Systems and methods for cooking food

Abstract

A system for cooking food products, particularly protein chunks, comprising an optional first station that receives uncooked chunks and applies an effective amount of a spoilage inhibitor to the chunks to retard the growth of toxin-producing bacteria; a batter coater that receives the optionally inhibitor-bearing uncooked protein chunks from the first station and coats the outer surface of the uncooked protein chunks with a high-gluten batter; a packaging machine for receiving the uncooked protein chunks coated with batter from the batter coater and sealing the protein chunks in a plastic bag; and a heating unit that receives the sealed plastic bag containing the uncooked protein chunks coated with batter from the packaging machine and cooks the batter-coated protein chunks in the plastic bag at a time and temperature that will not harden the batter.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for cooking food products, and more particularly, to systems and methods for food products having a batter coating that is cooked in a bag prior to frying. Background Art

[0002] Fried food products, such as fried animal proteins in the form of, for example, especially fried chicken nuggets or fried fish sticks, are popular restaurant items. Accordingly, restaurants, especially fast food and fast casual restaurants, offer large quantities of such fried protein dishes. Currently, the in-restaurant on-site preparation of such fried protein dishes requires the restaurant's food preparer to handle raw protein pieces, coat the protein pieces with batter, sprinkle breadcrumbs on the batter-coated protein pieces, and then fry the protein pieces, both cooking them and hardening the batter coating, typically into a hard shell or crispy crust. Many methods for frying protein pieces require coating the protein pieces by painting or immersion, and liquid batters can include raw eggs and / or other materials that may spoil when stored at room temperature for extended periods of time, or that may present sanitation problems for the restaurant if kept in a refrigerated but not frozen state for too long. Additionally, coating uncooked protein pieces prior to frying presents a risk of protein spoilage if allowed to remain at room temperature for too long, or if in a refrigerated but not frozen state for too long.

[0003] Furthermore, there is a need for a fried animal protein that can be prepared and marketed as "always fresh - never frozen," where the food is initially prepared at a processing facility and the final preparation is at the restaurant. The risk of large-scale provision of such food is that care must be taken to avoid supplying food contaminated with spore-forming anaerobic pathogen bacteria (such as Clostridium botulinum, Clostridium perfringens, and Bacillus cereus). These organisms can survive heat treatment of the food product and then germinate, grow, and multiply during cooling, storage, and distribution. Some pathogens, such as Listeria monocytogenes, Yersinia enterocolitica, and Aeromonas hydrophila, are capable of growing at refrigeration temperatures under anaerobic conditions, which can occur in products prepared by sous vide in cooking plastic films.

[0004] Accordingly, there is a need for a system and method for preparing fried protein dishes in a manner that minimizes the likelihood of contamination due to the use of contaminated or spoiled batter, minimizes the likelihood of spoilage of the animal protein itself, and delays the growth of toxin-producing bacteria, without the need to freeze the product for long-term storage. There is also a need for a method and system for preparing fried protein dishes that can be performed by relatively unskilled preparers and that does not require the food preparer to handle raw, uncooked protein pieces during coating of the protein pieces and during frying. Additionally, there is a need for a system and method for preparing fried protein dishes that allows for a wide range of food choices in the final preparation step. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present disclosure describes a system and method for cooking food products to produce batter-coated, fully cooked, and vacuum-sealed food products that can then be breaded and flash-fried when served to consumers in a restaurant. This process eliminates the need to handle raw food products or batter in the restaurant, thereby minimizing the likelihood of serving spoiled food. In an exemplary embodiment, the disclosed method and system do not require freezing the batter-coated and vacuum-sealed food products during cooking, optionally between breading and flash-frying. This enables restaurants to market main courses made with "fresh - never frozen" products.

[0006] In an exemplary embodiment, raw or uncooked food products are coated with a high-gluten batter, sealed in a pouch, and cooked for a period of time at a temperature that does not cause the batter to harden. In an exemplary embodiment, the food products include protein chunks, such as animal protein, including meat, such as beef, pork, poultry, fish, and game. Optionally, a spoilage inhibitor is applied to the raw food product, then the batter is applied, and / or the spoilage inhibitor is mixed with the batter. Also optionally, the raw food product is pre-coated with flour and / or seasonings before battering.

[0007] The pouch containing the cooked protein chunks is then refrigerated and subsequently transported, optionally while refrigerated, for later use. The batter (optionally mixed with a spoilage inhibitor) is formulated to remain sticky after cooking the food in the pouch and then refrigerating the food, and the batter is applied to the food. The end user simply removes the previously battered and cooked food from the packaging pouch, sprinkles selected breadcrumbs on the still-sticky batter, flash-fries the breaded food product sufficiently, heats the product to a serving temperature, which also hardens the batter and secures the breadcrumbs to the batter. Alternatively, the food product is not breaded but is flash-fried to heat the product to a serving temperature and harden the batter.

[0008] Optionally adding a spoilage inhibitor before cooking the food chunks extends the shelf life and the umami distribution of the cooked protein chunks coated with batter in the pouch without having to freeze the food. In the event of a failure of the low-temperature transportation system and / or in the event that the package or pouch containing the cooked product is punctured (e.g., a "damaged product"), the spoilage inhibitor will also delay the growth of toxin-producing bacteria.

[0009] The batter, preferably made of high gluten flour, remains sticky after the food pieces are cooked and refrigerated in the food pouch. Thus, the end user only needs to sprinkle breadcrumbs and / or coat the food as needed and quickly fry the food pieces for consumption. Optionally, a spoilage inhibitor is used so that the batter-coated and cooked food can be safely stored and transported without the need for freezing. In an exemplary embodiment, the batter-coated food pieces are vacuum sealed with a spoilage inhibitor, and the sealed pouch is sous vide cooked. In various embodiments, the spoilage inhibitor is applied to the food pieces at one or more points during the preparation of the food pieces and sealing them in the pouch for cooking.

[0010] Since the batter is chosen to remain sticky after the food pieces are fully and thoroughly cooked in the pouch, there is no need to coat the protein pieces again with batter or other sticky substances to adhere the breadcrumbs to the protein pieces during frying, reducing the likelihood of food piece contamination due to spoiled batter and simplifying the food preparation process at the time of final preparation for consumption. The system and method also provide the food preparer with a pre-cooked protein product, optionally applied with a spoilage inhibitor, reducing the occurrence of food piece spoilage due to the growth of harmful bacteria.

