Method for soaking sea cucumbers in whole process by using marmite

Abstract

The invention discloses a method for whole-course soaking of sea cucumbers by using a casserole, the whole-course soaking of dry sea cucumbers or half-dry sea cucumbers is completed by using the same casserole, and the soaking process is divided into three stages (suitable for dry sea cucumbers and salted sea cucumbers) or two stages (suitable for salted sea cucumbers and frozen sea cucumbers) according to the types of sea cucumbers; the soaking medium is selected from purified water, natural seawater or prepared saline water with the mass concentration of 2-10%, and can adapt to different types of sea cucumbers as required; the natural alkaline material of the ceramic marmite is utilized, heat and cold storage performance and salt corrosion resistance are stabilized, the low-temperature cooking process of 80-100 DEG C can be combined, the sea cucumber soaking effect convenient to operate and low in cost is achieved, the soaked sea cucumbers are good in effect, the soaking rate is larger than or equal to 1: 3, the taste is tough and chewy, the nutrition loss rate is smaller than or equal to 5%, and the sea cucumber soaking device is suitable for family and small batch soaking scenes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a method for soaking sea cucumbers, and more particularly to a method for soaking sea cucumbers in a clay pot throughout the entire process. Background Technology

[0002] Sea cucumber, a nutritious food rich in protein and low in fat, has its quality directly related to its soaking process. Dried or semi-dried sea cucumbers must be soaked before consumption. However, current home-based soaking methods have the following technical shortcomings, hindering the widespread consumption of sea cucumbers: Container changes lead to high risk of contamination and complicated operation: Traditional soaking requires the use of different containers such as large bowls, stainless steel pots, and stainless steel basins for the softening, cooking, and expansion stages. Sea cucumbers are extremely sensitive to oil, and oil residue on the surface of different containers can easily cause the sea cucumbers to fail to expand or rot. Frequent container changes and washing not only increase the complexity of operation, but also greatly increase the probability of oil contamination, making the success rate of home soaking less than 60%.

[0003] The limited use of a single soaking medium restricts applicable scenarios: Existing technologies generally require the use of purified water throughout the process, and the water needs to be changed every 12 hours, resulting in high water consumption and operating costs; at the same time, purified water is not a common household water source, making it impossible to complete the soaking process in scenarios where purified water is unavailable, thus limiting the consumer base.

[0004] Poor container compatibility affects soaking quality: Traditional containers (stainless steel pots / basins, glass bowls) do not have the temperature control characteristics required for soaking sea cucumbers: Stainless steel materials heat up and cool down quickly, and the sudden temperature rise during steaming or boiling can easily damage the skin of sea cucumbers, causing nutrient loss (loss rate ≥15%); it is impossible to maintain a stable low temperature during the softening and swelling stages, and the water temperature rises quickly after water changes, resulting in uneven swelling of sea cucumbers; in addition, stainless steel containers have poor corrosion resistance and cannot withstand the heating and soaking of seawater or salt water, further limiting the choice of medium.

[0005] The process design is unreasonable: the traditional softening stage requires refrigeration and water changes twice a day, which is cumbersome; when removed from the refrigerated environment, the sea cucumbers in the pure water are prone to bacterial growth and spoilage; the steaming stage uses high-temperature boiling (above 100℃), which easily damages the skin structure of the sea cucumbers, resulting in a dry texture and serious loss of nutrients (such as collagen).

[0006] To address the aforementioned issues, there is currently no home-based sea cucumber soaking method that balances ease of operation, cost-effectiveness, and high-quality soaking. Therefore, this invention proposes a method for soaking sea cucumbers using a clay pot throughout the entire process. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the shortcomings of the aforementioned technologies, this invention provides a method for soaking sea cucumbers in a clay pot throughout the entire process.

