Device and method for steam pressure cooking using microwave radiation

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) and a method for pressure cooking food by means of microwave radiation, wherein the device comprises a device for generating microwave radiation and a first cover (4) with an opening (5) for introducing microwave radiation, a second cover (6) arranged at a distance from the first cover and permeable to microwave radiation, and a receptacle for a food carrier (8) impermeable to microwave radiation, wherein the device, when the food carrier is arranged in the receptacle, is configured to form a pressure-tight cooking chamber between the second cover and the food carrier and optionally a seal (10) arranged between them.

Description

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for steam pressure cooking of a food product or food by means of microwave radiation.Numerous devices for steam pressure cooking by means of microwaves are already known from the prior art. These offer the advantage of heating, cooking or regenerating food within only a short time and are therefore now found in almost any modern kitchen. Microwave devices are also used in large kitchens or in aircraft in which pre-sized food for visitors or passengers must be heated in short.When food is heated by means of microwaves, the microwaves act on water molecules located in the food to be heated and cause them to rotate, which generates heat in turn. The evaporating water generates water vapor, which generates an overpressure in the interior of the microwave device in comparison to the external atmosphere. Microwave devices known from the prior art therefore have pressure regulating elements, in particular valves, for pressure reduction or pressure compensation.A device of the generic type is described, for example, in DE 20 2004 009 000 U1. This document discloses an apparatus for pressure cooking a food item accommodated in a cooking container by means of microwave radiation, wherein the apparatus has a cooking chamber which is designed as a pressure cooking chamber with a pressure-tight and pressure-tight door and has an overpressure valve which can be adjusted to a specific overpressure which forms in the pressure cooking chamber.U.S. Pat. No. 5,945,021 A describes an apparatus for heating food by means of microwaves and water vapor. The device has a plurality of compartments containing water. This is evaporated by microwave treatment, so that the food is heated by microwaves on the one hand and by the water vapor formed on the other hand.It is disadvantageous in the aforementioned devices as well as in other devices known from the prior art, among other things, that the water vapor generated during the heating of foods impinges on a cold interior cladding and condenses there. The condensate droplets which form in this way drop onto the dish to be cooked and an undesired liquid accumulation occurs on the food to be cooked or on the carrier on which it is arranged, which is perceived as sensorially disadvantageous.Furthermore, it has been found that after completion of the cooking process and discharge of the existing overpressure by means of the overpressure valve, a negative pressure is produced in the interior of the appliance, which makes opening of the door to the cooking chamber very difficult or even impossible if it is not opened immediately after the discharge of the overpressure.A further great disadvantage of all microwave devices known hitherto in the prior art lies in their space requirement, which is substantially caused by a cooking chamber surrounded by walls and doors. This is because the space is very limited in many areas in which microwave appliances are used for heating foods, for example in aircraft in which only little space is available because of the necessarily compact design, or also in large kitchens in which the number of portions to be heated in the microwave appliances is comparatively high and accordingly many microwave appliances are required.CN 2 01 683 703 U describes a pressure cooker with a lid which can be heated by means of vapor pressure in a conventional microwave.DE 60 2005 000 043 T2 describes a conventional microwave oven.KR 20 0 445 889 Y1 describes a rice cooker which is configured to emit a signal when a cooking state is reached.DE 10 2007 043 258 A1 describes a cooking appliance having a cooking chamber into which a preparation vessel formed separately from the cooking chamber can be introduced, which is subjected to reduced pressure at least temporarily during the preparation of the item to be cooked located therein.FR 2 908 969 A1 describes a microwave quick-action cooker which comprises a metal tank with a lid which can be closed in a watertight manner and to which microwave radiation is supplied via an opening. The cooking process can be carried out exclusively by microwave radiation or additionally by water vapor, by introducing water into the metal tank, which is heated together with the food to be cooked by microwave radiation.CN 1 751 635 A describes a microwave vessel which can be coupled to a controller, whereby temperature control, time control etc. can be achieved.It is the object of the present