cooking system 100 is a high-pressure steamer 110, which is carefully designed to meet the requirements of fattening and high-temperature cooking. The high-pressure steamer 110 is equipped with a high-precision temperature control device 112, which can be precisely adjusted within a temperature range of 65°C to 80°C. This capability is important for the dual-stage cooking process defined in the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2B , in this embodiment, the temperature control of the high-pressure steamer 110 is managed by a programmable logic controller 1121 to ensure that a stable temperature is maintained without manual monitoring. This automatic temperature control is important for maintaining a specific low temperature required for comfort and a high temperature required for the subsequent steaming stage. In detail, the temperature control device 112 continuously monitors the temperature inside the high-pressure steamer 110 using at least one temperature sensor 1122 and a programmable logic controller 1121. The temperature sensor 1122 provides real-time feedback to the programmable logic controller 1121, which adjusts the heating element 1123 accordingly to maintain the desired temperature set point. In addition, please refer to FIG. 2C , the high-pressure steamer 110 also includes a pressure regulating device 114 to maintain an optimal pressure level during the cooking process, ensure uniform heat distribution, and prevent certain parts of the poultry from being overcooked or undercooked. The pressure regulating device 114 includes a pressure sensor 1141 and an automatic valve 1142. The pressure sensor 1141 is used to measure the steam pressure in the high-pressure steamer 110. In addition, the inflow and outflow of steam in the high-pressure steamer 110 can be controlled by the automatic valve 1142 to adjust the internal pressure. The high-pressure steamer 110 is provided with at least one special tray 116 for accommodating poultry. This tray 116 ensures that the poultry to be cooked is optimally placed to achieve uniform cooking. The design of the tray 116 takes into account the need for sufficient space around each piece of poultry to ensure that steam and heat can circulate effectively to provide a uniform cooking effect. In addition, the tray 116 is made of a material that can withstand the high temperature and high pressure in the steamer without degradation. In this embodiment, the cooking system 100 further includes a continuous flow steam boiler 130, which is connected to the high pressure steamer 110. Please refer to FIG. 2A at the same time. This continuous flow steam boiler 130 allows water to be heated and converted into steam, which is then transported to the high pressure steamer 110 through a pipe. The steam heats the poultry, and the cooled steam returns to the continuous flow steam boiler 130 for reheating. This cycle is highly efficient, thanks to the high temperature steam transport pipe 137, which minimizes heat loss. The high pressure steamer 110 with the in-line steam boiler 130 has a particularly short preheating time of only 20 minutes, which is very beneficial for a cooking environment that requires large-scale production. In one embodiment, the cooking system 100 further includes a vacuum sealer 120, which works by extracting air from a special vacuum bag containing the seasoned poultry to form an airtight seal to prevent oxidation and moisture loss. This airtight environment is important for a number of reasons. First, it ensures that during the second cooking stage (fish will be described in detail later), the flavors of spices and garlic are forced into the meat under the influence of heat and pressure, rather than evaporating or dissipating into the cooking environment. Secondly, by preventing oxidation, the sealed environment helps preserve the color and texture of the poultry, which is important for the aesthetic and organoleptic quality of the final product. The technology behind vacuum sealing involves a powerful vacuum pump and sealing strips that use heat to melt and fuse the plastic bag to form a strong seal that is difficult to break. The vacuum sealer 120 typically operates at a vacuum level that removes nearly all air from the bag, typically achieving an air removal rate of at least 99.9%. This vacuum level ensures that minimal oxygen and other gases are present during the cooking and storage processes, which can cause spoilage or undesirable flavor changes. In this embodiment, the cooking system 100 further includes a vacuum cooling device 140. The vacuum cooling device 140 creates a vacuum environment using a process that significantly reduces the pressure within the cooling chamber. Under these reduced pressure conditions, the boiling point of water is lowered, allowing the water in the poultry to evaporate at a lower temperature. This evaporation process absorbs heat from the surrounding poultry, thereby cooling it rapidly. This method is much faster than conventional cooling methods, especially for dense foods like poultry, where the cooling effect is particularly evident. The cooling process starts immediately after the high-temperature cooking phase (i.e.: the second cooking phase) ends, when the poultry is still at high temperatures and the risk of bacterial growth is greatest. Rapidly lowering the temperature of the poultry through vacuum cooling significantly slows bacterial growth and delays the spoilage process. This rapid cooling not only improves food safety, but also preserves the texture and flavor of the poultry, avoiding the problems of continued cooking and drying caused by slower cooling. In addition, the cooling cycle of the vacuum chiller 140 can reduce the temperature of the poultry from approximately 80°C to less than 10°C in just a few minutes, depending on the initial temperature and the size of the load. This efficiency is achieved through a powerful vacuum pump and a well-insulated cooling chamber, which prevents heat from re-entering and maximizes cooling efficiency. One challenge in cooling prepared foods is to ensure that the cooling process is uniform and avoid "hot spots" where bacteria can multiply. The vacuum chiller 140 solves this challenge by evenly reducing pressure and temperature within the cooling chamber. This uniformity ensures that all parts of each cut of poultry cool at the same rate, maintaining consistent quality and safety across the entire batch. The vacuum cooling equipment 140 is not only effective, it is also energy efficient. Traditional cooling methods, such as refrigeration or ice baths, require a large amount of energy to remove heat from the food. In contrast, vacuum cooling utilizes the latent heat of evaporation, which is a more energy-efficient process. Reduced energy consumption is a significant benefit in commercial operations, as cooling costs often make up a large portion of overall energy expenses. In addition, the vacuum cooling process is relatively fast, which means that the equipment is operated in a shorter time than traditional cooling equipment. This efficiency reduces wear and tear on the equipment and reduces operating costs associated with maintenance and energy use. Next, please refer to FIG. 3, which is an operational flow chart of one embodiment of the novel cooking system. The cooking process starts with the preparation of poultry, as shown in step S110. In this embodiment, black-feathered native chickens are selected, which are known for their tender meat and unique flavor, and each chicken weighs about 1.5 to 2.0 kg. These chickens are thoroughly cleaned and all internal organs are removed to maintain hygiene. This