[0008] To solve the above technical problems, the technical solution adopted by this invention is: a method for soaking sea cucumbers in a clay pot throughout the entire soaking process, characterized in that: the same clay pot is used to complete the entire soaking process of the sea cucumbers without changing the container; the clay pot includes a ceramic clay pot or an earthenware clay pot; the sea cucumbers include dried sea cucumbers or semi-dried sea cucumbers, wherein the semi-dried sea cucumbers are salted sea cucumbers or frozen boiled sea cucumbers; the entire soaking process includes the following two process routes: Process route one (three stages): softening → cooking → soaking, suitable for dried sea cucumber or salted sea cucumber; Process route two (two stages): steaming → soaking, suitable for salted sea cucumber or frozen boiled sea cucumber; The medium used in the soaking process is selected from purified water, natural seawater, or prepared salt water with a mass concentration of 2%-10%.

[0009] The softening process is as follows: place the sea cucumber in a clay pot, add the medium until it covers the sea cucumber by 1-10cm, and soak it in a refrigerated environment of 0℃-6℃ or a natural environment of 15℃-30℃ for 6-48 hours, replacing the medium of the same type with an equal amount every 12 hours; after soaking, cut open the abdomen of the sea cucumber, remove the teeth and sand mouth and wash it clean.

[0010] The cooking process includes two methods: boiling or steaming. Cooking method: Add the medium to the casserole containing the sea cucumbers until it covers the sea cucumbers by 1-10cm, heat to 80℃-100℃, and maintain this temperature for 60-120 minutes; Steaming method: Add the medium to the ceramic casserole containing the sea cucumbers until it is 1-2 cm below the surface of the sea cucumbers, heat it to 80℃-100℃, and achieve simultaneous cooking of the sea cucumbers below the waterline and steaming of the sea cucumbers above the waterline by the steam generated by the boiling of the medium, which lasts for 70-120 minutes. After cooking is complete, turn off the heat and allow the sea cucumbers to cool naturally to room temperature along with the medium.

[0011] The specific expansion and soaking process is as follows: add the purified water medium to the casserole containing the cooked sea cucumbers until it covers the sea cucumbers by 1-10cm, and soak them in a refrigerated environment at 0℃-6℃ for 12-72 hours. During this period, replace the purified water medium with an equal amount every 12 hours until the sea cucumbers expand to the target volume.

[0012] The ceramic casserole has a capacity of 2L-5L, a wall thickness of ≥5mm, a temperature resistance range of -20℃ to 300℃, and can withstand heating and soaking in salt water or natural seawater with a mass concentration of ≤10% (below 100℃, for ≤120 minutes).

[0013] When the sea cucumber is dried, only process route one (softening → cooking → soaking) is used, and the medium in the softening stage is purified water, tap water or prepared brine with a mass concentration of 1-10%, the medium in the cooking stage is purified water, tap water or prepared brine with a mass concentration of 1-10%, and the medium in the soaking stage is purified water.

[0014] When the sea cucumber is semi-dried, either process route one or process route two can be selected. When process route one is selected, the medium for the softening stage is purified water, tap water, or a prepared brine with a mass concentration of 1-10%, the medium for the cooking stage is purified water, tap water, or a prepared brine with a mass concentration of 1-10%, and the medium for the expansion stage is purified water. When process route two is selected, the medium for the steaming stage is purified water, tap water, or a prepared brine with a mass concentration of 1-10%, and the medium for the expansion stage is purified water.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: (1) Flexible media selection: Supports pure water, natural seawater, and 2%-10% prepared brine, adaptable to different types of sea cucumbers, reducing dependence on pure water and reducing usage costs by 30%-50%; (2) Optimization of soaking quality: The alkaline material of the ceramic casserole protects the collagen of the sea cucumber, and the heat storage and cold storage performance maintains a stable temperature. The low temperature steaming at 80℃-100℃ makes the nutrient loss rate ≤5%, the soaking rate ≥1:3.8 (the ratio of dried sea cucumber can reach 1:12), and the texture is uniform and chewy. (3) Strong container adaptability: The casserole is resistant to salt corrosion to meet the requirements of seawater / salt water heating. The wall thickness ≥5mm ensures temperature control stability and is compatible with various heating methods such as household open flame and electric ceramic stove. Detailed Implementation

[0016] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to specific embodiments.

[0017] Example 1: The specific steps for soaking dried sea cucumbers in a clay pot are as follows: S1. Pretreatment: Select 50g of dried sea cucumber; use a 4L ceramic casserole (temperature resistant -20℃ to 300℃) with a wall thickness of 6mm, wash it and set aside.