[0011] In an exemplary embodiment, a system for cooking food pieces includes a first station that receives the food pieces in an uncooked state and optionally applies an effective amount of a spoilage inhibitor to the protein pieces to delay the growth of toxin-producing bacteria; a batter coater that receives the uncooked protein pieces, optionally with the inhibitor, from the first station and coats the outer surface of the uncooked protein pieces with a batter made of gluten-containing flour; a packaging machine that receives the uncooked protein pieces coated with the gluten-containing flour batter from the batter coater and seals the protein pieces in a plastic bag; and a heating unit that receives the sealed plastic bag containing the uncooked protein pieces coated with the batter from the packaging machine and cooks the batter-coated protein pieces in the plastic bag, wherein the heating unit is programmed to cook the protein pieces at a certain temperature for a period of time sufficient to fully cook the protein but not harden the batter.

[0012] In another exemplary embodiment, a system for cooking protein chunks includes a flour paste coater that receives uncooked protein chunks and coats the outer surface of the uncooked protein chunks with a flour paste made of high-gluten flour; a packaging machine that receives the uncooked protein chunks with the flour paste coating made of gluten-containing flour from the flour paste coater and seals the protein chunks with a plastic bag; and a heating unit that receives the sealed plastic bag containing the uncooked protein chunks with the flour paste coating from the packaging machine and cooks the protein chunks coated with the flour paste in the plastic bag; wherein the system optionally applies an effective amount of a spoilage inhibitor to the uncooked protein chunks through one or more of the flour paste coater and the packaging machine to delay the growth of toxin-producing bacteria; and wherein the heating unit is programmed to cook the protein chunks at a certain temperature for a period of time sufficient to fully cook the protein without hardening the flour paste.

[0013] In yet another exemplary embodiment, a food processing line for cooking food chunks includes an environmentally isolated preparation chamber that includes an optional pre-coater that receives food chunks in an uncooked state and coats the outer surface thereof with a coating selected from flour and / or starch, a flour paste coater that receives the uncooked food chunks and coats the coated outer surface thereof with a flour paste made of gluten-containing flour; and a packaging machine that receives the uncooked protein chunks with the flour paste coating made of gluten-containing flour from the flour paste coater and seals the food chunks with a plastic bag, wherein the system optionally applies an effective amount of a spoilage inhibitor to the protein chunks through one or more of the optionally included coating stations, the optional pre-coater, the flour paste coater, and / or the packaging machine to delay the growth of toxin-producing bacteria; and an environmentally isolated cooking chamber that includes a heating unit that receives the sealed plastic bag from the packaging machine in the preparation chamber and cooks the food chunks coated with the flour paste in the plastic bag; and wherein the heating unit is programmed to cook the food chunks at a certain temperature for a period of time sufficient to fully cook the protein without hardening the flour paste.

[0014] In yet another exemplary embodiment, a method for cooking food chunks includes optionally coating the food chunks in an uncooked state with an effective amount of a spoilage inhibitor to delay the growth of toxin-producing bacteria; coating the outer surface of the uncooked food chunks with a flour paste made of gluten-containing flour; sealing the uncooked food chunks with the flour paste coating made of flour with a plastic bag; and thoroughly and completely cooking the food chunks in the sealed plastic bag, wherein the gluten content of the flour paste coating the food chunks is selected such that the flour paste remains sticky after the food chunks are thoroughly and completely cooked.

[0015] Other objects and advantages of the disclosed systems and methods for cooking food will be apparent from the following description, the drawings, and the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1Schematic diagram of an embodiment of a system for cooking food items that is disclosed.

[0017] Figure 2 is a perspective view of Figure 1 a food item in the form of a protein block sealed as a single pouch by a packaging machine of the system in

[0018] Figure 3 Flow chart showing a specific embodiment of a method for cooking food items in the form of protein blocks, which optionally contain spoilage inhibitors. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] As Figure 1 shown, in one exemplary embodiment, a system for cooking food items, generally labeled 8, may include an optional first station 10 for receiving food items, which in the exemplary embodiment are uncooked (i.e., raw) protein blocks 12 and applying an effective amount of a spoilage inhibitor to the protein blocks to delay the growth of toxin-producing bacteria in the protein blocks. The optional first station 10 may receive the uncooked protein blocks 12 via a conveyor (not shown), or the uncooked protein blocks may be manually fed or loaded into the first station, which may include a hopper for receiving the protein blocks. In the exemplary embodiment, the food includes edible animals and vegetables. The protein blocks 12 are selected from plant or animal proteins. In the latter case, the animal proteins are selected from whole muscle, whole chicken pieces, other types of poultry (such as turkey and duck), and other animal proteins such as beef, ground beef patties, pork, whole (i.e., unchopped) fish pieces, game, and patties made from the foregoing. In other embodiments, the protein may be in the form of formed meat pieces, chopped chicken, other poultry, and fish.

[0020] In an embodiment, the first station 10 is in the form of a dusting unit, such as a dusting unit manufactured by Spooner Vicars of Wigan, UK, and an AlcoPreduster Type ABM manufactured by Alco-Food-Machines GmbH & Co. KG of Bad Iburg, Germany. In other embodiments, the first station 10 is in the form of a manual application station that manually applies a spoilage inhibitor in liquid or solid form to the protein blocks 12, and / or a roller unit that applies a spoilage inhibitor in liquid or solid form to the protein blocks, and / or a dusting unit that applies a spoilage inhibitor in the form of fine solid particles to the protein blocks, and / or a vibrator unit that applies a spoilage inhibitor in the form of fine solid particles to the protein blocks.