invention to provide an alternative apparatus and a method for steam pressure cooking of foods by means of microwaves, which overcome the aforementioned disadvantages known from the prior art and are in particular characterized in that the space requirement of the apparatus is significantly reduced compared to previously known apparatuses for steam pressure cooking of foods by means of microwaves.This is achieved with an apparatus according to claim 1 and with a method according to claim 8. Further developments of the invention are defined in the respective dependent claims.The device should also advantageously be characterized in that condensed water formed during the cooking process does not reach the food to be heated.According to the invention, a device for steam pressure cooking of a product to be cooked by means of microwave radiation is provided, wherein the device comprises a device for generating microwave radiation and a first cover with an aperture for introducing microwave radiation, a second cover arranged at a distance from the first cover and permeable to microwave radiation and a receptacle for a product carrier impermeable to microwave radiation, wherein the device, when the product carrier is arranged in the receptacle, is configured to form a pressure-tight cooking chamber between the second cover and the product carrier and optionally a seal arranged between them.For the purposes of the present invention, "cooking" or "steam pressure cooking" is understood to mean heating of food to be cooked by means of microwave radiation. It is immaterial whether or not the cooked item has already been cooked by microwave radiation before heating. "cooking" or "steam pressure cooking" can therefore also mean merely heating or regenerating an already fully cooked cooked item.A "food to be cooked" can be any desired food in any desired cooking state which is heated by means of microwave radiation in the device according to the invention.The device according to the invention also comprises a food carrier, wherein in other embodiments it is configured only for receiving a food carrier, but the food carrier is not a component of the device.Regardless of whether or not the food carrier is part of the device, this is a container that is impermeable to microwave radiation, in particular a tray that is impermeable to microwave radiation and in which the food to be cooked can be arranged. It is particularly advantageous that the food carrier forms part of the cooking chamber and closes it in a pressure-tight manner, but at the same time also serves as a transport packaging for the food and as a serving tray or container for the heated food.As transport packaging for the food to be cooked, the food carrier with food to be cooked arranged therein is preferably sealed with a film, provided with a lid or closed with another removable cover, wherein the film, the lid or the other removable cover is preferably removed before the cooking and the food carrier with the food to be cooked arranged thereon is arranged in the receptacle for a food carrier of the device according to the invention. As an alternative to the removal of the film, the cover or the other removable cover, it can also remain on the food carrier during the cooking process and be removed only subsequently.When the product support is arranged in the receptacle for a product support of the device according to the invention, a pressure-tight cooking chamber is formed between the product support and the second cover or between the product support, the second cover and a seal arranged between them. After completion of the cooking process, the food carrier can be removed again from the receptacle of the device according to the invention and used directly as a serving tray or container for the food arranged therein.The receptacle for the food carrier of an apparatus according to the invention that is impermeable to microwave radiation can have different geometries and is in any case designed such that it can releasably engage with the food carrier, wherein the food carrier is held in the receptacle in a sealed manner. In particular, the receptacle is configured to form a positive or non-positive connection with the food carrier. In the reverse connection, the food carrier is configured to enter into an in particular positively locking or non-positively locking connection thereto by engaging in the receptacle.The food carrier preferably comprises or consists of metal, in particular steel, e.g. enameled steel or stainless steel. More preferably, the food carrier has a wall thickness of 0.5-2 mm, in particular a wall thickness of 0.7-1.5 mm, particularly preferably of about 0.9-1.1 mm.Because the food carrier closes off the cooking chamber in a pressure-tight manner and at the same time also serves as a transport packaging for the food and as a serving tray or container for the heated food, a significant saving in space, costs and material takes place, which offers the use of a device according to the invention in comparison with devices known from the prior art. The saving in space results from the fact that the device according to the invention does not have a fixedly installed cooking chamber, as is