preparation ensures that the poultry can be cooked evenly and the final product is safe and edible. Next, as shown in step S120, the preparation of garlic is also a key step. In this embodiment, the selected Taiwanese Yunlin garlic, which is famous for its aroma and crispness, is soaked in 90% ice salt water for 20 minutes. This soaking process enhances the texture and flavor of the garlic, making it a perfect ingredient for the chicken. As shown in step S130, in the first cooking stage, the chicken is placed in the high pressure steamer 110 set at 65°C and cooked for 6 hours. This fattening process allows the heat to penetrate slowly and evenly. The cell structure of the chicken relaxes during this process, ensuring that the meat remains tender and juicy. This stage is very important to achieve the desired texture and moistness of the final product. After the first cooking stage, as shown in step S140, the poultry is removed from the high pressure steamer 110. The soaked garlic is stuffed into the inner cavity of each chicken, and rock sugar, pepper, black pepper and other secret spices are also added. The ingredients are carefully selected to complement the natural flavor of the chicken and ensure that the spices are evenly distributed throughout the chicken during the next stage of cooking. The seasoned poultry will be put into a specially designed vacuum bag, as shown in step S150. These vacuum bags are designed to withstand the temperatures and pressures of the cooking process while preventing oxidation and moisture loss. In this embodiment, the vacuum sealing machine 120 used can ensure that the chicken is tightly sealed, which is very important for the next stage of cooking and maintaining the flavor and quality of the chicken. In the second cooking stage (step S160), the vacuum-sealed poultry is returned to the high-pressure steamer 110, which is now set to 80°C and cooked for 2 hours. This high temperature cooking ensures that the spices and seasonings fully penetrate the chicken. The controlled environment in the high pressure steamer 110 ensures that the heat is evenly distributed, so that the flavor blends with the meat, further enhancing the tenderness and juiciness of the poultry. After high temperature cooking, as shown in step S170, the poultry will be moved to the vacuum cooling device 140 for vacuum cooling. This technology is important for extending the shelf life of the product. The vacuum cooling device 140 quickly reduces the temperature of the poultry after it has been heated by reducing the pressure in the cooling chamber. Under these low pressure conditions, the moisture inside the food evaporates quickly, cooling the poultry evenly and quickly. This rapid cooling process inhibits bacterial growth, ensuring that the poultry is not only delicious but also safe and stable for a longer period of time. The vacuum cooling process is designed to quickly reduce the temperature of the poultry to a level that prevents bacterial growth, usually in a very short period of time. This rapid cooling reduces the temperature of the poultry to a safe level, significantly extending its shelf life compared to traditional cooling methods. This step is particularly important for maintaining the quality and safety of poultry, especially in a commercial environment where large quantities of product are processed and the risk of temperature abuse is high. A major advantage of the cooking system 100 of this embodiment is that it can retain the maximum nutritional content of the poultry. The Shufei process helps preserve sensitive vitamins and proteins that are often degraded or lost during traditional cooking methods by maintaining lower temperatures and preventing oxygen exposure. The gentle cooking not only maintains nutritional integrity, but also ensures that the texture of the chicken remains tender and not overcooked. In addition, the combination of vacuum packaging and vacuum cooling further helps retain these nutrients by minimizing oxidative changes and preventing the growth of spoilage bacteria. Experimental data shows that hand-pickling chicken prepared using this technology has a shelf life of up to 14 days under refrigerated conditions at 4°C, which is a significant improvement over the shelf life of similar products on the market. This extended shelf life demonstrates the effectiveness of the integrated cooking and cooling process in preserving food quality and safety. The entire cooking system 100 is designed with operational efficiency and safety in mind. The short preheat time and high thermal efficiency of the high pressure steamer 110 means that it can quickly reach the required cooking temperature, reducing energy consumption and saving time in commercial kitchens. Automatic temperature control is achieved through the programmable logic controller 1121 to eliminate the need for manual monitoring, reduce labor costs and minimize the risk of human error. The through-flow steam boiler 130 is another feature that improves the efficiency of the device. By recycling the cooled steam into the through-flow steam boiler 130, it ensures that the heat is reused rather than wasted, thereby improving the overall thermal efficiency of the device. This design also reduces the risk of burns or accidents associated with traditional steam cooking because the closure minimizes steam leaks and hot spot issues. In one embodiment, the vacuum sealer 120 is designed to be easy to operate and efficient, capable of processing multiple bags simultaneously, simplifying the process and further improving productivity. In addition, the vacuum sealer is able to quickly cool large quantities of poultry, which is important for maintaining high production volumes in commercial operations. In one embodiment, the cooking system 100 can use a robot arm and/or a conveyor belt (not shown) to complete the transportation of poultry between the various devices. For example, a conveyor belt can be used to transport poultry between the vacuum cooling device 140 and the high pressure steamer 110, and a robot arm can grab poultry from the high pressure steamer 110 to the conveyor belt, or grab poultry from the conveyor belt to the vacuum cooling device 140. In summary, the cooking device capable of two-stage fattening and vacuuming represents an advancement in cooking technology, especially in the field of poultry cooking. By integrating fattening, vacuum packaging and high pressure steaming into a unified system, many problems inherent in traditional cooking methods are solved. The cooking system 100 enhances the flavor, texture and shelf life of poultry, making it an ideal solution for commercial kitchens and the food processing industry seeking to improve product quality and consistency while maintaining high safety and nutritional standards. This new detailed description provides an in-depth understanding of the cooking system design and functionality, showing how each component and each process stage contributes to the end result. The result is chicken that remains tender, juicy, flavorful and nutritious, with an extended shelf life, adding value to producers and consumers. As a result, this new cooking system not only meets the current needs of the cooking industry, but exceeds them, providing a robust, efficient and effective poultry cooking solution. The above is only to illustrate the implementation of the new model, and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the new model. For technical personnel in this field, any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the new model without creative labor should be included in the scope of protection of the new model.

