Microwaveable quick-frozen dumplings
By steaming, spraying water and spraying emulsifier compositions, the moisture content and softness of the skin of the frozen dumplings are improved, and the problem of drying and hard skin in the prior art is solved, so that it can still be maintained after heating in the microwave oven. Moist and soft texture.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202310943822.2
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-07-28
- Publication Date
- 2025-02-14
AI Technical Summary
The existing quick-frozen dumplings are easily dry and hard after being heated in the microwave, making it difficult to maintain a moist and soft texture.
These steps are completed before freezing to improve the moisture content of the dumplings and the softness of the crust.
It is achieved that the outer skin of the dumplings can still maintain a high moisture content and soft texture after being heated in the microwave, similar to boiled or steamed dumplings.
Smart Images
Figure CN119423254A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to microwave-capable quick-frozen dumplings and a method for making the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for making quick-frozen dumplings so that the outer skin of the dumplings can still maintain a moist and soft texture after being heated by a microwave oven. Background Art
[0002] Quick-frozen dumplings sold in ready-to-eat form are very popular among consumers. Reheating methods include steaming, boiling, frying or microwaving. Microwaving quick-frozen dumplings usually requires placing the dumplings on a plate and optionally adding a small amount of water or a damp paper towel before heating for a few minutes.
[0003] The reheating method and reheating time can affect the texture of the crust. Since quick-frozen dumplings may be sold raw, half-cooked, or fully cooked before freezing, consumers may need different reheating times to fully cook the dumplings before eating them.
[0004] Dumplings are best to have a moist, tender outer skin. Although microwave cooking is fast and convenient, sometimes dumplings with dry and hard outer skins can be cooked. Therefore, there is a need to improve the above situation. Summary of the invention
[0005] The present application relates to microwave-freezable dumplings with high water content and a preparation method thereof.
[0006] In one form, the present application provides a method for preparing microwaveable quick-freezable dumplings, the method comprising the following steps: steaming dumplings, wherein the dumplings include fillings wrapped by dough; spraying water on the steamed dumplings; after spraying water on the steamed dumplings, spraying a composition including an emulsifier on the steamed dumplings; and freezing the steamed dumplings.
[0007] Although multiple embodiments are disclosed, other embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which shows and describes exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Therefore, these drawings and detailed description should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] Figure 1 The present invention is a flow chart of a method for preparing microwaveable quick-frozen dumplings.
[0009] Although the present invention is applicable to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings and will be described in detail below. However, the purpose of this application is not to limit the present invention to the specific embodiments described. On the contrary, the purpose of this application is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives within the scope of this application as defined by the appended claims. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0010] Dumplings (called "Dumplings" or "Jiaozi" or "Gyoza" in English) are a popular food. Microwavable quick-frozen dumplings are very convenient for consumers because they can be enjoyed without the time-consuming steps of preparing the outer skin, preparing the fillings and wrapping the dumplings.
[0011] In order to achieve better and more consistent results when forming and cooking tender and juicy microwaveable dumplings, the present application describes a method of applying a water and emulsifier composition to the surface of the dumpling before the dumpling product is frozen. The addition of additional water and emulsifier during the dumpling formation process allows consumers to enjoy microwave-heated dumplings with a high moisture content similar to boiled or steamed dumplings.
[0012] The present application provides microwave-capable quick-frozen dumplings and a method for preparing microwave-capable quick-frozen dumplings, the method comprising the following steps:
[0013] (i) steaming dumplings, wherein the dumplings include fillings wrapped by dough;
[0014] (ii) spraying water onto the steamed dumplings;
[0015] (iii) spraying a composition including an emulsifier onto the steamed dumplings after spraying water onto the steamed dumplings; and
[0016] (iv) freezing the steamed dumplings.
[0017] Figure 1 An embodiment of the method is provided in Figure 1 The method includes a first step of forming and filling dumplings (110), optionally spraying water on the surface of the dumplings for a first time (120), steaming the dumplings (130), spraying water on the surface of the dumplings for a second time (140), spraying an emulsified composition on the surface of the dumplings (150), and then freezing the dumplings (160).
[0018] In some embodiments, a dumpling product is first prepared by wrapping a filling with a dough. Suitable fillings include, but are not limited to, pork with cabbage, pork with corn, pork with leek, pork with chives, and other meat-based fillings, such as chicken and fish. The dough can surround the filling so that the dough forms a crease at the edge where it is pressed together. The dough can be formed by one or more layers. In some embodiments, the dumplings include a crease formed by no more than two overlapping layers of dough. In some embodiments, too many layers of dough can make the dumplings have a tough or chewy texture. Dumplings with a crease formed by no more than two overlapping layers of dough can make the dumplings still have a soft and moist outer skin after being heated in a microwave oven. In some embodiments, the dumpling filling can be raw, half-cooked, or fully cooked. Fully cooked dumplings require only minimal heating (i.e., a relatively short cooking time) to be safe to eat, while half-cooked or raw dumplings require a relatively long cooking time to ensure that the filling is fully cooked before they can be safely eaten.