the case in conventional microwave appliances, in which the cooking chamber is generally closed by a door, through which a item of cooking material arranged on a plate or in a tray is introduced into the appliance and, after the end of the cooking process, is removed from the appliance again. In conventional microwave devices, not only is the space requirement increased by the fixedly installed cooking chamber or by walls and doors in comparison with the device according to the invention, in which the cooking chamber is formed only by arranging the food carrier in the receptacle, but it should also be noted that there is an additional space requirement which is caused by the opening of the door outwards. This is completely eliminated in the device according to the invention, since it does not have any doors.The cost and material savings by using the food carrier as transport packaging and as a serving tray or container result from the fact that the same container is used both for transport to the place of cooking and consumption and as a serving tray or container. In contrast, in the prior art, foods intended for preparation in microwave devices are usually packaged in a transport packaging, removed from the packaging for cooking and transferred to a food carrier suitable for microwave cooking, in order to be transferred, if appropriate, once again to a plate or the like after the end of the cooking process and served on the latter. While only one food carrier is thus required for each cooking process for preparing foods with the device according to the invention, two or even three containers are used in the prior art, which leads to higher material costs and more waste.A further advantage of preparing food using the device according to the invention is that the food carrier is preferably made of metal and can be reused after cleaning, so that apart from a cover for the food carrier containing the food which is to be removed before cooking and which is required for transport, no waste at all arises during the preparation of food using the device according to the invention.Finally, the device according to the invention also offers a hygienic advantage over previously known microwave devices, since the device according to the invention does not have a fixedly installed cooking chamber, but rather it is formed only by arranging a food carrier in the receptacle. Since the food carrier is removed from the device in any case after the food has been cooked and a new food carrier is used for the next cooking process, no dirt can collect in the part of the cooking chamber formed by the food carrier which is newly inserted for each cooking process. The remaining part of the cooking chamber, which is substantially formed by the second cover, on the other hand, is very easy to clean between the individual cooking processes, since this is freely accessible after the support for items to be cooked has been removed from the receptacle.A further advantage of the device according to the invention lies in its compactness, also with respect to the cooking chamber which is formed between the second cover, the item support for cooking and an optional seal. Because the product support closes the cooking chamber in a pressure-tight manner at the bottom and the latter has a rather small volume compared to microwave devices known from the prior art, the use of the device according to the invention allows a shorter cooking time and / or a cooking at a lower power.A "cover" is understood in the sense of the present invention to mean, in particular, a planar structure which is open on one side and is curved and is stable in shape and can have, for example, a smooth or dome shape, which optionally also contains one or more steps. The shape of the first cover is independent of the shape of the second cover. The second cover usually has a slightly smaller diameter than the first cover and a less pronounced bulge or height. In particular, the height of the first cover is approximately 1.5 to 2.5 times the height of the first cover, wherein "height" in each case means the vertical extent of the cover when said cover rests with its edge delimiting the open side on a surface. The material of which the first cover and the second cover of the device according to the invention consist is also generally different. While the first cover is made of a microwave radiation-opaque material, the second cover is made of a microwave radiation-transmissive material.In order for the first cover to shield the microwave radiation from the outside or to reflect it from the inside, it is advantageous for it to consist of a material having high electrical conductivity or to comprise such a material. The first cover therefore preferably comprises or consists of metal or plastic provided with a metal coating or a ceramic material provided with a metal coating. Particularly preferably, the first cover consists of stainless steel, which besides the required electrical conductivity also has a high strength and corrosion resistance and can be easily formed. Alternatively, however, the first cover can also consist of non-stainless steel which has been provided with a corrosion protection coating (for example a