[0021] Optional first station 10 can apply an effective amount of a spoilage inhibitor, such as an amount effective to delay the growth of toxin-producing bacteria in protein mass 12. The targeted bacteria can include Clostridium botulinum, Clostridium perfringens, Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Yersinia enterocolitica, and Aeromonas hydrophila. The spoilage inhibitor can inhibit the growth of bacteria and / or toxin production in the food, including one or more of the foregoing strains. Such spoilage inhibitor can be selected from one or more of lactate, diacetate, fruit extracts, phenolics, fermentation products, propionic acid, acids, herbs, spices, spice extracts, herb extracts, spice and herb essential oils, fermentation products of sugars, phenolics, wood smoke distillates, salts, all-natural fermentates, and mixtures thereof. In an exemplary embodiment, the spoilage inhibitor can be a formulation based on potassium lactate and food-grade sodium diacetate, such as Opti.Form PD 4Ultra manufactured by Purac Biochem of Gorinchem, the Netherlands. The spoilage inhibitor can be applied to protein mass 12 at a liquid concentration of 0.05% to 6.0% or about 0.05% to about 6.0%. As used herein, the term "about" permits a degree of variability in a value or range, e.g., within 10%, 5%, or 1% of a stated value or stated limit of a stated range. Regardless of which of the foregoing methods of applying the spoilage inhibitor is employed, first station 10 applies the spoilage inhibitor to the outer surface of protein mass 12.

[0022] In an exemplary embodiment, system 8 optionally includes a precoating applicator 14, which can be connected to a washer or sprayer 13. Precoating applicator 14 can apply a starch or flour coating to the outer surface of protein mass 12. In other exemplary embodiments, precoating applicator 14 applies protein powder, egg components, gluten, nut flour, bean flour, non-wheat flour, starch, whey, dairy products, protein isolates, other protein sources, and combinations thereof. Washer or sprayer 13 can receive the uncooked protein mass 12 with the flour or starch coating from precoating applicator 14 and apply a layer of liquid to the outer surface of the uncooked protein mass. The liquid can be selected from egg wash, egg wash alternatives, oil, milk, and mixtures thereof. Sprayer 13 can be a disc sprayer, such as TheBakon USA Disc Spraying-Eggwash Sprayer manufactured by Bakon USA Food Equipment of Torrance, California. In other embodiments, sprayer 13 can be selected from spray coaters and atomizing coaters, such as Mistcoater SST manufactured by Automatic Process Equipment of Lake Odessa Village, Michigan.

[0023] In another exemplary embodiment, the pre - coating applicator 14 receives the uncooked protein mass 12 and coats or dusts the outer surface of the uncooked protein mass with starch and / or flour mixed with a spoilage inhibitor. The coated uncooked protein mass 12 is then conveyed manually or by a conveyor to the sprayer 13 and sprayed with a liquid to form a liquid coating on the flour layer on the outer surface of the uncooked protein mass. The uncooked protein mass 12 is then passed through the pre - coating applicator 14 a second time to apply a second coating of flour and / or starch powder mixed with a spoilage inhibitor to the outer surface of the uncooked protein mass.

[0024] In an embodiment, the system 10 includes an optional flavoring applicator 15. The flavoring applicator 15 itself receives the uncooked protein mass 12, can be loaded into a hopper by a conveyor (not shown) or manually, and applies a flavoring coating to the outer surface of the protein mass. The flavorings can be selected from salt, pepper, spices, flavorings, extracts, and mixtures thereof. The flavoring applicator 15 can be selected from a vacuum drum that flips the protein mass 12 under vacuum, a drum roller, and a drum mixer. In one embodiment, the flavoring applicator 15 applies the flavoring to the outer surface of the uncooked protein mass 12 and is connected in the system 10 to apply the flavoring to the uncooked protein mass before the mass enters the pre - coating applicator 14. In this embodiment, the pre - coating applicator 14 can receive the flavored uncooked protein mass 12 from the flavoring applicator 15 and apply a coating of flour and / or starch mixed with a spoilage inhibitor to its outer surface.

[0025] The system 8 optionally includes a conveyor 10A that conveys the uncooked protein mass 12 between the pre - coating applicator 14 and / or the flavoring applicator 15 and the inhibitor application station 10. The conveyor 10A is an integrated part of the inhibitor application station 10 or the pre - coating applicator 14. Thus, the uncooked protein mass 12 can first optionally be treated with a spoilage inhibitor and then transported by the conveyor 10A to the pre - coating applicator 14 to be coated with flour and / or starch and / or flavoring. Conversely, the uncooked protein mass 12 can be coated with flour and / or starch by the pre - coating applicator 14 and / or flavored by the flavoring applicator 15 and then conveyed by the conveyor 10A to the inhibitor application station 10. In other exemplary embodiments, the inhibitor application station 10 is integrated with the optional pre - coating station 14 and / or the flavoring applicator 15 to form a single unit.

[0026] An uncooked protein mass 12, optionally treated with a spoilage inhibitor, at the inhibitor application station 10, or at the pre - coating applicator 14 and / or the flavor coating applicator 15, and optionally sprayed with a layer of liquid by a washer or sprayer 13, which can be conveyed by a first conveyor 14A to the batter applicator 16, or manually conveyed to the batter applicator 16, for example, by a tray. In embodiments where the uncooked protein mass 12 is coated with a liquid by the sprayer 13, the batter applicator 16 receives the uncooked protein mass 12 from the sprayer, and in other embodiments, the batter applicator receives the uncooked protein mass, optionally first coated with flour and / or starch, then coated with a layer of liquid, and finally coated with a second coating of flour and / or starch on its outer surface. Optionally, the batter applicator 16 receives the uncooked protein mass 12 manually by a tray or directly from the inhibitor application station 10 through a conveyor 14B.

[0027] The batter applicator 16 coats the batter 102 (see Figure 2 ) made of gluten - containing flour onto the coated outer surface of the uncooked protein mass 12 to form a batter - coated uncooked protein mass 100 (see Figure 2 ), where in embodiments the gluten - containing flour is high - gluten flour. In an exemplary embodiment, the batter applicator 16 includes a BatterPro batter applicator manufactured by Nothum Food Processing Systems of Springfield, Missouri, or any one or more of various commercial batter applicators, such as those manufactured by John Bean Technologies Corporation of Chicago, Illinois, including Heritage XL, APB, Rotary Drum, and T - 1 models. Optionally, the batter applicator 16 is supplied with batter from a batter mixer 18, such as a batter mixer manufactured by Nothum Food Processing Systems of Springfield, Missouri. Alternatively, the batter applicator 16 coats the batter 102 onto the floured uncooked protein mass 12 by dipping or immersion / pouring, and can be in the form of a conveyor - type, rotary drum, and / or batter - breading device. Alternatively, coating the batter 102 onto the protein mass 12 is performed manually, such as by dipping or dry coating.

