Mixed powder for microwave oven cooking, fried chicken-like food product and method for producing fried chicken-like food product

Abstract

To provide mixed powder for microwave oven cooking, which can produce a fried chicken-like food product having desirable appearance and crispness even when not fried and can suppress sticking of ingredients, a method for producing the chicken-like food product and the chicken-like food product obtained by using the mixed powder for microwave oven cooking and the method for producing the chicken-like food product.SOLUTION: Mixed powder for microwave oven cooking contains 40 to 70 mass% of wheat flour, 25 to 50 mass% of bread crumb, 1 to 10 mass% of oil and fat and 1 to 10 mass% of sugars or powdered soy sauce. A producing method of a chicken-like food product includes: an attaching step for sprinkling the mixed powder for microwave oven cooking on ingredients in a powdered state to be attached to the ingredients; and a heating step for cooking the ingredients with the mixed powder attached, which are obtained in the attaching step, in a microwave oven.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a microwave cooking mix, a fried chicken-like food product, and a method for producing the fried chicken-like food product. [Background technology]

[0002] Fried chicken is a deep-fried food generally obtained by coating ingredients such as meat, either directly or after seasoning, with flour, starch, seasonings, etc., and then tossing in oil, and is a food that occupies a representative position among deep-fried dishes. Due to the popularity of fried chicken, fried chicken powder mixes are sold that contain a mixture of flour, starch, salt, seasonings, etc., and allow fried chicken to be easily obtained by simply coating the ingredients with the mixture and tossing in oil.

[0003] However, in recent years, people have tended to avoid cooking with oil at home due to the danger of oil splatter and the hassle of cleaning up the oil after cooking. Therefore, efforts are being made to develop flour mixes that can be used to make fried foods without frying using a microwave oven, eliminating the danger of oil splatter and the need for oil cleanup.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 describes that a non-fried chicken mix containing baked pulverized material derived from wheat flour, a deliquescent food material, a heat-coagulating food material, oils and fats, and a leavening agent is used, and when cooked in a microwave oven or oven, fried chicken is obtained that has an appearance similar to deep-fried chicken and a voluminous feel, and the meat is juicy and tender, with little stickiness on the surface and a crisp texture. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-284518 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, when using conventional non-fried fried chicken mixes to produce fried chicken without frying, there are problems such as a poor appearance of the fried chicken due to the lack of crispness and the ingredients tending to stick together.

[0007] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a flour mix for microwave cooking that can produce a fried chicken-like food that has a favorable appearance and crispness even when it is not fried and that can also suppress sticking of ingredients together, a fried chicken-like food prepared from the flour mix for microwave cooking, and a method for producing a fried chicken-like food using the flour mix for microwave cooking. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present inventors have conducted extensive research in light of the above-mentioned problems and have found that a microwave cooking mix containing 40-70% by mass of wheat flour, 25-50% by mass of breadcrumbs, 1-10% by mass of fats and oils, and 1-10% by mass of at least one selected from the group consisting of sugars and powdered soy sauce, can produce fried chicken-like foods that have a desirable appearance and crispness, even when not fried, and can also suppress sticking of meat pieces together.The present invention was completed based on these findings.

[0009] The present invention relates to a flour mix for microwave cooking containing 40 to 70% by mass of wheat flour, 25 to 50% by mass of breadcrumbs, 1 to 10% by mass of fats and oils, and 1 to 10% by mass of at least one selected from the group consisting of sugars and powdered soy sauce.

[0010] The bread crumbs preferably have a particle size that passes through a sieve of a size selected from 8 to 30 mesh.

[0011] The sugars preferably include at least one selected from the group consisting of glucose, sugar, and caramel.

[0012] The flour mix for microwave cooking of the present invention preferably further contains corn grits or corn starch.

[0013] The flour mix for microwave cooking of the present invention preferably further contains salt, spices, or coloring agents.

[0014] The present invention also relates to fried chicken-like foods using the above-mentioned microwaveable flour mix.

