GB2063641A - Method or cooking - Google Patents

Abstract

There is disclosed an energy saving method of cooking meat comprising heating the meal to be cooked and subsequently placing it in an insulated chamber, the ratio of pot volume plus meal volume: air volume being from 1:1.1 to 1:10, and allowing the meal to finish cooking.

Description

SPECIFICATION Method of cooking The present invention relates to a method of cook ing, whereby different types and quantities of meals can be cooked simultaneously with the lowest con sumption of energy without impairing the specific properties of the meals. Despite various different cooking times, if such times are exceeded, the method prevents any overcooking of the individual cooked items which are made ready to eat collectively.

Energy-saving methods are known, whereby indi vidual meals -- so-called casserole (or one-pot) dis hes - have their cooking completed in heatinsulating devices according to the "haybox" principle after being pre-cooked for a relatively long time (with additional pre-soaking in the case of leguminous plants). Steam pressure cookers are also used for the same purpose and they succeed in shortening the cooking time by means of a relatively high temperature.

With these methods, preparation is restricted to one meal with one cooking process. In the case of the steam pressure cooker, there is also the additional aspect that the high cooking temperature (up to 1200C), plus the oxygen adsorption in the meal to be cooked, which is increased by the steam pressure, have unfavourable effects upon the food contents.

It is also known to place several meals simultane ously in a so-called "steamer" collectively upon one source of heat e.g. a hot plate, and to heat the meals thus from the bottom upwards. Apart from the very dubious asserted saving of energy, there can be no mention at all here of a specific cooking of meals.

In order to avoid these listed disadvantages, therefore, it is proposed according to the invention to heat briefly the various items of a meal or meals of one menu in any desirable pots individually, as required, and to insert these subsequently into an appropriately insulated chamber so that there still remains sufficient air for circulation. This air is heated by the heat radiation from the pots and ensures, by convection, that the meals which are to be cooked and are cooked in this way despite different starting temperatures and heat capacities have the temperature controlled uniformly. This also applies in particular to ,foods which do not need particularly high cooking temperature and long cooking time.Consequently, the particularly conserving steaming process, e.g. of vegetables and fish, is guaranteed and, even after many hours (12), these items do not overcook as a result of the slight, but constant temperature reduc tion.

According to the present invention there is pro vided a method of cooking comprising heating the meal to be cooked and subsequently placing it in an insulated chamber, the ratio of pot volume plus meal volume: air volume from 1:1.1 to 1:10, and allowing the meal to finish cooking.

It is also possible with this method for even farinaceous foods to be able to be kept edible for hours without overcooking. This also applies to rice and similar foods, where liquid is only added to the used weight of the pertinent cooked item in a specific ratio in order to achieve the desired effect.

One further essential feature of the proposed.

method is, therefore, the independence of time, between the preparation and removal of the readycooked meal, e.g. according to this method, a meal can be prepared in the morning and can be removed ready to eat at midday and/or in the evening. In particular, in the case of meat, the desired edible state (rare, (al dente), medium, well done) is maintained for hours depending upon the boiling or roasting time.

1. A method of cooking comprising heating the meal to be cooked and subsequently placing it in an insulated chamber, the ratio of pot volume plus meal volume: air volume being from 1:1.1 to 1:10, and allowing The meal to finish cooking.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (1)

1. **WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

   SPECIFICATION Method of cooking The present invention relates to a method of cook ing, whereby different types and quantities of meals can be cooked simultaneously with the lowest con sumption of energy without impairing the specific properties of the meals. Despite various different cooking times, if such times are exceeded, the method prevents any overcooking of the individual cooked items which are made ready to eat collectively.

   Energy-saving methods are known, whereby indi vidual meals -- so-called casserole (or one-pot) dis hes - have their cooking completed in heatinsulating devices according to the "haybox" principle after being pre-cooked for a relatively long time (with additional pre-soaking in the case of leguminous plants). Steam pressure cookers are also used for the same purpose and they succeed in shortening the cooking time by means of a relatively high temperature.

   With these methods, preparation is restricted to one meal with one cooking process. In the case of the steam pressure cooker, there is also the additional aspect that the high cooking temperature (up to 1200C), plus the oxygen adsorption in the meal to be cooked, which is increased by the steam pressure, have unfavourable effects upon the food contents.

   It is also known to place several meals simultane ously in a so-called "steamer" collectively upon one source of heat e.g. a hot plate, and to heat the meals thus from the bottom upwards. Apart from the very dubious asserted saving of energy, there can be no mention at all here of a specific cooking of meals.

   In order to avoid these listed disadvantages, therefore, it is proposed according to the invention to heat briefly the various items of a meal or meals of one menu in any desirable pots individually, as required, and to insert these subsequently into an appropriately insulated chamber so that there still remains sufficient air for circulation. This air is heated by the heat radiation from the pots and ensures, by convection, that the meals which are to be cooked and are cooked in this way despite different starting temperatures and heat capacities have the temperature controlled uniformly. This also applies in particular to ,foods which do not need particularly high cooking temperature and long cooking time.Consequently, the particularly conserving steaming process, e.g. of vegetables and fish, is guaranteed and, even after many hours (12), these items do not overcook as a result of the slight, but constant temperature reduc tion.

   According to the present invention there is pro vided a method of cooking comprising heating the meal to be cooked and subsequently placing it in an insulated chamber, the ratio of pot volume plus meal volume: air volume from 1:1.1 to 1:10, and allowing the meal to finish cooking.

   It is also possible with this method for even farinaceous foods to be able to be kept edible for hours without overcooking. This also applies to rice and similar foods, where liquid is only added to the used weight of the pertinent cooked item in a specific ratio in order to achieve the desired effect.

   One further essential feature of the proposed.

   method is, therefore, the independence of time, between the preparation and removal of the readycooked meal, e.g. according to this method, a meal can be prepared in the morning and can be removed ready to eat at midday and/or in the evening. In particular, in the case of meat, the desired edible state (rare, (al dente), medium, well done) is maintained for hours depending upon the boiling or roasting time.

   1. A method of cooking comprising heating the meal to be cooked and subsequently placing it in an insulated chamber, the ratio of pot volume plus meal volume: air volume being from 1:1.1 to 1:10, and allowing The meal to finish cooking.