galvanising, powder coating, enamel). Further alternatively, the first cover can also consist of aluminum or copper alloys, which can offer certain advantages depending on the application environment, in particular a lower weight in the case of aluminum alloys.The second cover is transparent to microwave radiation and is preferably made of a material selected from the group comprising or consisting of plastic, e.g. polycarbonate, glasses, ceramics and glass ceramics.On the side of the first cover opposite the open side, the first cover has an aperture through which microwaves can be conducted into the interspace between the first cover and the second cover. The microwaves are generated by the device for generating microwaves, usually a magnetron, and are preferably guided through a hollow conductor and the opening in the first cover to the cooking chamber formed from the second cover, the food carrier and optionally a seal and into the latter. Preferably, the frequency of the generated microwaves is 2.45 GHz. Furthermore, it is preferred that a holder for a wave stirrer is arranged in the aperture in the first cover, which holder is driven by a motor arranged on the outer side of the first cover and is configured to better distribute the microwave radiation introduced into the intermediate space between the first and the second cover. In this way, a homogeneous heating of the product to be cooked is ensured.It is known from cooking in conventional microwave devices that condensate is formed during the cooking process, which condensate accumulates in particular on cooler surfaces such as, for example, the walls of the microwave devices and possibly drips onto the material to be cooked to be heated, which gives a disadvantageous sensory impression. In a preferred embodiment, the device according to the invention addresses this problem in that it has a condensate collecting ring which is arranged on or in the immediate vicinity of the edge of the second cover and has a depression for receiving condensate formed during the cooking process.Since the second cover is advantageously designed in the form of a dome, which reduces stresses induced by the internal pressure, condensate droplets forming on the underside of the second cover run to the edge of the second cover during cooking and collect there in the condensate collecting ring.Optionally, the condensate collecting ring of the device according to the invention is arranged detachably on the edge of the second cover, so that it can be removed from the device and emptied after the cooking process has ended. Alternatively, however, the condensate collecting ring can also be formed integrally with the second cover.According to an advantageous embodiment, the condensate collecting ring of the device according to the invention has, at the deepest point of the depression in the condensate collecting ring, a pipe leading from the cooking chamber for discharging condensate during or after the cooking process and for venting or venting the cooking chamber.According to a further advantageous embodiment, the device according to the invention has an electronic pressure sensor which is configured to measure the pressure in the cooking chamber. The pressure sensor can be arranged, for example, directly in the cooking chamber, e.g. on the second cover, or in the pipeline which is arranged on the condensate collecting ring. Alternatively, the pressure sensor can also be arranged at a branch on the pipeline which is connected to the pipeline which is in turn connected to the cooking chamber.The pressure sensor is preferably configured to measure the pressure in the cooking chamber and to transmit the measured pressure to a controller, which may optionally be integrated into the pressure sensor or a separate component connected thereto. The controller is preferably configured to compare the pressure measured by the pressure sensor in the cooking chamber with a predetermined limit pressure and to optionally emit an alarm signal and / or to interrupt the cooking process if the predetermined limit pressure is exceeded or undershot. In this way, the pressure can be monitored during the cooking process, impermissible overpressures detected and reacted to.The device according to the invention preferably has a controllable valve, for example a solenoid valve, a pneumatically controlled valve, a hydraulically controlled valve or a passively pressure-controlled valve, which is arranged in or on the pipeline leading out of the device from the condensate collecting ring and is designed to interrupt or allow the passage of fluid from one end of the pipeline to the other end of the pipeline, optionally depending on a pressure determined in the cooking chamber by the pressure sensor. Preferably, the controllable valve is arranged between the pressure sensor and the end of the pipeline lying outside the device. Further preferably, the controllable valve is a 2 / 2-way valve, which is usually open. As a result, a failure of the voltage supply automatically leads to venting of the cooking chamber and thus to the production of a safe operating state.In the aforementioned arrangement, the valve performs three functions: in a first function, it