[0018] S2. Softening stage: Place the dried sea cucumber in a clay pot, add 3L of tap water (medium), and soak in a 4℃ refrigerated environment for 48 hours, changing the tap water every 12 hours; after soaking, cut open the sea cucumber's abdomen to remove the teeth and sand mouth, and rinse it clean with water.

[0019] S3. Cooking stage: Without changing the clay pot, add 1.5L of 10% brine (the ratio of edible sea salt to purified water is 10:100) to the clay pot, ensuring the water level is 1cm above the sea cucumber; heat the clay pot to an internal temperature of 95℃ and maintain this temperature for 90 minutes; after turning off the heat, allow the sea cucumber to cool naturally to room temperature with the brine, and rinse the surface of the sea cucumber with tap water 2-3 times to remove the salt.

[0020] S4. Soaking stage: Without changing the clay pot, add 2L of purified water until it covers the sea cucumber by 3cm, place it in a 4℃ refrigerated environment to soak for 72 hours, and replace the purified water with an equal amount every 12 hours; the final result is soaked sea cucumber with a soaking ratio of 1:12, a collagen loss rate of ≤3%, and a chewy and full texture.

[0021] Example 2: Dried sea cucumbers (softened by seawater) soaked in a clay pot for rehydration include: S1. Pretreatment: Select 30g of dried sea cucumber; use a 2L ceramic casserole (temperature resistant -20℃ to 300℃) with a wall thickness of 5mm and wash it for later use.

[0022] S2. Softening stage: Place the dried sea cucumber in a clay pot, add 1.5L of unfiltered natural seawater (medium), and soak in a natural environment at 25℃ for 24 hours without changing the water; after soaking, cut open the abdomen of the sea cucumber to remove the teeth and sand mouth, and rinse it clean with water.

[0023] S3. Cooking stage: Without changing the clay pot, add 0.8L of 3% brine (the ratio of edible sea salt to tap water is 3:100) to the clay pot, with the water level 1.5cm below the surface of the sea cucumber; heat to 90℃ and maintain this temperature while steaming for 100 minutes; after turning off the heat, let the sea cucumber cool naturally to room temperature with the brine, and rinse the surface salt 1-2 times with clean water.

[0024] S4. Soaking stage: Without changing the clay pot, add 1.2L of mineral water until it covers the sea cucumber by 4cm, and place it in a 4℃ refrigerated environment to soak for 48 hours. Replace the mineral water with an equal amount every 12 hours. The final result is a soaked sea cucumber with a soaking ratio of 1:8.2, an intact outer skin without damage, full inner tendons, and a nutrient loss rate of ≤4%.

[0025] Example 3: The specific steps for soaking salted sea cucumbers in a clay pot are as follows: S1. Pretreatment: Select 100g of salted sea cucumber; select a 3.5L earthenware pot with a wall thickness of 5mm (temperature resistant -20℃ to 300℃) and wash it for later use.

[0026] S2. Softening stage: Place the dried sea cucumber in a clay pot, add 2L of 5% salt water (medium) prepared with tap water, and soak in a 23°C room temperature environment for 12 hours; after soaking, cut open the sea cucumber's abdomen to remove the teeth and sand mouth, and rinse it clean with water.

[0027] S3. Steaming stage: Place the salted sea cucumber in a clay pot, add 1.5L of purified water (medium), and the water level should be 1cm below the surface of the sea cucumber; heat the clay pot to an internal temperature of 90℃, and steam simultaneously for 80 minutes; after turning off the heat, let it cool naturally to room temperature, and rinse the sea cucumber with clean water.

[0028] S4. Soaking stage: Without changing the clay pot, add purified water until it covers the sea cucumber by 3cm, place it in a 2℃ refrigerated environment to soak for 24 hours, and change the purified water every 12 hours; the final result is soaked sea cucumber with a soaking ratio of 1:4.5, no astringent taste, and a tender and chewy texture.