[0019] In some embodiments, after the dumplings are formed and filled, the outer surface of the dumplings can be optionally sprayed with water for the first time in step 120. For the optional first water spray, the dumplings can be placed on a tray so that the entire tray can be placed below a device configured to spray water. The shape of the tray is not particularly limited. However, for cost considerations, a simple shape is advantageous, and a shape with a flat bottom is preferred. In some embodiments, the water spraying device may include one or more nozzles or sprayers connected to a water source. For example, the nozzle or sprayer can be connected to a portable water source, and a pump is used to move water from the water source to the nozzle or sprayer. The amount of water used in the optional first water spraying step can be as low as 50 grams (g), 60g, 70g, 80g, 90g, 100g, or as high as 110g, 120g, 130g, 140g, 150g, or in any range included in any two of the aforementioned ranges as endpoints. The temperature of the water used in the optional first water spraying step can be as low as 15 degrees Celsius (° C.), 16° C., 17° C., or as high as 18° C., 19° C., 20° C., or in any range included between any two of the aforementioned values as endpoints. Sometimes, the outer skin of the dumpling will crack while waiting for the next step. In some embodiments, the first water spraying in step 120 can prevent or reduce the cracking of the outer skin between step 120 and step 130. In addition, the optional first water spraying step can increase the moisture content of the dumpling dough from about 35% to about 40%.
[0020] In some embodiments, after the optional first water spray, the dumplings are steamed in step 130 according to any known steaming method. Suitable devices include steam cabinets or other steam cookers. The dumplings can remain on a tray to make it more efficient to transfer the dumplings between the steam cooker and the next step.
[0021] The steam cooker can be set at a high enough temperature to fully steam the dumplings in a few minutes. The steaming temperature can be as low as 90°C, 100°C, 110°C, 120°C, 130°C, 140°C, or as high as 150°C, 160°C, 170°C, 180°C, 190°C, 200°C, or in any range comprised of any two of the foregoing values as endpoints. For example, steaming can be carried out at a temperature of 90°C to 200°C or 100°C to 150°C.
[0022] The steaming step can last as low as 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 4 minutes, 5 minutes, 6 minutes, 7 minutes, 8 minutes, or as long as 9 minutes, 10 minutes, 11 minutes, 12 minutes, 13 minutes, 14 minutes, 15 minutes, or in any range comprised of any two of the aforementioned values as endpoints. For example, the dumplings can be steamed for 4 minutes to 12 minutes or 6 minutes to 8 minutes.
[0023] In some embodiments, after the steaming step, the dumplings may be sprayed with water for a second time in step 140. For the second spraying, the apparatus and settings may be the same as for the first spraying step. The amount of water used in the second spraying step may be as low as 50 g, 60 g, 70 g, 80 g, 90 g, 100 g, or as high as 110 g, 120 g, 130 g, 140 g, 150 g, or in any range including any two of the aforementioned ranges as endpoints. The water temperature of the optional second spraying step may be as low as 15° C., 16° C., 17° C., or as high as 18° C., 19° C., 20° C., or in any range including any two of the aforementioned values as endpoints. The second spraying adds additional moisture to the dumpling skin, while also lowering the temperature of the dumplings after leaving the hot steamer. After the second spraying, the internal temperature of the dumplings may be 35° C. or lower, 30° C. or lower, or 25° C. or lower. In some embodiments, the second water spraying of step 140 can be performed for a sufficiently long time so that the moisture content of the dumpling skin can be as low as 50%, 51%, 52%, 53%, 54%, 55%, or as high as 56%, 57%, 58%, 59%, 60% by weight, or in any range included by any two of the aforementioned values as endpoints. For example, the moisture content of the skin can be 50% to 60% by weight or 52% to 57% by weight. In some embodiments, the moisture content of the skin can be determined by cutting off a portion of the skin at the end of the dumpling and using a commercially available moisture tester, such as Mettler Toledo HB43-S.