[0015] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for producing fried chicken-like foods, which comprises an adhering step of sprinkling a powdered mix for microwave cooking onto ingredients to adhere the powder to the ingredients, and a heating step of cooking the ingredients with the powdered mix adhered thereto in a microwave oven. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] The microwave cooking mix of the present invention provides a microwave cooking mix that can produce fried chicken-like foods that have a favorable appearance and crispness even when not fried, and that can further inhibit sticking of ingredients together.The fried chicken-like foods of the present invention provide fried chicken-like foods that have a favorable appearance and crispness and that can further inhibit sticking of ingredients together.Furthermore, the method for producing a fried chicken-like food of the present invention provides a fried chicken-like food that can produce fried chicken-like foods that have a favorable appearance and crispness even when not fried, and that can further inhibit sticking of ingredients together. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] The present invention will now be described in further detail.

[0018] Unless otherwise specified, the symbol "to" in a numerical range indicates a range from above to below, and both ends of the range are included. Furthermore, when a numerical range is indicated, the upper and lower limits can be combined as appropriate, and the resulting numerical range is also considered to be disclosed.

[0019] <Mixed flour for microwave cooking> The flour mix for microwave cooking of the present invention contains wheat flour, breadcrumbs, oils and fats, and at least one selected from the group consisting of sugars and powdered soy sauce.

[0020] The flour mix for microwave cooking of the present invention contains wheat flour. Wheat flour can be used without any particular limitation as long as it is one that is commonly used in food. Examples of wheat flour include strong flour, semi-strong flour, medium-strength flour, weak flour, whole wheat flour, graham flour, durum semolina, and starch, and these may also be heat-treated flours. The flour mix for microwave cooking of the present invention preferably contains weak flour.

[0021] The wheat flour content in the flour mix for microwave cooking of the present invention is 40 to 70% by mass, preferably 50 to 65% by mass, and more preferably 60 to 65% by mass. If the wheat flour content is less than 40% by mass, there is a problem that foods for deep-frying are easily burnt when the flour mix for microwave cooking is used. On the other hand, if the wheat flour content exceeds 70% by mass, there is a problem that foods for deep-frying are sticky when the flour mix for microwave cooking of the present invention is used. When the wheat flour content in the flour mix for microwave cooking of the present invention is within the above range, foods for deep-frying produced using the flour mix for microwave cooking of the present invention can have a desirable appearance and crispiness, even when they are not fried.

[0022] The flour mix for microwave cooking of the present invention contains breadcrumbs. Breadcrumbs can be any breadcrumbs commonly used in food products, and examples include dry breadcrumbs, semi-dry breadcrumbs, cracker breadcrumbs, etc. The breadcrumbs preferably contain dry breadcrumbs or cracker breadcrumbs, and more preferably dry breadcrumbs.

[0023] Dried bread crumbs can be produced by preparing bread dough in a conventional manner, baking bread using a baking or electrode method, aging the bread, crushing it, drying it to a moisture content of 14% or less, and finally adjusting the particle size using a sieve or the like.

[0024] Semi-dry bread crumbs can be produced by preparing bread dough in a conventional manner, baking bread using a baking or electrode method, aging the bread, crushing it, drying it to a desired moisture content (generally about 14 to 35%), and finally adjusting the particle size using a sieve or the like.

[0025] Cracker crumbs can be produced by preparing dough using a leavening agent without using yeast, baking bread using a baking or electrode method, aging the bread, crushing it, drying it to a moisture content of 14% or less, and finally adjusting the particle size using a sieve or the like.

[0026] In the flour mix for microwave cooking of the present invention, the breadcrumbs preferably have a particle size that passes through a sieve of a size selected from 8 to 30 mesh, and more preferably pass through a 20 mesh sieve, where the opening size of 8 mesh is 2.375 mm, that of 20 mesh is 0.87 mm, and that of 30 mesh is 0.596 mm.

[0027] Here, the particles having a particle size that passes through a sieve of a size selected from 8 to 30 mesh can be obtained by producing breadcrumbs, aging, crushing, and drying bread, and then collecting the particles that pass through a sieve of a size selected from 8 to 30 mesh.

