System and Method for Cooking Pieces of Protein
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for preparing fried protein dishes, such as fried chicken or fish, involve handling raw protein pieces, which poses hygiene risks due to the potential for batter spoilage and requires skilled preparers, and do not allow for broad culinary options in the final preparation step.
Innovation Solution
A system and method where protein pieces are first battered and then sealed in pouches, cooked, and shipped in a refrigerated or frozen state, allowing end-users to thaw and bread or coat them before flash frying, eliminating the need for additional batter and reducing contamination risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If raw protein pieces are coated with liquid batter containing raw egg and other ingredients, then the protein pieces can be fried to create a crispy crust, but the batter may spoil at room temperature or if kept too long, creating hygiene problems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-cooking the battered protein pieces in a controlled manufacturing environment before distribution. The protein pieces are battered, cooked, and frozen in advance, eliminating the need for restaurants to handle raw batter and reducing contamination risks. This resolves the contradiction by performing the coating and cooking actions beforehand in a controlled setting.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the harmful element (raw batter containing raw egg) from the restaurant environment by pre-cooking the protein pieces at the manufacturing site. The cooked, frozen protein pieces are distributed to restaurants ready-to-cook, removing the source of potential spoilage and contamination from the restaurant setting while preserving the ability to create crispy crusts through final frying.
2Adaptability or versatility
If uncooked protein pieces are coated and kept at room temperature or refrigerated for extended periods, then the protein may spoil, but storing and handling raw protein requires skilled preparers and increases hygiene risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs the coating and cooking actions in advance in a controlled manufacturing environment, then distributes the pre-cooked, frozen protein pieces to restaurants. This eliminates the need for restaurants to store or handle raw protein, removing spoilage risks while preserving culinary versatility through final frying and various coating options at the point of service.
3Ease of operation
If restaurants handle raw protein pieces for coating and frying, then culinary preparation can be customized, but the process requires skilled preparers and increases the risk of contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts raw protein handling from the restaurant operation entirely. Pre-cooked, frozen protein pieces are distributed to restaurants, eliminating the need for staff to handle raw protein for coating. This reduces contamination risks while maintaining ease of operation through simple thawing and frying processes. Restaurants can still customize with various breading and coating options applied to the already-cooked protein.
4Shape
If liquid batter with raw egg is used for coating protein pieces, then a crispy crust can be achieved, but the batter constitutes a source of hygiene problems when kept too long
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes raw batter from the restaurant environment entirely by pre-cooking the battered protein pieces at the manufacturing site. The cooked, frozen protein pieces are distributed ready-to-cook, eliminating the hygiene problems associated with storing and handling raw batter while preserving the ability to achieve crispy crusts through final frying in oil.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs the battering and cooking actions in advance in a controlled manufacturing environment. The protein pieces are coated with batter, cooked to develop the crispy crust foundation, then frozen for distribution. This preliminary preparation eliminates restaurant handling of raw batter while maintaining the ability to achieve desirable crust textures through final high-temperature frying.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach minimizes contamination risks, streamlines food preparation, and allows for varied culinary options by providing a precooked protein product that reduces the occurrence of spoiled protein pieces and eliminates the need for raw protein handling during cooking.
Implementation Method 1
a heating unit that receives the plastic pouches from the thermoforming packaging machine and cooks the battered protein in the plastic pouches
Implementation Method 2
a thermoforming packaging machine that receives the pieces of protein coated with the batter from the batter applicator and seals the pieces of protein in plastic pouches
Implementation Method 3
the end user simply removes the previously battered and cooked protein pieces from their pouches, thaws the protein pieces if necessary, breads and/or coats the protein pieces as desired, and flash fries the pieces for serving
Data Source
AI summary
A system for cooking pieces of protein may include a batter applicator that receives a batter made from high-gluten flour and coats the batter on pieces of protein, a thermoforming packaging machine that receives the pieces of protein coated with the batter from the batter applicator and seals the pieces of protein in plastic pouches, and a heating unit that receives the plastic pouches from the thermoforming packaging machine and cooks the battered protein in the plastic pouches. A method for cooking pieces of protein may include coating a batter made from high-gluten flour on the pieces of protein; sealing the pieces of protein coated with the batter in plastic pouches; and cooking the battered protein in the plastic pouches to make cooked, battered protein pieces in which the batter is tacky after cooking. The cooked protein pieces may be removed from the plastic pouches, breaded, and flash fried.