Smoking and basting lid
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooking devices cannot simultaneously baste foods to maintain moisture and impart smoke flavor, especially when cooking directly on a heating surface like a grill or griddle, as they do not produce natural smoke.
Innovation Solution
A smoking and basting lid with a built-in capsule for smoke-producing substances, allowing smoke to circulate and an adjustable vent to control airflow, enabling simultaneous basting and smoking of foods on non-smoke generating cooking surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a basting lid is used to maintain moisture, then the food remains moist during cooking, but the lid cannot impart smoke flavor to the food
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a basting lid and a smoking device into a single integrated unit. The lid includes a moisture collection system that condenses steam from the food and redirects it onto the food surface, while simultaneously incorporating a smoke generation chamber that burns wood chips or pellets to produce smoke flavor. This merging allows the device to perform both basting and smoking functions concurrently during cooking.
Solution Approach 2:
The lid is designed as a multi-functional device that can simultaneously collect and redistribute moisture while generating and circulating smoke around the food. The universal design allows it to function as both a basting device and a smoking device, eliminating the need for separate equipment and enabling versatile cooking operations on various heat sources.
2Adaptability or versatility
If an enclosed cooking unit with smoke circulation is used, then smoke flavor is imparted to the food, but the device cannot be used for direct contact cooking on grills or griddles
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into distinct functional components: a lid portion that interfaces with the cooking surface, a smoke generation chamber that holds burning material, and a moisture collection system. This segmentation allows the device to adapt to different cooking surfaces while maintaining its smoke and basting functions. The lid can be placed over food on grills, griddles, or other heat sources, and the internal components independently perform smoke generation and moisture redistribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The lid acts as an intermediary between the cooking surface and the food, creating a controlled environment that enables smoke flavor infusion without requiring direct contact between the burning material and the food. The lid captures smoke generated in the chamber and circulates it around the food, while also collecting and redistributing moisture, thus mediating the cooking process to achieve both smoke flavor and moisture retention.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a smoke source is circulated through an enclosed cooking unit, then smoke flavor is imparted to the food, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The smoke generation chamber is nested within the lid structure, with the burning material contained in a chamber that is integrated into the lid's body. The moisture collection channels and smoke circulation pathways are also nested within the lid's internal structure. This nesting arrangement consolidates multiple functions into a compact form factor, reducing the overall device complexity while maintaining smoke and basting capabilities.
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
The device effectively adds smoke flavor to foods while maintaining moisture, allowing for simultaneous basting and smoking on surfaces like flat top griddles, with user-friendly operation and adjustable smoke control.
Implementation Method 1
The capsule holds a material that generates smoke that can circulate within at least a portion of the interior volume of the lid
Implementation Method 2
The basting lid contains the moisture produced by the food in order to prevent the food from drying out during cooking
Implementation Method 3
includes an adjustable vent that works in conjunction with air or breather apertures to control air flow, smoke and steam in order to properly season and cook food
Data Source
AI summary
A smoking and basting lid including its own smoking unit that holds a smoke producing substance in a capsule of the lid which allows the lid to smoke a food covered by the lid.