[0028] In an exemplary embodiment, the batter 102 comprises a mixture of flour and water, and in certain embodiments, the flour comprises bread flour mixed with water, as it will remain sticky or tacky after the protein mass 12 is sous vide cooked until the protein mass 12 is fried. In a more specific embodiment, the bread flour is selected to have between 12% and 25% gluten, or about 12% to 25% gluten. Suitable bread flour (commonly used for bread flour) typically has about 12% to 15% gluten. In other embodiments, a batter made from flour having greater than about 15% gluten can be used. The gluten content of the batter 102 is selected such that the batter remains tacky after the protein mass 12 is fully and thoroughly cooked. The degree of tackiness or stickiness is sufficient to cause breadcrumbs, particularly dry breadcrumbs, to adhere to the batter without the need to apply an additional liquid or coating. Bread flour, particularly flour having a gluten content within one of the above ranges, is able to withstand the higher temperatures and longer cooking times required to fully and thoroughly cook the protein mass 12. Conversely, the cooking temperature and time are selected such that the protein mass 12 is fully and thoroughly cooked, but the batter 102 is not hardened.

[0029] The water and flour mixture for the bread flour batter 102 is in the range of about 60% water to about 40% flour by volume, and preferably the protein mass 12 is chicken. For drier proteins, a ratio of about 70% water to 30% flour by volume is preferred. Batters 102 made with water to flour ratios between these two ratios are acceptable. In embodiments, water to flour ratios as high as 88% water to 15% water are effective.

[0030] Preferably, relatively sticky bread flour is used to make the batter 102. In embodiments, it may be desirable to add egg white, egg, milk, buttermilk, seasonings, soy, fish meal, meat meal, nut meal, bean meal, pea meal, or other proteins, or mixtures of the foregoing, to the batter, but these additional ingredients are optional and not necessary for the effectiveness of the disclosed systems and methods. Optionally, the batter 102 can include spoilage inhibitors such as those listed above. The spoilage inhibitor mixed with the batter 102 is used in conjunction with the system 8, plus or in place of the spoilage inhibitor applied at the inhibitor application station 10 and / or the pre - coating applicator 14 and / or the seasoning applicator 15.

[0031] In an embodiment, the system 8 further includes a packaging machine, generally labeled 20, which receives the batter - coated uncooked protein mass 100 from the batter applicator 16 and seals the batter - coated uncooked protein mass in a plastic bag 106 (see Figure 2)。In an embodiment, the packaging machine 20 takes the form of a thermoforming packaging machine that vacuum seals the uncooked protein blocks 100 coated with batter in a plastic bag 106. The uncooked protein blocks 100 coated with batter are conveyed to the packaging machine 20 by a second conveyor 21, and / or the uncooked protein blocks coated with batter are manually conveyed to the packaging machine by a transport tray.

[0032] A typical thermoforming packaging machine 20 that can be used in the system 8 is the Multivac R 530 manufactured by MULTIVAC Sepp Haggenmüller SE & Co. KG. This thermoforming packaging machine 20 includes a forming station 22 that receives a lower web 24 of formable sheet plastic from a roll and forms or shapes the plastic sheet through the action of heat, compressed air, and vacuum. A food-grade plastic is selected that is heat-sealable and capable of withstanding food cooking temperatures, such as sous vide or steaming, in a temperature range from about 140°F to about 170°F (60°C - 77°C) or higher, depending on the type of cooked protein block 100.

[0033] The flexible sheet of the lower web 24 is conveyed to the loading area 26 of the thermoforming packaging machine 20, where the sheet is placed in the cavity of a tray 28 schematically shown in Figure 1 . The uncooked protein blocks 100 coated with batter are placed in the respective cavities of the tray 28 in the loading area 26, and the tray is moved to the sealing station 30 of the thermoforming packaging machine 20, where an upper web 32 of formable sheet plastic is applied over the top of the lower web 24 covering the uncooked protein blocks 100 coated with batter. In an embodiment, the uncooked protein blocks 100 coated with batter are manually removed from the first conveyor 21 and placed into the cavities of the tray 28 of the thermoforming packaging machine 20, and the tray 28 is lined with the lower web 24.

[0034] The upper and lower webs 24, 32 are hermetically sealed to each other at the sealing station 30 by a sealing seam to form a bag 106, and each bag contains one or more uncooked protein blocks 100 coated with batter. The sealed bag 106 can be conveyed to the cross-cutting and longitudinal cutting unit station 34 of the thermoforming packaging machine 20, where it is cut into individual sealed plastic bags 108 (see Figure 2 ), and each bag 108 contains one or more uncooked protein blocks 100 coated with batter. In an embodiment, air can be evacuated from the bag 106 of the uncooked protein blocks 100 coated with batter through the thermoforming packaging machine 20 to achieve vacuum sealing. In other embodiments, air may not be evacuated from the bag 106 before sealing. In another embodiment, the uncooked protein blocks 100 coated with batter are manually or by machine placed into individual preformed bags 108, and then they are hermetically vacuum sealed. In such an embodiment, the thermoforming packaging machine 20 takes the form of a conventional vacuum food sealer.

[0035] System 8 optionally includes an inhibitor applicator 35 that places a spoilage inhibitor in bag 106 together with the batter-coated uncooked protein pieces 12. The spoilage inhibitor is placed in bag 106 in a form selected from sauces, pastes, flakes, chunks, and discs. In an embodiment, the spoilage inhibitor is placed in bag 106 in frozen form together with the batter-coated uncooked protein pieces 12. Adding the optional spoilage inhibitor to bag 106 at this time can replace or supplement the spoilage inhibitor applied at the application station 10 and / or the pre-coating applicator 14 and / or the washing station 13 and / or the flavoring applicator 15 and / or the batter applicator 16.

[0036] As Figure 2 shown, the individual batter-coated uncooked protein pieces 100 are coated on their outer surfaces with a high-gluten batter layer and an optional spoilage inhibitor 102, and optionally on a dusting layer of flour and / or a flavoring layer, and the protein pieces 100 are hermetically sealed within a heat-sealed seam 104 by a thermoforming packaging machine 20 to form individual bags 106 ( Figure 1 ). In an exemplary embodiment, a single batter-coated uncooked protein piece 100 is sealed in one or more pouches 106; in other embodiments, more than one batter-coated protein piece 100 is sealed in one or more pouches 106. The transverse and longitudinal cutting unit station 34 can cut the bags 106 along the heat-sealed seam 104 into individual sealed plastic bags 108. The terms "in-bag" and "in-pouch", "bag" and "pouch" are used interchangeably herein and have the same meaning.