serves as a "cooking valve" at the beginning of the cooking process. For this purpose, it is opened for a defined time until steam formation takes place in the cooking chamber. The steam displaces the ambient air from the cooking chamber through the pipeline to the outside. The valve is then closed to begin the build-up of vapor pressure in the cavity. Due to the saturation of the cooking chamber with water vapor achieved in this way, the effectiveness of the heat transfer from the vapor into the item to be cooked is increased. In a second function, the valve serves together with the pressure sensor as a pressure relief valve during the cooking process. If too high a pressure is detected in the cooking chamber, the valve opens and lowers the pressure in a controlled manner. In a third function, after the end of the cooking process, the valve serves to reduce the pressure in the cooking chamber, which ensures reliable removal of the item to be cooked. At the same time, during this pressure reduction, the condensate collected in the condensate collecting ring is also automatically discharged through the pipeline without the need for an additional pump or the like.According to a preferred embodiment, the apparatus according to the invention for steam pressure cooking by means of microwave radiation has not only one cooking chamber, but two or more cooking chambers, wherein each of these two or more cooking chambers is formed by a second cover and a product support, optionally with a seal arranged between them. Optionally, in this embodiment there is only one device for generating microwaves, which is configured to generate microwave radiation for all cooking rooms, or there are a plurality of devices for generating microwaves, which each generate microwave radiation for only one cooking room. Regardless of the number of devices for generating microwaves in the device according to the invention, these are advantageously connected to the controller. The controller is configured to control the microwave beams supplied to each cooking chamber depending on the cooking state of the item to be cooked located therein. In particular, the controller is configured to supply more microwave radiation to a cooking chamber at the beginning of a cooking process taking place therein than in the already advanced cooking state of the items to be cooked located therein. The controller is preferably further configured to start the cooking processes in different cooking spaces in a time-offset manner, so that, for example, microwave radiation is supplied at maximum power to a cooking chamber in which the initial cooking phase takes place, within which a specific vapor pressure must first be built up, while microwave radiation is supplied at reduced power to a cooking chamber in which the initial cooking phase has already ended and the specific vapor pressure has already been reached. In this way, the total power consumption from the supply circuit is kept as low as possible even in the case of a plurality of cooking processes which take place in parallel.The invention further relates to a method for steam pressure cooking of a product to be cooked by means of microwave radiation, comprising the following steps:providing a device for steam pressure cooking of a product to be cooked by means of microwave radiation, comprising a device for generating microwave radiation, a first cover with an aperture for introducing microwave radiation, a second cover arranged at a distance from the first cover and permeable to microwave radiation, and a receptacle for a product carrier impermeable to microwave radiation, wherein the device, when the product carrier is arranged in the receptacle, is configured to form a pressure-tight cooking chamber between the second cover and the product carrier and optionally a seal arranged between them;arranging a food carrier that is impermeable to microwave radiation with food arranged thereon in the receptacle, wherein a pressure-tight cooking chamber is formed between the second cover and the food carrier and optionally a seal arranged between them;generating microwave radiation by means of the device for generating microwave radiation and heating the item to be cooked arranged on the item carrier by means of the generated microwave radiation.The device provided in the method according to the invention is preferably a device according to the invention, which can have all the features of the device according to the invention described above in any combination.When the food carrier is arranged in the receptacle, whereby a pressure-tight cooking chamber is formed, the food carrier is connected in particular in a form-fitting and / or force-fitting manner to the receptacle, which is arranged in particular on the second cover. For example, the receptacle can be a recess in the second cover or a rail system arranged on the latter, into which the food carrier is inserted.In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, condensate formed during the heating of the cooked item arranged on the cooked item carrier collects in a depression of a condensate collecting ring arranged on or in the immediate vicinity of the edge of the second cover. This is