[0029] Example 4: Salted sea cucumber (no need to soften) soaked in a clay pot includes: S1. Pretreatment: Select 80g of salted sea cucumber; use a 3L capacity earthenware pot with a wall thickness of 6mm (temperature resistant -20℃-300℃) and wash it for later use. The sea cucumber does not need to be softened. Cut open the abdomen to remove the teeth and sand mouth, and rinse it 3 times with cool tap water.

[0030] S2. Steaming stage: Place the processed salted sea cucumber in a clay pot, add 2L of tap water (medium), and the water level should be 2cm above the sea cucumber; heat over medium heat until boiling, then turn to low heat and cook at 95℃ for 120 minutes; after turning off the heat, cover the pot and let it sit for 30 minutes, then let it cool naturally to room temperature.

[0031] S3. Soaking stage: Without changing the clay pot, pour out the tap water used for cooking, add 1.8L of purified water until it covers the sea cucumber by 3cm, place it in a 5℃ refrigerated environment to soak for 36 hours, and change the amount of purified water every 12 hours; the final result is soaked sea cucumber with a soaking ratio of 1:5.3, with a tender and bouncy texture and no astringent taste, and plump and elastic meat.

[0032] Example 5: The specific steps for soaking frozen sea cucumbers in a clay pot throughout the entire process are as follows: S1. Pretreatment: Select 250g of frozen sea cucumber, thaw it at room temperature, cut open the abdomen to remove the teeth and sand mouth, and wash it with clean water; select a ceramic casserole with a capacity of 5L and a wall thickness of 7mm, wash it and set it aside.

[0033] S2. Steaming stage: Place the cleaned frozen sea cucumber into a clay pot, add 2L of purified water (medium), heat until the water boils (98℃-100℃), and simmer over low heat for 60 minutes; turn off the heat and let it cool naturally to room temperature.

[0034] S3. Soaking stage: Without changing the clay pot, add purified water until it covers the sea cucumber by 2cm, and place it in a 5℃ refrigerated environment to soak for 24 hours (replace an equal amount of purified water every 12 hours); the final result is a soaked sea cucumber with plump and elastic flesh and a soaking ratio of 1:3.8. The soaking time can be extended by 12 hours as needed to increase the soaking ratio to 1:4.5.

[0035] Example 6: The specific steps for rehydrating frozen boiled sea cucumber (steamed in mineral water) in a clay pot are as follows: S1. Pretreatment: Select 200g of frozen sea cucumber, thaw at room temperature, cut open the abdomen to remove teeth and sand mouth, and wash with clean water; select a 5L ceramic casserole with a wall thickness of 7mm, wash it and set aside.

[0036] S2. Softening stage: Place the dried sea cucumber in a clay pot, add 2L of mineral water (medium), and soak for 12 hours at room temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. After soaking, cut open the abdomen of the sea cucumber to remove the teeth and sand mouth, and rinse it clean with water.

[0037] S3. Steaming stage: Place the cleaned frozen sea cucumber into a clay pot, add 2.5L of mineral water (medium), heat to 98℃, and simmer over low heat for 80 minutes; after turning off the heat, let it cool naturally to room temperature, and gently rinse the surface of the sea cucumber with clean water.

[0038] S4. Soaking stage: Without changing the clay pot, add mineral water until it covers the sea cucumber by 5cm, and place it in a 3℃ refrigerated environment to soak for 48 hours. Replace the mineral water with an equal amount every 12 hours. If you need to increase the soaking rate, you can extend the soaking time by 12 hours. The final soaking rate will reach 1:4.8. The sea cucumber will be plump, with intact spines, and have a chewy texture without being soft or mushy.

[0039] To address the inefficiency of traditional home-style sea cucumber soaking methods, this invention proposes a method using a clay pot for the entire soaking process. This solves the problem that traditional methods cannot simultaneously achieve ease of operation, cost-effectiveness, and high-quality soaking. First, this invention supports purified water, natural seawater, 2%-10% prepared brine, mineral water, and tap water, adapting to different types of sea cucumber and reducing reliance on purified water, thus lowering costs by 30%-50%. Second, the alkaline material of the ceramic clay pot protects the sea cucumber's collagen, and its heat retention and cold storage properties maintain a stable temperature. Low-temperature steaming at 80℃-100℃ ensures a nutrient loss rate of ≤5%, a soaking ratio of ≥1:3.8 (up to 1:10 for dried sea cucumbers), and a uniform, chewy texture. Finally, the clay pot's salt corrosion resistance meets the requirements for seawater / saltwater heating, and its ≥5mm wall thickness ensures stable temperature control, making it suitable for various heating methods such as open flames and electric ceramic stoves.