[0028] When the particle size of the breadcrumbs in the flour mix for microwave cooking of the present invention is within the above range, the food for deep-frying produced using the flour mix for microwave cooking of the present invention can have a more desirable appearance and crispiness even when it is not fried. Furthermore, when the flour mix for microwave cooking of the present invention is used to produce food for deep-frying, the sticking of ingredients together is further suppressed, and further, the formation of lumps of the flour mix for microwave cooking is further suppressed.

[0029] The breadcrumb content in the flour mix for microwave cooking of the present invention is 25 to 50% by mass, preferably 30 to 40% by mass. If the breadcrumb content is less than 25% by mass, the food for deep-frying produced using the flour mix for microwave cooking will have a sticky texture. If the breadcrumb content exceeds 50% by mass, the food for deep-frying produced using the flour mix for microwave cooking will have a tendency to burn. When the breadcrumb content in the flour mix for microwave cooking of the present invention is within the above range, the food for deep-frying produced using the flour mix for microwave cooking of the present invention will have a desirable appearance and crispiness, even if it is not fried.

[0030] The microwave cooking mix of the present invention contains fats and oils. Any fat or oil commonly used in foods can be used without particular limitation. Examples of fats and oils include vegetable oils such as linseed oil, perilla oil, walnut oil, safflower oil, grape oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, sesame oil, rapeseed oil, peanut oil, olive oil, palm oil, and coconut oil; liquid fats such as whale oil; solid fats such as beef tallow, lard, chicken fat, mutton fat, and milk fat; processed fats such as deodorized oils, fractionated oils, hydrogenated oils, and interesterified oils; and solid fats and powdered fats prepared from these fats and oils. In the microwave cooking mix of the present invention, the fat or oil is preferably solid or powdered, and more preferably powdered.

[0031] Powdered fats and oils are obtained by powdering fats and oils. Powdering methods include the spray drying method, in which an oil-in-water emulsion is spray-dried using a spray dryer or the like to produce an emulsified powder; the spray cooling method, in which dissolved fats and oils are sprayed into a cooling tower (chiller) to produce a powder; the drum flake method, in which dissolved fats and oils are poured onto a cooled drum, solidified, and scraped off; a method in which an oil-in-water emulsion is prepared, and then the fats and oils are cooled and solidified, and then separated and dried; and a method in which liquid fats and oils are hydrogenated and hardened. Powdered fats and oils may contain, in addition to fats and oils, proteins, emulsifiers, sugars, dairy products, seasonings, antioxidants, etc.

[0032] As the powdered oil or fat, commercially available products can be used, such as "Magic Fat 200" (trade name, manufactured by Miyoshi Oil Co., Ltd.) and "Magic Fat 202" (trade name, manufactured by Miyoshi Oil Co., Ltd.).

[0033] The oil and fat content in the microwave cooking mix of the present invention is 1 to 10% by mass, preferably 1 to 5% by mass. If the oil and fat content is less than 1% by mass, there is a problem that when a food for deep-frying is produced using the microwave cooking mix, the ingredients tend to stick together. If the oil and fat content exceeds 10% by mass, there is a problem that when a food for deep-frying is produced using the microwave cooking mix, the texture becomes sticky. When the oil and fat content in the microwave cooking mix of the present invention is within the above range, the food for deep-frying produced using the microwave cooking mix of the present invention can have a good appearance and crispiness, even if it is not fried, and further, sticking of the ingredients together is suppressed.

[0034] The flour mix for microwave cooking of the present invention contains at least one selected from the group consisting of sugars and powdered soy sauce.

[0035] Any sugar commonly used in foods can be used without particular limitation. Examples include sugar, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, lactose, enzyme-saccharified starch syrup, reduced starch syrup, oligosaccharides, reduced sugar polydextrose, reduced lactose, sorbitol, trehalose, xylose, xylitol, maltitol, erythritol, mannitol, fructooligosaccharides, soybean oligosaccharides, galactooligosaccharides, lactoferrin oligosaccharides, raffinose, lactulose, palatinose oligosaccharides, stevia, and aspartame. Caramel or melanoidin obtained by heating sugar can also be used. In the microwave-safe powder mix of the present invention, the sugar preferably comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of glucose, sugar, and caramel.

[0036] As the powdered soy sauce, powdered soy sauce produced according to a method for producing ordinary powdered soy sauce used in food products can be used, and commercially available products may also be used.