preferably discharged from the cooking chamber via a pipe leading from the cooking chamber, which is arranged with one end at the lowest point of the condensate collecting ring, and is either collected in a collecting container or conducted into a waste water connection at the other end of the pipe.In embodiments in which the device used in the method according to the invention has a controllable valve arranged in or on the pipeline, which valve is configured to interrupt or allow the passage of fluid from one end of the pipeline to the other end of the pipeline, optionally depending on a pressure determined in the cooking chamber by a pressure sensor, the valve preferably interrupts or opens the aforementioned passage if a specific predefined pressure is exceeded or undershot in the cooking chamber. For example, the valve opens the passage at the beginning of a cooking process until a predefined first pressure has built up in the cooking chamber, which pressure is determined by the pressure sensor, and then closes. If a predefined second pressure in the cooking chamber is determined by the pressure sensor during the cooking process, the valve, on the other hand, opens again and opens the passage in the pipeline.Additionally or alternatively, the valve can also open or close independently of pressure after a specific duration of the cooking process.The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to embodiments and with reference to the figures, which are schematicFIG. 1 is a sectional view of a device according to the invention,FIG. 2 shows two perspective views of devices according to the invention,FIG. 3 is a further perspective view of a device according to the invention, andFIG. 4 shows a sectional view of a further embodiment of a device according to the invention.FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of an apparatus 1 according to the invention, in which a food carrier 8 is arranged in the receptacle 7 (not shown in FIG. 1, see FIG. 4 ). The device 1 according to the invention has a first cover 4 with an aperture 5 for introducing microwave radiation. A second cover 6, which is transmissive for microwave radiation, is arranged at a distance from the first cover 4, on which cover the receptacle 7 for the food carrier 8 for cooking is arranged. As can be seen, both covers 4, 6 are curved on the same side, wherein the first cover 4 is curved more strongly than the second cover 6, and in this way a cavity is formed between the first cover 4 and the second cover 6, into which cavity microwave radiation is introduced through the aperture 5 in the first cover 4 via a hollow conductor 15. Arranged in the aperture 5 is a wave stirrer 17 driven by a motor 16 with its holder, by means of which the microwave radiation generated by a device 3 (not shown in FIG. 1, see FIG. 2 ) for generating microwave radiation is homogeneously distributed. The cooking chamber 9 is formed by arranging the food carrier 8 in the receptacle 7 between them and is sealed off in a pressure-tight manner by the seal 10.According to the preferred embodiment, the device 1 comprises a condensate collecting ring 11 which is arranged on the edge of the second cover 6 and has a depression for receiving condensate formed during the cooking process. In this depression, one end of a pipe 12 is arranged, via which the condensate can be discharged from the device 1 and the cooking chamber 9 can be vented and vented.FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the apparatus 1 according to the invention from FIG. 1 in each of the sub-figures a) and b), which apparatus also schematically shows the device 3 for generating microwave radiation, which device is in particular a magnetron. In the partial figure a), the device 1 is depicted here at a distance from the food support 8 with food 2 to be cooked arranged thereon, i.e. in this arrangement there is still no limited cooking chamber 9.FIG. 3 shows a further perspective view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 2 aof a food carrier 8 at a distance from the apparatus 1.FIG. 4 shows a further embodiment of a device 1 according to the invention in a sectional view. In this embodiment, the device 1 also has, in addition to the components of the device 1 shown in FIG. 1, a pressure sensor 13 and a solenoid valve 14 as a controllable valve, which are each arranged in the pipeline 12 or are connected to it. The pressure sensor 13 is configured to determine the pressure in the cooking chamber 9 and the solenoid valve 14 is preferably configured to interrupt or allow the passage of fluid from one end of the pipeline 12 to the other end of the pipeline 12 depending on a pressure determined by the pressure sensor 13 in the cooking chamber 9. In this way, when the solenoid valve 14 is open, either air can enter the cooking chamber 9 from the outside, or air, steam and / or condensate can enter the cooking chamber 9 from the outside.The features of the invention disclosed in the above description, in the figures and in the claims can be essential, both individually and in any combinations, for the realization of the invention in its various embodiments.List of reference numbers:1 Device for steam pressure cooking 2 Item to be cooked 3 Device for generating microwave radiation 4 First cover 5 Aperture in the first cover 6 Second cover 7 Receptacle 8 Item carrier 9 Cooking chamber 10 Seal 11 Condensate collecting ring 12 Pipe line 13 Pressure sensor 14 Controllable valve / solenoid valve 15 Hollow conductor 16 Motor 17 Wave stirrer