100: Cooking system 110: High pressure steamer 112: Temperature control device 1121: Programmable logic controller 1122: Temperature sensor 1123: Heating element 114: Pressure regulating device 1141: Pressure sensor 1142: Automatic valve 116: Tray 120: Vacuum sealing machine 130: Through-flow steam boiler 137: High temperature steam transmission pipeline 140: Vacuum cooling equipment S110~S170: Flow chart symbols

FIG1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of the novel cooking system. FIG2A is a schematic diagram of the appearance of the novel through-flow steam boiler. FIG2B is a block diagram of one embodiment of the temperature control device. FIG2C is a block diagram of one embodiment of the pressure regulating device. FIG3 is an operation flow chart of one embodiment of the novel cooking system.

100:Cooking system

110: High pressure steamer

112: Temperature control device

114: Pressure regulating device

116:Tray

120: Vacuum sealing machine

130: Flow-through steam boiler

137: High temperature steam transmission pipeline

140: Vacuum cooling equipment

Claims (7)

A cooking system for cooking at least one poultry, the cooking system comprising: a high pressure steamer configured to operate within a temperature range of 65°C to 80°C, and the poultry is placed in the high pressure steamer, the high pressure steamer comprising: a temperature control device adapted to: maintain a temperature of precisely 65 degrees Celsius during a first cooking stage; and maintain a temperature of precisely 80 degrees Celsius during a second cooking stage; a pressure regulating device adapted to maintain a certain pressure level during the first cooking stage and the second cooking stage; a vacuum sealer configured to seal the poultry in a vacuum bag after the first cooking stage; and A vacuum cooling device operatively connected to the high pressure steamer to rapidly cool the poultry under vacuum conditions after the second cooking stage. A cooking system as described in claim 1, wherein the high pressure steamer is further configured to preheat within 20 minutes. The cooking system of claim 1, wherein the high pressure steamer further comprises at least one tray specifically designed to hold the poultry. The cooking system as described in claim 1 further includes a through-flow steam boiler, which outputs steam to the high-pressure steam box. A cooking system according to claim 1, wherein the temperature control device includes a programmable logic controller, at least one temperature controller, a temperature sensor, and at least one heating element. A cooking system as described in claim 5, wherein the temperature sensor provides real-time feedback to the programmable logic controller, and the programmable logic controller adjusts the heating element accordingly to maintain the desired temperature. The cooking system as described in claim 1, wherein the pressure regulating device further comprises: a pressure sensor for measuring the steam pressure in the high-pressure steamer; and an automatic valve; wherein the inflow and outflow of steam in the high-pressure steamer can be controlled by the automatic valve to adjust the internal pressure.

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