[0037] As Figure 1 shown, the batter-coated uncooked protein pieces 100 are sealed within respective pouches 108 ( Figure 2) are conveyed manually and / or via a third conveyor 36 from the packaging machine 20 to a heating unit, typically labeled 38, which in the embodiment is a steam oven and / or a heating water bath. Here, the sealed pouch 108 is heated to thoroughly cook the batter-coated protein chunks 100 within the pouch. The cooking temperature range is from about 140°F to about 170°F (60°C - 77°C), depending on the type of protein chunks 12 being cooked, the desired texture of the protein chunks, and the composition of the batter 102. In an exemplary embodiment, the vacuum-formed vacuum-sealed pouch 108 is cooked in a steam oven or a hot water bath heating unit 38 to thoroughly and completely cook the batter-coated protein chunks 100 within the pouch. The cooking temperature and time will vary according to the specific type of protein to be cooked, the thickness of the batter-coated protein chunks 100, the composition of the batter 102, and the type of heating unit 38 employed. In any case, the batter-coated protein chunks 100 can be thoroughly and completely cooked to fully meet the food safety requirements for private and public consumption. At the same time, the cooking temperature and cooking time are selected to be below the conditions that would harden the batter 102 of the batter-coated protein chunks 100, otherwise the breadcrumbs would not adhere to the batter.

[0038] After the batter-coated protein chunks 100 within the pouch are fully cooked, the batter-coated cooked protein chunks 110 are optionally refrigerated. In the embodiment, the batter-coated cooked protein chunks 110 are cooled to about 40°F (14.4°C). The required refrigeration temperature, cooling time, and the time interval for cooking and cooling the batter-coated cooked protein chunks 110 can vary according to the type of protein to be refrigerated and the regulations of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) or other competent authorities. In the embodiment, if the batter-coated cooked protein chunks 110 within the pouch are cooked in a water bath 38, such as steamed, the batter-coated cooked protein chunks are cooled in a cold water bath within the same container 38. In other embodiments, such as when the heating unit 38 takes the form of a steam oven, the batter-coated cooked protein chunks 110 within the bag or pouch are cooled in a separate cold water bath or cooling device 39, which is in the form of a freezer tank.

[0039] The cooled, batter - coated cooked protein pieces 110 within the pouches are transported to a cold storage 42 via a fourth conveyor 40 and / or, in embodiments, manually or via a pallet moving device. The cold storage 42 holds the cooked protein pieces 110 in the respective pouches 108 refrigerated for a medium storage duration, or alternatively, freezes the batter - coated cooked protein pieces 110 in separate pouches 108 for longer - term storage and subsequent transportation. In an embodiment, the cold storage 42 includes packaging the batter - coated cooked protein pieces 110 within separate pouches. In an embodiment, the packaging includes placing a predetermined number of bags or pouches 108 into plastic bags, bulk boxes, and / or corrugated cardboard boxes. The packaging of the pouches or bags 108 is performed either before or after freezing the cooked, cooled, batter - coated protein pieces 110 in the cold storage 42. The cooked and cooled, batter - coated protein pieces 110 are optionally flash - frozen in the cold storage 42.

[0040] The now frozen or refrigerated and packaged batter - coated cooked protein pieces 110 within individual pouches 108 are transported from the cold storage 42 via an agency schematically represented as 44. In various embodiments, the transport vehicle 44 takes the form of a conveyor, a refrigerated truck, and / or a non - refrigerated transport vehicle, the latter including an insulated container for the bags or pouches 108. The bags or pouches 108 of the refrigerated or frozen, batter - coated cooked protein pieces 110 are placed into the transport vehicle 44 via a conveyor 48 and / or manually or via a loading device such as a pallet lift or a pallet truck (not shown).

[0041] When transported to a destination remote food service facility, the containers of the refrigerated or frozen, batter - coated protein pieces 110 within the bags are unloaded from the transport vehicle 44 manually and / or via a mechanical device (schematically represented as 50) and stored in a destination refrigerated facility or container 46. In an embodiment, the cold storage 46 is associated with an end - user, such as in a restaurant, including a fast - food restaurant or a fast - casual restaurant or other food service provider. At the remote facility, when ready to be consumed, one or more bags 108 of the refrigerated or frozen, batter - coated cooked protein pieces 110 are unpacked and removed from the cold storage 46. If one or more bags 108 of the batter - coated cooked protein pieces 106 have been refrigerated but not frozen, the batter has become sticky. If the batter - coated cooked protein pieces 106 have been frozen, they must be thawed, at which point the batter 102, being of the high - gluten batter type as described herein, becomes sticky again when heated above the freezing point (32°F / 0°C).

[0042] The batter-coated cooked protein pieces 110 are optionally breaded at the food preparation station 52 of the destination restaurant or other food provider. The breadcrumbs or other coating will adhere to the batter 102 coating of the batter-coated cooked protein pieces 110 because the food in the cooking bag 108 remains sticky after cooking. No additional batter or other coating material is required at this time to cause the breadcrumbs or other coating to adhere to the outer surface of the cooked protein pieces 110.

[0043] In an embodiment, the breaded cooked protein pieces 110 are then placed in a cooking device 54, such as a quick fryer. In an embodiment, the quick fryer 54 has cooking oil at a temperature of or about 400°F (204°C) or higher, and the quick frying can be carried out for 90 seconds or about 90 seconds. For larger batter-coated protein pieces 110, such as preferably a large and thick 9-ounce (255 grams) boneless breast portion cut from an 18-ounce chicken breast, or a thigh bone, the cooking temperature is about 325°F (163°C) to about 350°F (177°C) for about 150 seconds. The cooking temperature can be about 305°F (152°C) to about 445°F (229°C) using a variety of oil types, such as canola oil, vegetable shortening, cottonseed oil, beef tallow, etc. In any case, the oil temperature and duration of the quick frying harden the batter coating 102 and attach the second layer of breadcrumbs or other particulate coating to the cooked protein pieces 110 and heat the cooked protein pieces 110 to serving temperature. The now quick-fried cooked protein pieces 110 are ready for consumption, as shown in block 56, which can optionally be a serving table or a separate platter. The reduced cooking time in the fryer reduces the total fat and / or saturated fat in the protein pieces 110.