Claims

Device (1) for steam pressure cooking of a product to be cooked (2) by means of microwave radiation, comprising a device (3) for generating microwave radiation, a first cover (4) with an aperture (5) for introducing microwave radiation, a second cover (6) arranged at a distance from the first cover (4) and permeable to microwave radiation and a receptacle (7) for a product carrier (8) impermeable to microwave radiation, wherein the device (1) is configured, when the product carrier (8) is arranged in the receptacle (7), to form a pressure-tight cooking chamber (9) between the second cover (6) and the product carrier (8) and optionally a seal (10) arranged between them, wherein the product carrier (8) forms part of the cooking chamber (9) and seals it off in a pressure-tight manner.Device (1) according to claim 1, characterised bya condensate collecting ring (11) which is arranged at or in the immediate vicinity of the edge of the second cover (6) and has a depression for receiving condensate formed during the cooking process.Device (1) according to claim 2, characterised in that the condensate collecting ring (11) is arranged detachably on the edge of the second cover (6).Device (1) according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the second cover (6) bulges in the direction of the first cover (4) and / or is made of a material selected from the group comprising or consisting of plastic, glasses, ceramics and glass ceramics.Device (1) according to one of Claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the condensate collecting ring (11) has, at the lowest point of the depression, a pipe (12) which leads from the cooking chamber (9) for discharging condensate and for venting or venting the cooking chamber (9).Device (1) according to claim 5, characterised bya pressure sensor (13) which is configured to measure the pressure in the cooking chamber (9).Device (1) according to claim 6, characterised bya controllable valve (14) arranged in or on the pipeline (12), which is configured to interrupt or allow the passage of fluid from one end of the pipeline (12) to the other end of the pipeline (12), optionally depending on a pressure determined by the pressure sensor (13) in the cooking chamber (9).Method for steam pressure cooking of a product to be cooked (2) by means of microwave radiation, comprising the following steps: - providing a device (1) for steam pressure cooking of a product to be cooked (2) by means of microwave radiation, comprising a device (3) for generating microwave radiation, a first cover (4) with an aperture (5) for introducing microwave radiation, a second cover (6) arranged at a distance from the first cover (4) and permeable to microwave radiation, and a receptacle (7) for a product carrier (8) impermeable to microwave radiation, wherein the device (1) when the product carrier (8) is arranged in the receptacle (7) is configured to form a pressure-tight cooking chamber (9) between the second cover (6) and the product carrier (8) and optionally a seal (10) arranged between them, wherein the food support (8) forms part of the cooking chamber (9) and seals off the latter in a pressure-tight manner; - arranging the food support (8) impermeable to microwave radiation with food (2) arranged thereon in the receptacle (7), wherein the pressure-tight cooking chamber (9) is formed between the second cover (6) and the food support (8) and optionally the seal (10) arranged between them; - generating microwave radiation by means of the device (3) for generating microwave radiation and heating the food (2) arranged on the food support (8) by means of the generated microwave radiation.Method according to claim 8, characterised in that condensate formed during the heating of the cooked product (2) arranged on the cooked product carrier (8) collects in a depression of a condensate collecting ring (11) arranged on or in the immediate vicinity of the edge of the second cover (6).Method according to claim 9, wherein the provided device (1) comprises, at the deepest point of the depression of the condensate collecting ring (11), a pipe (12) leading out of the cooking chamber (9) for discharging condensate and for venting the cooking chamber (9) and further comprises a controllable valve (14) arranged in or on the pipe (12), wherein the controllable valve (14) interrupts or allows the passage of fluid from one end of the pipe (12) to the other end of the pipe (12) depending on a pressure determined by a pressure sensor (13) in the cooking chamber (9).Method according to claim 10, wherein the provided device (1) has a controller and wherein the controller controls the intensity of the microwave radiation supplied to the cooking chamber (9) as a function of the cooking state of the item to be cooked (2) and / or as a function of the pressure determined by the pressure sensor (13) in the cooking chamber (9).

Images