[0037] Examples of powdered soy sauce obtained by a conventional method for producing powdered soy sauce include powdered soy sauce obtained by mixing soy sauce (such as dark soy sauce, tamari soy sauce, reduced-salt soy sauce, or re-brewed soy sauce) with an excipient (such as dextrin, starch syrup, glucose, fructose, gelatin, or gum), drying the mixture, and then pulverizing or spray-drying it.

[0038] The spray drying step can be carried out by known means, for example, a method in which the material is sprayed into a high-temperature air current using a pressure nozzle or a rotating disk atomizer to dry and powder the material.

[0039] The content of sugars or powdered soy sauce in the microwave cooking mix of the present invention is 1 to 10% by mass, preferably 5 to 10% by mass. If the content of sugars or powdered soy sauce is less than 1% by mass, when a food for deep-frying is produced using the microwave cooking mix, there is a problem that the food lacks crispness and has a sticky texture. On the other hand, if the content of sugars or powdered soy sauce exceeds 10% by mass, when a food for deep-frying is produced using the microwave cooking mix, there is a problem that the food is easily burned. When the content of sugars or powdered soy sauce in the microwave cooking mix of the present invention is within the above range, the food for deep-frying produced using the microwave cooking mix of the present invention can have a desirable appearance and crispness, even if it is not fried.

[0040] The flour mix for microwave cooking of the present invention preferably further contains corn grits or corn starch.

[0041] Corn grits are coarse grains made by grinding the endosperm of corn, and any type commonly used in food products can be used without particular limitation. The type of corn used as the raw material for corn grits is not particularly limited, but examples include dent corn, flint corn, sweet corn, soft corn, popcorn, waxy corn, and pod corn.

[0042] Cornstarch is starch obtained from corn, and any type commonly used in foods can be used without particular limitation, regardless of the type, such as regular cornstarch, high-amylose cornstarch, waxy cornstarch, etc. In addition, the cornstarch may be chemically, physically, or enzymatically processed.

[0043] Examples of chemical processing include acid treatment, alkali treatment, oxidation treatment, esterification such as acetylation, etherification such as hydroxypropylation, and crosslinking treatment. Examples of physical processing include heat treatment, gelatinization treatment, moist heat treatment, ball mill treatment, and fine pulverization treatment. Examples of enzymatic processing include treatment using α-amylase treatment.

[0044] Furthermore, the method for producing the cornstarch may be wet milling or dry milling.

[0045] The flour mix for microwave cooking of the present invention preferably further contains at least one selected from the group consisting of salt, spices, and coloring agents.

[0046] The salt can be any salt that is commonly used in food products, and examples thereof include salt produced by an ion exchange membrane salt production method, solar salt, salt made from molten salt, rock salt, and seaweed salt.

[0047] Spices that are commonly used in food can be used without any particular limitation, such as pepper, chili pepper, nutmeg, garlic, basil, and cumin.

[0048] Any coloring agent that is commonly used in foods can be used without any particular restrictions, and examples thereof include strong gardenia yellow, caramel color, carotenide color, cochineal color, monascus color, turmeric color, food tar-based color, safflower red color, etc.

[0049] The flour mix for microwave cooking of the present invention may further contain the same auxiliary materials as conventional flour mixes for microwave cooking, such as starch, grain flour, vegetable protein, milk powder, egg powder, seasonings, leavening agents, emulsifiers, colorings, flavorings, vitamins, minerals, etc.

[0050] Examples of the seasoning include chemical seasonings such as sodium glutamate, glycine, sodium inosinate, and sodium guanylate, and natural seasonings such as powdered extracts of vegetables and seafood, and powdered miso paste.

[0051] <Method of manufacturing fried chicken-like food> The method for producing fried chicken-like foods of the present invention includes an adhering step of sprinkling the powder mix for microwave cooking of the present invention in powder form onto ingredients to adhere to the ingredients, and a heating step of cooking the ingredients with the powder mix adhered thereto obtained in the adhering step in a microwave oven.