[0024] In some embodiments, after the second water spraying, the dumplings can be sprayed with an emulsifier composition to further increase their water content. For this spraying step, the device and setting can be the same as any previous water spraying step. The emulsifier composition can be a solution or suspension comprising water and a food-grade emulsifier. Suitable food-grade emulsifiers include xanthan gum, lecithin, monoglycerides and diglycerides of fatty acids, polysorbates, guar gum, acacia gum, pectin, sodium alginate, carrageenan and combinations thereof. The emulsifier composition can include a combination of any of the aforementioned food-grade emulsifiers. In the emulsifier composition, based on the gross weight of the emulsifier composition, the amount of the emulsifier can be as low as 5wt.%, 10wt.%, 20wt.%, 30wt.%, 40wt.%, 50wt.%, or as high as 60wt.%, 70wt.%, 80wt.%, 90wt.%, 95wt.%, or in any range comprised of any two of the aforementioned numerical values as endpoints. In some embodiments, the emulsifier solution or suspension can prevent water from evaporating from the outer skin during frozen storage, and can prevent or reduce freeze burn of the dumplings. This increases the tolerance of the outer skin during storage, especially to water loss caused by temperature fluctuations during storage, and can extend the shelf life of the dumplings.
[0025] In some embodiments, after spraying the emulsifier composition, the dumplings can be frozen in step 160. This step can include placing the tray containing the dumplings into a freezer. In some embodiments, the dumplings can be further packaged in a bag and stored. The dumplings remain in a frozen state until they are ready to be cooked and eaten.
[0026] After applying the emulsifier composition to the dumplings and before the freezing step, for example, immediately before the freezing step, the moisture content of the dumpling wrapper can be as low as 50%, 51%, 52%, 53%, 54%, 55%, or as high as 56%, 57%, 58%, 59%, 60% by weight, or in any range comprised by any two of the aforementioned values as endpoints. For example, immediately before the freezing step, the moisture content of the dough wrapper can be 50% to 60% by weight or 52% to 57% by weight.
[0027] To prepare the dumplings for consumption, the user may heat the quick-frozen dumplings in a microwave oven. Advantageously, the quick-frozen dumplings may retain a relatively high moisture content after being heated in a microwave oven, and the texture of the skin may be similar to that of dumplings heated by more traditional methods such as boiling or steaming. Heating the dumplings in a microwave oven may reduce the moisture content of the dough. For example, in some embodiments, the moisture content of the dumpling dough before being heated in a microwave oven may be 55% to 60% by weight, and the moisture content after being heated in a microwave oven may be 50% to 55% by weight.
[0028] Example
[0029] Example 1
[0030] Example 1 describes the steps of an exemplary method for preparing microwaveable quick-frozen dumplings according to the present application. In this example, a dumpling product with chive pork filling wrapped in dough was prepared. The dumplings were placed on a tray and 100g of 17°C water was sprayed from a nozzle arranged above each tray. After the dumplings were sprayed with water, they were steamed at 140°C for 8 minutes. Then, using the same water spraying device as the above device, 100g of 17°C water was sprayed on the dumplings again until the internal temperature of the dumplings reached a temperature below 30°C when measured using an instant-read thermometer. After the second water spray was completed, the moisture content of the dough measured by Mettler Toledo's HB43-S instant-read moisture tester was 55%. Next, using the same spraying device as the above device, the dumplings were sprayed with an emulsifier solution containing 100g of xanthan gum. The dumplings were then frozen, packaged, and stored.
[0031] Example 2
[0032] Example 2 describes a method for heating microwave-safe quick-frozen dumplings according to the present application. In this example, the microwave-safe quick-frozen dumplings of Example 1 are taken out of the package and placed in a microwave-safe dish. The dumplings are heated in a microwave oven at high heat for 5 minutes. After microwave heating, the dumplings are thoroughly heated and have a tender skin.
[0033] Various modifications and additions may be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed above without departing from the scope of the present application. For example, although the embodiments described above refer to specific features, the scope of the present application also includes embodiments with different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the features described above.
Claims
1. A method for preparing microwave-freezable dumplings, the method comprising the following steps: Steaming dumplings, wherein the dumplings include fillings wrapped by dough; Spray water on the steamed dumplings; After spraying water on the steamed dumplings, spraying a composition including an emulsifier on the steamed dumplings; and The steamed dumplings are frozen.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: Immediately before the freezing step, the moisture content of the dough is 50 to 60% by weight.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein: Immediately before the freezing step, the moisture content of the dough is 52% to 57% by weight.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The emulsifier includes xanthan gum.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The steaming is performed at a temperature of 90°C to 200°C.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The steaming is performed for 4 to 12 minutes.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein: After the water spraying step, the internal temperature of the dumplings was 30° C. or lower.
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The dumpling includes a crease formed by no more than two overlapping layers of dough.
9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising spraying water onto the dumplings before the steaming step.
10. The method according to claim 9, wherein: The temperature of the water used in the water spraying step is 17°C.
11. A microwaveable quick-frozen dumpling made by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10.