[0040] The above embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the examples given above. Any changes, modifications, additions or substitutions made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technical solution of the present invention are also within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for soaking sea cucumber using a casserole, characterized in that, The whole soaking process of sea cucumber is completed in the same sand pot, and the container does not need to be replaced, and the sand pot includes a ceramic sand pot or an earthen sand pot; the sea cucumber includes dry sea cucumber or semi-dry sea cucumber, and the semi-dry sea cucumber is salted sea cucumber or frozen and cooked sea cucumber; the whole soaking process includes the following two process routes: Process route one (three stages): softening back → maturation → swelling and soaking, which is suitable for dry sea cucumber or salted sea cucumber; Process route two (two stages): steaming and cooking → swelling and soaking, which is suitable for salted sea cucumber or frozen and cooked sea cucumber; The medium used in the soaking process is selected from pure water, natural seawater or prepared salt water with a mass concentration of 2%-10%.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The softening back operation specifically includes the following steps: the sea cucumber is placed in the sand pot, the medium is added to cover the sea cucumber by 1-10 cm, and the sea cucumber is soaked in a cold storage environment at 0℃-6℃ or a natural environment at 15℃-30℃ for 6-48 hours, and the same amount of medium of the same type is replaced every 12 hours during the soaking; after the soaking is completed, the sea cucumber is cut open at the abdomen, the teeth and the beak are removed, and the sea cucumber is washed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, The maturation operation includes two modes of cooking and steaming: The cooking mode: the medium is added to the sand pot containing the sea cucumber to cover the sea cucumber by 1-10 cm, and the temperature is heated to 80℃-100℃, and the temperature is kept for 60-120 minutes; The steaming mode: the medium is added to the ceramic sand pot containing the sea cucumber to cover the sea cucumber by 1-2 cm, and the temperature is heated to 80℃-100℃, and the synchronous maturation of the sea cucumber below the water line and the sea cucumber above the water line is realized through the steam generated by the boiling of the medium, and the process is continued for 70-120 minutes; After the maturation is completed, the fire is turned off, and the sea cucumber is naturally cooled to room temperature with the medium.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, The swelling and soaking operation specifically includes the following steps: the pure water medium is added to the sand pot containing the sea cucumber after the maturation to cover the sea cucumber by 1-10 cm, and the sea cucumber is soaked in a cold storage environment at 0℃-6℃ for 12-72 hours, and the same amount of pure water medium is replaced every 12 hours during the soaking, until the sea cucumber swells to the target volume.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, The ceramic sand pot has a capacity of 2L-5L, a wall thickness of ≥5mm, a temperature resistance range of -20℃-300℃, and can withstand the heating and soaking of salt water or natural seawater with a mass concentration of ≤10% (below 100℃, for ≤120 minutes).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein, When the sea cucumber is dry sea cucumber, only the process route one (softening back → maturation → swelling and soaking) is adopted, the medium in the softening back stage is pure water or tap water or prepared salt water with a mass concentration of 1-10%, the medium in the maturation stage is pure water or tap water or prepared salt water with a mass concentration of 1-10%, and the medium in the swelling and soaking stage is pure water.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein, When the sea cucumber is semi-dry sea cucumber, the process route one or the process route two can be selected; when the process route one is selected, the medium in the softening back stage is pure water or tap water or prepared salt water with a mass concentration of 1-10%, the medium in the maturation stage is pure water or tap water or prepared salt water with a mass concentration of 1-10%, and the medium in the swelling and soaking stage is pure water; when the process route two is selected, the medium in the steaming and cooking stage is pure water or tap water or prepared salt water with a mass concentration of 1-10%, and the medium in the swelling and soaking stage is pure water.