[0052] The ingredients are not particularly limited, but examples thereof include meats such as chicken, pork, beef, horse meat, etc., seafood such as shrimp, squid, octopus, horse mackerel, sardines, mackerel, etc., vegetables such as sweet potato, potato, pumpkin, bell pepper, broccoli, asparagus, burdock, carrot, etc., mushrooms such as enoki mushroom, shiitake mushroom, maitake mushroom, shimeji mushroom, etc., with meats being preferred, and chicken being more preferred. These ingredients may be uncooked or cooked by boiling, steaming, or the like.

[0053] The adhering step can be carried out by sprinkling the powdered flour mix for microwave cooking of the present invention on the entire surface of the ingredients as is, or after seasoning the ingredients with any seasoning. After sprinkling the powder mix for microwave cooking on the ingredients, the ingredients may be kneaded to more reliably adhere the powder mix for microwave cooking to the ingredients.

[0054] In this case, the amount of the microwave cooking mix powder to be applied should be sufficient to allow it to adhere to the surface of the ingredients.

[0055] In the heating step, the power and time can be adjusted so that the ingredients are heated to an edible state. For example, when cooking ingredients coated with the microwave cooking mix of the present invention (for example, chicken meat coated with the microwave cooking mix [about 6 pieces, each weighing 40±2 g]), heating at 500 to 600 W for about 5 to 6 minutes is preferable in terms of texture and flavor.

[0056] In the heating step, it is preferable to lay a sheet under the ingredients to which the microwave cooking mix has been applied. Any sheet commonly used in food processing and cooking can be used without particular limitation, as long as it can absorb liquids such as meat juices to a certain extent, for example, water and / or oil absorbency. Examples of materials for the sheet include paper, nonwoven fabric, woven fabric, etc. Examples of paper-based materials include towel paper such as cooking paper, cooking sheets, and cooking towels, printing paper, processed paper, and tissue paper. Examples of nonwoven fabrics and woven fabrics include pulp, cotton, and paper-based cellulose fibers, nylon fibers, vinylon fibers, polyester fibers, polyolefin fibers, and rayon fibers.

[0057] <Fried chicken-like food> The fried chicken-like food of the present invention is a fried chicken-like food made using the above-mentioned microwave cooking mix flour, or a fried chicken-like food produced by the above-mentioned method for producing a fried chicken-like food.

[0058] (Impossible / impractical circumstances) Quantitative measurement of the texture of the fried chicken-like food products of the present invention using an apparatus is impossible or impractical. Therefore, as described below, evaluation of the texture of embodiments of the fried chicken-like food products of the present invention was performed by having four panelists eat them. Since it is impossible or impractical to directly identify the fried chicken-like food products of the present invention by their structure or properties, the fried chicken-like food products of the present invention should be identified by the method for producing the fried chicken-like food products of the present invention. [Example]

[0059] The present invention will be described in more detail below based on examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0060] [Materials used] Heat-treated flour: "Heat-treated flour A" (manufactured by Nitto Fuji Flour Milling Co., Ltd.) obtained by milling wheat that has been heat-treated at 100°C and then air-drying it Breadcrumbs (particle size 8 mesh): "Breadcrumbs A" (prototype) is a product made by crushing bread baked using an electrode system, drying it, and then sieving it through an 8-mesh screen (opening size 2.375 mm). Breadcrumbs (20 mesh size): "Breadcrumbs B" (prototype) is a product made by crushing crackers baked in a roasting oven, drying them, and then passing them through a 20-mesh (0.870 mm) mesh. Breadcrumbs (30 mesh size): "Breadcrumbs C" (prototype) is a product made by crushing bread baked in a roasting oven, drying it, and passing it through a 30-mesh (0.596 mm) mesh. Breadcrumbs (60 mesh particle size): "Breadcrumbs D" (prototype) is a product made by milling dried breadcrumbs to a size equivalent to 60 mesh using a pin mill grinder. Powdered oil: "Unishort K" (product name, manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.) Spices: "Spice Mix A" (House Gaban Co., Ltd.) A blend of onion, ginger, pepper, etc.