[0044] In other embodiments, the cooking device 54 is selected from a microwave oven, a convection oven, an infrared oven, or an oven with a conventional resistive heating element or gas burner. In other embodiments, the cooking device 54 is selected from a skillet, a hot plate, an overbake appliance, a charcoal grill, and a flat grill. In other embodiments, the batter-coated cooked protein pieces 110 are heated to serving temperature without breading, causing the batter coating 102 to harden only on the previously batter-coated cooked protein pieces. In other embodiments, the batter-coated cooked protein pieces 110 are quick-fried and then heated to serving temperature by one of the above methods either before or after the quick frying. Quick-frying the cooked, batter-coated, and breaded protein pieces 110 hardens the exterior of the protein pieces and adheres the breadcrumbs to the sticky batter coating 102.

[0045] In an embodiment, the system 8 for cooking protein blocks 12 takes the form of a food processing line having an environmentally isolated preparation chamber 60 that includes an optional inhibitor application station 10; an optional flour and / or starch coater 14, an optional washer 13, and an optional flavoring coater 15; a batter coater 16; a batter mixer 18; and a thermoforming packaging machine 20. The food processing line 10 also includes an environmentally isolated cooking chamber 62 that includes a heating unit 38, the heating unit 38 including a cold bath 39, an environmentally sealed cold storage chamber 64 containing a cold storage 42, and an optional packaging facility. Each of the preparation chamber 60, the cooking chamber 62, and the cold storage chamber 64 is environmentally isolated, which includes a separate atmospheric pressure (i.e., by providing separate air supply and discharge systems) and structurally isolates them from the surrounding environment and from each other. This effectively prevents any contamination from occurring.

[0046] A first conveyor 14A conveys uncooked protein blocks 12 from the pre - coating applicator 14 to the batter coater 16 in the preparation chamber 60. Alternatively, the inhibitor station 10 transports the uncooked protein blocks 12 to the batter coater 16 via a first conveyor 14B. A second conveyor 21 conveys uncooked protein blocks 100 coated with high - gluten flour from the batter coater 16 to the thermoforming packaging machine 20 in the preparation chamber 60. A third conveyor 36 conveys uncooked protein blocks 100 coated with batter, individually sealed in plastic pouches 108, from the thermoforming packaging machine 20 in the preparation chamber 60 to the heating unit 38 in the cooking chamber 62.

[0047] A fourth conveyor 40 can convey cooked protein blocks 110 coated with batter, sealed in separate plastic pouches 108, from the heating unit 38 in the cooking chamber 62 to the cold storage 42 in the cold storage chamber 64. The third conveyor 36 and the fourth conveyor 40 pass through the walls separating the preparation chamber 60 from the cooking chamber 62 and the cooking chamber from the cold storage chamber 64, respectively, by restricting the openings of the air passages between the chambers.

[0048] Thus, the pre - coating applicator 14, the batter coater 16, and the thermoforming packaging machine 20 are connected in series with each other in the preparation chamber 60 via the first conveyor 14A and the second conveyor 21, respectively. Alternatively, the inhibitor application station 10 is connected in series with the batter coater 16 in the preparation chamber 60 via a conveyor 14B. In other embodiments, the optional inhibitor station 10 and the optional pre - coating applicator 14 are connected in series with each other via a conveyor 10A such that the uncooked protein blocks 12 are transferred from the inhibitor application station 10 to the pre - coating applicator 14, or vice versa. From the pre - coating applicator to the inhibitor application station.

[0049] In this embodiment, the heating unit 38 is connected in series to the thermoforming packaging machine 20 via the third conveyor 36, and the cold storage 42 is connected in series to the heating unit 38 via the fourth conveyor 40. Thus, the optional inhibitor application station 10 and / or the pre - coating applicator 14, the first conveyors 14A / 14B, the batter applicator 16, the second conveyor 21, the thermoforming packaging machine 20, the third conveyor 36, the heating unit 38, the fourth conveyor 40, and the cold storage 42 are connected in series in this order, as Figure 1 shown.

[0050] As Figure 3 shown, in an exemplary embodiment, the foregoing system 8 provides a process 200 for cooking a batter - coated protein block 100. The batter - coated protein block 100 is stored in the cold storage 42 and is subsequently breaded and flash - fried without adding batter during the flash - frying. As shown in block 201, process 200 optionally begins with the application of an effective amount of a spoilage inhibitor coating to the protein block 12 in an uncooked state. This is achieved by applying a spoilage inhibitor to the uncooked protein block at the inhibitor application station 10, and then optionally applying a pre - coating of flour and / or starch and / or seasonings mixed with the spoilage inhibitor at the pre - coating applicator 14, as shown in block 202. As previously mentioned, the pre - coating optionally includes other protein powders, egg components, gluten, nut flours, bean flours, non - wheat flours, starches, whey, dairy products, protein isolates, other protein sources, and combinations thereof.

[0051] Alternatively or additionally, an optional spoilage inhibitor is mixed with the high - gluten batter 102 by the batter mixer 18, as shown in block 204, and the mixture is applied to the uncooked protein block 12 by the batter applicator 16, as shown in block 206. Alternatively or additionally, an optional spoilage inhibitor is added to the pouch 106 at the thermoforming packaging machine 20 before vacuum - sealing the pouch, as shown in block 208 (also see Figure 1 ). The inhibitor application station 10 and / or the pre - coating applicator 14 operate in a batch mode or a continuous mode.

[0052] The step of block 202 optionally includes the step of mixing spices with the flour and / or starch applied or dusted on the uncooked protein block 12, which may or may not include a spoilage inhibitor. Also as shown in block 202, optionally, the uncooked protein block 8 is washed by a washer or sprayer 13, which applies a liquid layer to the outer surface of the uncooked protein block after applying the coating of flour and / or starch. In an embodiment, the liquid is selected from egg white, egg white substitute, milk, oil, liquid flavorings, and mixtures thereof. Block 202 optionally includes the step of applying a second flour coating to the outer surface of the uncooked protein block 8 after applying the liquid layer.

[0053] As shown in block 202, optionally, process 200 begins by placing the uncooked protein mass 12 into a flavoring applicator 15, such as a vacuum tumbler (see Figure 1 ), and coating the protein mass with flavoring. In an exemplary embodiment, process 200 continues by conveying the flavored uncooked protein mass 12 to the inhibitor application station 10, as described with reference to block 201.

