Kitchen appliance and method for roasting meat

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional meat roasting methods at high temperatures lead to the formation of potentially carcinogenic compounds and result in dry, less flavorful meat, while steaming to retain moisture is time-consuming.

Innovation Solution

A kitchen appliance with a food preparation chamber featuring a fan, heating element, and humidifier, controlled by a program that includes a steaming stage at 60-70°C with high humidity, a drying stage to reduce humidity, and a roasting stage at 140-160°C, minimizing the formation of harmful compounds and maintaining meat moisture.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If meat is roasted at high temperatures to reduce cooking time, then cooking speed is improved, but harmful compounds are formed and meat quality deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooking speedVSAvoidformation of harmful compounds
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cooking process is divided into three distinct stages: steaming (60-70°C), drying (below 100°C), and roasting (140-160°C). This segmentation allows each stage to serve a specific function - the steaming stage cooks the meat internally without forming harmful compounds, the drying stage prepares the surface for roasting, and the final roasting stage develops flavor at a controlled temperature that prevents carcinogen formation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic temperature control by adjusting the cooking temperature according to the stage of cooking. The temperature is maintained at 60-70°C during steaming, increased to below 100°C during drying, and finally set to 140-160°C for roasting. This parameter change strategy enables efficient cooking while avoiding the temperature range (above 160°C) that produces harmful compounds.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Quantity of substance

If meat is steamed to retain moisture, then moisture retention is improved, but cooking time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemoisture retentionVSAvoidcooking time
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The steaming stage is performed first to pre-cook the meat and maximize moisture retention before the drying and roasting stages. By establishing the moisture base early in the process, the subsequent stages can focus on surface preparation and flavor development without requiring extended cooking times, thus achieving both moisture retention and time efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The three cooking stages are implemented in continuous sequence without interruption - steaming followed immediately by drying, then immediately by roasting. This continuous action ensures that the moisture retained during steaming is preserved through the transition to drying and roasting, while the uninterrupted process minimizes total cooking time compared to traditional methods with separate preparation and cooking phases.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Object-affected harmful factors

If roasting temperature is reduced to prevent harmful compound formation, then safety is improved, but cooking time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveharmful compound formationVSAvoidcooking time
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The cooking process separates the internal cooking function (steaming at 60-70°C) from the surface browning function (roasting at 140-160°C). This segmentation allows the bulk of the cooking to occur at a safe, low temperature that prevents harmful compound formation, while the final roasting stage at moderately elevated temperature provides efficient finishing and flavor development without exceeding the threshold for carcinogen formation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The steaming stage performs the primary cooking function in advance, bringing the meat to near-final doneness at a safe temperature. This preliminary action reduces the burden on the final roasting stage, allowing it to be conducted at a lower temperature (140-160°C) for a shorter duration, thereby preventing harmful compound formation while maintaining reasonable cooking time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 method achieves a short cooking time with reduced formation of harmful compounds, resulting in a succulent and tender piece of meat with higher moisture content compared to traditional methods.

Implementation Method 1

a steaming stage to steam the meat in the food preparation chamber during which the controller controls the humidifier for a first period of time

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSteam generation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 2

a drying stage to dry the steamed meat after said steaming stage during which the controller controls the fan and the heating element for a second period of time to increase the wind speed within the food preparation chamber to a second wind speed and reduce the humidity

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAir flow: Convection

Implementation Method 3

a roasting stage to roast the dried meat after said drying stage during which the controller controls the heating element for a third period of time to keep the temperature within the food preparation chamber in a range of 140-160°C

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Data Source

PatentEP4167763B1Kitchen appliance and method for roasting meat
Publication Date: 2024.05.15 VERSUNI HLDG BV
  • EP4167763B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4167763B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4167763B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A kitchen appliance (10) is disclosed comprising a food preparation chamber (20) including a fan (32), a heating element (34) and a humidifier (40); and a controller (50) arranged to control the fan, the heating element and the humidifier, the controller being configured to implement a program for roasting meat (1). The program comprises a steaming stage to steam the meat in the food preparation chamber during which the controller controls the humidifier for a first period of time and controls the fan and the heating element during said first period of time to generate a first wind speed within the food preparation chamber and keep the temperature within the food preparation chamber in a range of 60-70°C during said steaming stage; a drying stage to dry the steamed meat after said steaming stage during which the controller controls the fan and the heating element for a second period of time to increase the wind speed within the food preparation chamber to a second wind speed and reduce the humidity in the food preparation chamber; and a roasting stage to roast the dried meat after said drying stage during which the controller controls the heating element for a third period of time to keep the temperature within the food preparation chamber in a range of 140-160°C during said roasting stage. Also disclosed is a corresponding method for roasting meat.