[0061] [Production of fried chicken] Microwave cooking mixes were prepared according to the formulations shown in the top rows of Tables 1 to 3. 30 g of the microwave cooking mix was placed in a bag or container, and 250 g of bite-sized chicken meat was added as the filling, which was then kneaded to adhere the microwave cooking mix to the filling. The ingredients with the microwave cooking mix attached were arranged on a plate and heated in a microwave oven at 500 W for 6 minutes to produce fried chicken.

[0062] Four panelists tasted the resulting fried chicken, evaluated it according to the following criteria, and calculated the average. The results are shown in the lower part of Tables 1 to 3. In addition, if there were any notable features of each fried chicken, they were noted in the remarks column.

[0063] The appearance was evaluated as follows: A: good, B: average, C: slightly bad, D: bad.

[0064] The crispness was evaluated based on whether the texture could be felt when the teeth touched the surface of the batter of the fried chicken, and was rated as A: good, B: average, C: slightly bad, and D: bad.

[0065] The taste was evaluated as follows: A: good, B: average, C: slightly bad, D: bad.

[0066] [Table 1]

[0067] [Table 2]

[0068] [Table 3] As shown in Tables 1 to 3, the fried chicken produced using the microwave cooking mixes of Examples 1 to 17, which contained 40 to 70% by mass of wheat flour, 25 to 50% by mass of breadcrumbs, 1 to 10% by mass of oils and fats, and 1 to 10% by mass of sugars or powdered soy sauce, were rated better in appearance, crispness, and taste than the fried chicken produced using the microwave cooking mixes of Comparative Examples 1 to 6, which did not meet the above ranges, and no sticking between the ingredients was observed.

[0069] As shown in Table 1, the fried chicken produced using the microwave cooking mixes of Comparative Examples 1 and 2, in which the oil and fat content was outside the range of 1 to 10% by mass, and Comparative Examples 3 and 4, in which the sugar or soy sauce powder content was outside the range of 1 to 10% by mass, were evaluated as having poorer appearance, crispness, and taste than the fried chicken produced using the microwave cooking mixes of Examples 1 to 8, in which the contents of the above ranges were satisfied, and sticking of the ingredients was observed.

[0070] As shown in Table 2, the fried chicken produced using the microwave cooking mixes of Comparative Examples 5 and 6, in which the bread crumb content was outside the range of 25 to 50% by mass, received poorer evaluations in terms of appearance, crispness, and taste than the fried chicken produced using the microwave cooking mixes of Examples 9 to 14, in which the bread crumb content was within the above range, and the ingredients were observed to stick together.

[0071] As shown in Table 2, the fried chicken produced using the microwave cooking mixes of Examples 9, 10, and 14, in which the breadcrumbs had a particle size of 8 to 30 mesh, had better evaluations of crispiness and taste than the fried chicken produced using the microwave cooking mixes of Examples 11 to 13, in which the breadcrumbs had a particle size outside the 8 to 30 mesh range.

[0072] As shown in Table 3, the fried chicken produced using the microwave cooking mixes of Examples 15 to 17, which further contained corn grits, corn starch, salt, and spices, were evaluated as being more crispy and tasty.

Claims

1. The mixed flour for microwave cooking contains 40 to 70% by mass of wheat flour, 25 to 50% by mass of breadcrumbs, 1 to 10% by mass of fats and oils, and 1 to 10% by mass of at least one selected from the group consisting of sugars and powdered soy sauce.

2. 2. The powder mix for microwave cooking according to claim 1, wherein the breadcrumbs have a particle size that passes through a sieve of a size selected from 8 to 30 mesh.

3. 2. The flour mix for microwave cooking according to claim 1, wherein the sugars include at least one selected from the group consisting of glucose, sugar, and caramel.

4. 2. The flour mix for microwave cooking according to claim 1, further comprising corn grits or corn starch.

5. 2. The flour mix for microwave cooking according to claim 1, further comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of salt, spices, and coloring agents.

6. A fried chicken-like food product using the flour mix for microwave cooking according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. An adhering step of sprinkling the powder mix for microwave cooking according to any one of claims 1 to 5 in a powdered state onto ingredients to adhere them to the ingredients; and a heating step of cooking the ingredients to which the mixed powder adheres in a microwave oven, the ingredients being obtained in the adhering step.

8. A fried chicken-like food produced by the method of claim 7.

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