[0054] As shown in block 204, a high-gluten batter 102 is prepared in a batter mixer 18 and the batter is loaded into a batter applicator 16. As shown in block 206, the uncooked protein mass 12 is conveyed by first conveyors 14A, 14B to the batter applicator 16 and coated with the batter 102 in the applicator. Alternatively, the uncooked protein mass 12 is placed directly into the batter applicator 16 and coated with the batter 102 without going through flavoring, flouring, or washing or spraying. Optionally, a spoilage inhibitor is mixed with the batter 102, which is made from high-gluten flour, and the mixture is applied to the outer surface of the uncooked protein mass 12. In an embodiment, the processing steps in blocks 201 and 204 are performed Figure 3 in the order shown sequentially, or simultaneously, or in the reverse order of the order shown. Performing these and other steps of process 200 continuously and / or in a batch mode is also within the scope of the present disclosure. Alternatively, in block 206, the uncooked food, such as the protein mass 12, is placed directly into the batter applicator or manually coated with the batter.

[0055] As shown in block 208, the batter-coated uncooked protein mass 100 is conveyed by a second conveyor 21 to a thermoforming packaging machine 20, where the batter-coated uncooked protein masses are sealed (vacuum sealed in an embodiment) in individual plastic bags 106 in a sheet and separated into individual pouches 108, as shown in block 210. As shown by the dashed line 208A, at this time a spoilage inhibitor is optionally added directly to the bags, either alone or as a supplement to the spoilage inhibitor applied as a pre-coat at block 202 and / or the batter 102 applied at block 204. Alternatively, in block 208, the batter-coated uncooked protein masses 100 are placed manually or by machine into preformed plastic pouches 108 and the pouches are sealed with a vacuum sealer.

[0056] As shown in block 212, the cooked protein pieces 110 coated with batter in the pouch are conveyed by a third conveyor 36 to a cooking device 38, such as a steam oven or a heated water bath, where the protein pieces coated with batter are thoroughly cooked in the pouch, for example, by sous vide cooking. As shown by the double-headed arrow 210A, in embodiments where the pouch 106 is connected in sheet form, it can be separated into individual pouches 108 before or after cooking the pouch. The combination of cooking temperature and cooking time is lower than the temperature and time combination that would cause the high-gluten batter 102 to harden. After cooking, the cooked protein pieces 110 coated with batter in the pouch can be cooled, either in a cold water bath 39 or the cooling water can be introduced into the same container of the hot water bath used for cooking the protein pieces 110 coated with batter.

[0057] As shown in block 214, the now-cooled cooked protein pieces 110 coated with batter in the bag or pouch are stored in a cold storage 42, where they are kept refrigerated but not frozen, which can be facilitated by an optional addition of a spoilage inhibitor, or frozen. At this time, the pouch 108 is optionally packaged in a container, such as a carry case, a bulk box, and / or a corrugated cardboard box. The packaging of the pouch 108 is carried out after the protein pieces 110 are cooled and optionally before or after freezing in the cold storage 42. A predetermined number of pouches 108 can be packaged in a container as needed, for example, to fulfill a customer order or to be packaged in a predetermined classification or grouping. As shown in block 216, the packaged pouches 108 are later transported by a vehicle 44 to a restaurant or other food service facility.

[0058] As shown in block 218, the container of pouch 108 of cooled batter - coated cooked protein pieces 110 is stored in cold storage 46 at the time of delivery for use by a restaurant or food service establishment as needed. As shown in block 220, when needed, one or more batter - coated cooked protein pieces 110 of pouch 108 are removed from their container, heated, and the protein pieces are removed from the pouch. Optionally using a spoilage inhibitor eliminates the need to freeze the pieces 108 of batter - coated cooked protein 100 if long - term storage is desired. If the pouch 108 has been cooled but not frozen, the batter 102 on the cooked protein piece 110 is sticky when the batter - coated cooked protein piece is removed from its pouch. Optionally, if the batter - coated cooked protein piece 110 has been frozen, the batter 102 will become sticky when the batter - coated cooked protein piece is thawed. In either case, the batter - coated cooked protein piece 110 can be removed from its pouch 108 and, due to the sticky coating of the high - gluten - flour batter 102, is coated with a selected breadcrumb at food preparation station 52. The selected breadcrumb can be chosen from any number of pre - determined breadcrumb formulations, and no additional batter or other substance coating is needed to make the breadcrumb adhere to the batter - coated cooked protein piece 110, as shown in block 220.

[0059] As shown in block 222, the now breadcrumb - coated batter - coated cooked protein piece 110 is placed into a cooking device (such as a flash fryer 54), and flash frying hardens or crisps the batter 102 and the breadcrumb. Since the protein piece 110 is already cooked, only sufficient frying of the protein piece is needed to harden the batter and heat the protein piece to a predetermined serving temperature. The reduced frying time reduces the amount of total fat and / or saturated fat in the protein piece 110. As shown in block 224, the flash - fried protein piece 110 can then be provided to a consumer, who can be a customer of a restaurant.

[0060] An advantage of method 200 is that it provides pre - cooked food, particularly animal protein, to food service facilities such as restaurants, including fast - food restaurants and fast - casual restaurants, so that the staff of the food service facility is spared from handling raw or partially cooked protein, thereby minimizing the likelihood of protein or batter contamination or spoilage. Optionally adding an effective amount of a spoilage inhibitor delays the growth of toxin - producing bacteria, such that the batter - coated cooked protein pieces can be refrigerated after cooking on the production line without the need for freezing, through storage in the production facility, transportation to the restaurant, to final breadcrumb coating and preparation and flash frying.

[0061] Meanwhile, the selling points of the food can be fresh preparation at the restaurant location and hand - breading. The flour applicator 12 optionally provides a light dusting of flour on the uncooked protein piece 8, which can facilitate the adhesion of the high - gluten batter 102 to the uncooked food, especially if the outer surface of the uncooked food piece is wet.

