Method of freezing salted meat products

Abstract

A method of freezing a cured protein product to preventing or reducing purge produced from such frozen cured protein products is provided. The method includes the steps of preparing a brine including a cruciferous oil and a glycol, cooling the brine, and subjecting the cured protein product to the cooled brine.

1 . A method of freezing a cured protein product to reduce purge produced from said cured protein product comprising the steps of: preparing a brine comprising at least 0.1% by weight of cruciferous oil, between about 30 and 50% by weight of glycol. and between about 5 and 15% by weight of an inorganic salt, the balance being water; cooling the brine to a temperature between about −22 and −43.6° F.; and subjecting said cured protein product to said cooled brine.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the oil is extracted from a plant of the genus Brassica.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the oil is selected from the group consisting of rapeseed oil, mustard oil, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the oil contains erucic acid as the single largest component.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the oil contains less than about 2% saturated components.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the oil is used in an amount between about 0.1 and 0.5% by weight of the brine.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the glycol is propylene glycol.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the glycol is present in an amount between about 35 and 40% by weight of the brine.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the salt is calcium chloride.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the salt is present in an amount between about 7 and 13% by weight of the brine.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the water is present in an amount between about 4 and 55% by weight of the brine.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of vacuum packaging said cured protein product.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said cured protein product is vacuum packaged in a plastic bag.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising placing said cured protein product on a perforated board such that the entire surface of said cured protein product is exposed to the brine.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said perforated board is a plastic mesh.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said cured protein product is a salted meat product.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said cured protein product is a salted and smoked meat product.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said cured protein product is a fish.  
     
     
         19 . A method of freezing a cured protein product to reduce purge produced from cured protein product comprising the steps of: 
 (a) preparing a brine comprising at least 0.1% by weight of cruciferous oil, between about 30 and 50% by weight of glycol and between about 5 and 15% by weight of an inorganic salt, the balance being water;    (b) cooling the brine to a temperature between about −22 and −43.6° F.;    (c) vacuum packaging said cured protein product;    (d) placing said cured protein product on a perforated board such that the entire surface of said cured protein product is exposed to the cooled brine; and    (e) immersing said cured protein product in the brine until said cured protein product is completely frozen.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the brine includes between about 0.1 and 1% by weight of a cruciferous oil.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the oil is rapeseed oil.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the brine includes between about 0.1 and 0.5% by weight of a cruciferous oil, between about 35 and 45% by weight of a glycol, between 7 and 13% by weight of an inorganic salt and a balance of water.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said cured protein product is vacuum packaged in a plastic bag.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said perforated board is a plastic mesh.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said cured protein product is a salted meat product.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said cured protein product is a salted and smoked meat product.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said cured protein product is a fish.