[0062] Although the systems and methods described herein constitute preferred embodiments of the disclosed systems and methods for cooking food, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to these exact systems and methods and can be changed without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A method for cooking protein pieces, the method comprising: Applying a coating composed of flour to the outer surface of an uncooked protein piece to obtain a coated uncooked protein piece; Applying a batter composed of a flour mixture containing gluten and water to the coated uncooked protein piece to obtain a batter-coated uncooked protein piece composed of an uncooked protein piece, a coating, and a batter; Vacuum-sealing the batter-coated uncooked protein piece in a plastic bag; And Using a programmed heating unit to sous vide the batter-coated uncooked protein piece vacuum-sealed in the plastic bag, controlling the heating temperature to be 60°C - 77°C, and selecting the heating time to fully cook the protein piece while the batter remains sufficiently sticky and does not harden the batter so that breadcrumbs can adhere thereto, wherein the batter is composed of a mixture of flour containing 12% to 25% gluten and water; Removing the fully cooked batter-coated protein piece from the vacuum-sealed plastic bag, wherein the batter is sticky, and applying breadcrumbs to adhere them to the sticky batter of the fully cooked batter-coated protein piece; And Quick-frying the breadcrumb-coated, fully cooked, batter-coated protein piece sufficiently to harden the batter coated with the adhered breadcrumbs.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising cooling or freezing the cooked, batter-coated protein piece in the bag.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising removing the cooked, batter-coated protein piece from the plastic bag; sprinkling breadcrumbs on the cooked, batter-coated protein piece; and further cooking the breadcrumb-sprinkled, cooked, batter-coated protein piece in a cooking device selected from a quick fryer, a microwave oven, a convection oven, an infrared oven, an oven with a resistance heating element, an oven with a gas burner, a frying pan, a hot plate, an overbaking utensil, a barbecue grill, and a flat grill.

4. A method for cooking protein pieces on a food processing line, the method comprising: Applying a coating to the outer surface of an uncooked protein piece in a preparation room isolated from the surrounding environment, the coating being composed of flour and optional seasonings; In the preparation room, applying a batter composed of a mixture of flour containing 12% to 25% gluten and water to the outer surface of the coated uncooked protein piece by a batter applicator to obtain a batter-coated uncooked protein piece composed of an uncooked protein piece, a coating, and a batter; Receiving the batter-coated uncooked protein piece from the batter applicator and using a thermoforming packaging machine in the preparation room to vacuum-seal the batter-coated uncooked protein piece in a plastic bag; And Completely cook a vacuum-sealed uncooked protein block coated with batter in a heating unit in a cooking chamber isolated from the surrounding environment at a temperature and for a time such that after the protein block is completely cooked, the batter remains sufficiently sticky for breadcrumbs to adhere thereto, wherein cooking the protein block in the vacuum-sealed plastic bag comprises sous vide cooking the uncooked protein block, coating, and batter in the plastic bag using a programmed heating unit, controlling the heating temperature to 60°C - 77°C, and selecting the heating time to completely cook the protein block while the batter remains sufficiently sticky and does not harden the batter; Remove the completely cooked protein block coated with batter from the vacuum-sealed plastic bag, wherein the batter is sticky, and apply breadcrumbs so that they adhere to the sticky batter of the completely cooked protein block coated with batter; And Quick fry the breaded, completely cooked, batter-coated protein block sufficiently to harden the batter coated with the adhered breadcrumbs.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising making a batter consisting of a mixture of flour and water in a batter mixer in a preparation chamber, and the batter coater being connected to the batter mixer to receive batter from the batter mixer.

6. The method according to claim 4, further comprising cooling the plastic bag containing the cooked, batter-coated protein block in a cold storage in a cold storage chamber isolated from the surrounding environment.

7. The method according to claim 4, further comprising connecting a flour coater, a batter coater, and a thermoforming packaging machine in series using a conveyor therebetween.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising connecting a heating unit and a thermoforming packaging machine in series using a conveyor therebetween.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising conveying the uncooked protein block coated with batter from the batter coater to the thermoforming packaging machine in the preparation chamber via a first conveyor; conveying the vacuum-sealed uncooked protein block coated with batter from the thermoforming packaging machine in the preparation chamber to the heating unit in the cooking chamber via a second conveyor; and conveying the cooked protein block coated with batter vacuum-sealed in a plastic bag from the heating unit in the cooking chamber to the cold storage in the cold storage chamber via a third conveyor.

10. A method for cooking a protein block, the method comprising: Coat an outer surface of an uncooked protein block with a coating consisting of flour optionally mixed with seasonings, resulting in a coated uncooked protein block; Coat the outer surface of the coated uncooked protein block with a batter consisting of a mixture of a flour selected from flours containing 12% to 25% gluten and water, the batter optionally including eggs, milk, buttermilk, seasonings, soy or fish meal, meat meal, nut meal, legume meal, or mixtures thereof, resulting in an uncooked protein block coated with batter consisting of the uncooked protein block, coating, and batter; Vacuum-seal the uncooked protein block coated with batter in a plastic bag, thereby resulting in a vacuum-sealed uncooked protein block coated with batter; Completely cook the vacuum-sealed uncooked protein pieces coated with batter at a selected temperature and time, and after completely cooking the protein pieces, the batter coated on the completely cooked protein pieces is sticky enough so that breadcrumbs can adhere thereto, wherein cooking the protein pieces in the vacuum-sealed plastic bag comprises sous vide cooking the uncooked protein pieces, coating, and batter in the plastic bag with a programmed heating unit, controlling the heating temperature to be 60 °C - 77 °C, and selecting the heating time to completely cook the protein pieces while the batter remains sticky enough and does not harden the batter; Remove the completely cooked protein pieces coated with batter from the vacuum-sealed plastic bag, wherein the batter is sticky, and apply breadcrumbs so that they adhere to the sticky batter of the completely cooked protein pieces coated with batter; and Quickly fry the breaded, completely cooked, batter-coated protein pieces enough to harden the batter coated with the adhering breadcrumbs.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein applying the coating to the outer surface of the uncooked protein pieces comprises applying the coating by one of manually applying the coating, a tumbling unit, a dusting unit, or a vibrator unit.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the flour used for applying the coating to the outer surface of the uncooked protein pieces is selected from all-purpose flour, rice flour, pea flour, sorghum flour, gluten-containing wheat flour, high-protein wheat flour, nut flour, soy flour, milk powder, whey powder, and mixtures thereof.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein applying the coating to the outer surface of the uncooked protein pieces comprises applying a coating composed of flour mixed with a flavoring agent, the flavoring agent being selected from salt, pepper, spices, flavorings, extracts, and mixtures thereof.

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