High-temperature packaging of bone in meat product

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for preparing a ribbed meat product in a reduced cook cycle. The methods may comprise placing a ribbed meat product into a high-temperature cook-in bag suitable for high-temperature cooking processes that occur at temperatures greater than about 350° F. and sealing the high-temperature cook-in bag to create a package. The high-temperature cook-in bag containing the ribbed meat product may be placed directly into an oven and exposed to a temperature greater than about 350° F., reducing the cook time necessary to render or rethermalize the ribbed meat product by a factor of about 3 as compared to conventional low temperature cooking processes. The benefits of the disclosed methods include reduced cook times to render or rethermalize ribbed meat products, enhanced flavor of the ribbed meat products, reduced risk of contamination, and improved cleanliness. Both cooked and uncooked ribbed meat products may be prepared in these methods.

1 . A method for preparing a bone in meat product for a cook cycle, the method comprising:
 placing the bone in meat product into a high-temperature cook-in bag comprising a film, wherein the film is configured to be exposed to a temperature of at least 350° F. during the cook cycle; and   sealing the high-temperature cook-in bag to form a package that includes the bone in meat product,   wherein the film includes an oxygen barrier for maintaining a vacuum seal within the package.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the film is a blended monolayer film comprising at least 75% nylon blended with at least one of a polyester, a polyamide elastomer, or a polyester elastomer. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein film is a blended monolayer film comprising about 60% to 80% nylon 6 and about 20% to 40% heat-stabilized nylon 6,6. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the film is a multilayer film comprising an outer layer and an inner layer,
 wherein the outer layer includes at least 75% nylon or polyester blended with a polyester elastomer or a polyamide elastomer, and   wherein the inner layer includes a polyester elastomer or polyamide elastomer.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the film is a multilayer film comprising an outer layer, an inner layer and a tie layer disposed between the outer and inner layers,
 wherein the outer layer includes a polyester elastomer, a polyamide elastomer, or a nylon,   wherein the inner layer includes a polyester elastomer or a polyamide elastomer, and   wherein the tie layer includes at least 75% nylon or polyester blended with a polyester elastomer or a polyamide elastomer.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the film has a thickness in a range of about 1 mil to 6 mils. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the film has an oxygen barrier transmission coefficient approximately equal to, or less than, 30 cc/24 hr/100 in 2 /mil and a water vapor barrier transmission coefficient approximately equal to, or less than, 40 g/24 hr/100 in 2 /mil. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the film has a tear strength greater than about 50 g/mil and a tensile yield strength of greater than approximately 2,000 psi. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising cooking or rendering the bone in meat product prior to placing the bone-in meat product in the high-temperature cook-in bag. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising tenderizing, seasoning, or marinating the bone in meat product prior to placing the bone in meat product into the high-temperature cook-in bag. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein sealing the high-temperature cook-in bag includes evacuating air from the high-temperature cook-in bag and hermetically sealing the high-temperature cook-in bag. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the package is configured to be placed directly into a high-temperature cooking apparatus. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising refrigerating or freezing the package, wherein the refrigerated or frozen package is configured to be placed directly into a high-temperature apparatus. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the package is configured to facilitate a reduced cook cycle that is about one-hour or less. 
     
     
         15 . A contained package for preparing a ribbed meat product in a reduced cook cycle, the contained package comprising:
 a high-temperature cook-in bag comprising a film configured to be exposed to a temperature of at least 350° F. during the reduced cook cycle, wherein the film has an oxygen barrier transmission coefficient approximately equal to, or less than, 30 cc/24 hr/100 in 2 /mil and a water vapor barrier transmission coefficient approximately equal to, or less than, 40 g/24 hr/100 in 2 /mil; and   a ribbed meat product sealed within the high-temperature cook-in bag.   
     
     
         16 . The contained package of  claim 15 , wherein the film is a blended monolayer film comprising at least 75% nylon blended with at least one of a polyester, a polyamide elastomer, or a polyester elastomer. 
     
     
         17 . The contained package of  claim 15 , wherein film is a blended monolayer film comprising about 60% to 80% nylon 6 and about 20% to 40% heat-stabilized nylon 6,6. 
     
     
         18 . The contained package of  claim 15 , wherein the film is a multilayer film comprising an outer layer and an inner layer,
 wherein the outer layer includes at least 75% nylon or polyester blended with a polyester elastomer or a polyamide elastomer, and   wherein the inner layer includes a polyester elastomer or polyamide elastomer.   
     
     
         19 . The contained package of  claim 15 , wherein the film is a multilayer film comprising an outer layer, an inner layer and a tie layer disposed between the outer and inner layers,
 wherein the tie layer includes at least a portion of the materials in the inner and outer layers.   
     
     
         20 . The contained package of  claim 15 , wherein the film has a thickness in a range of about 1 mil to 6 mils, a tear strength greater than about 50 g/mil, and a tensile yield strength of greater than approximately 2,000 psi. 
     
     
         21 . The contained package of  claim 15 , wherein the ribbed meat product is pre-cooked or pre-rendered. 
     
     
         22 . The contained package of  claim 15 , wherein the ribbed meat product is hermetically sealed within the high-temperature cook-in bag. 
     
     
         23 . The contained package of  claim 15 , wherein the contained package is configured to be placed directly into a high-temperature cooking apparatus. 
     
     
         24 . The contained package of  claim 15 , wherein the contained package is configured to be refrigerated or frozen the package. 
     
     
         25 . The contained package of  claim 24 , wherein the refrigerated or frozen package is configured to be placed directly into a high-temperature apparatus. 
     
     
         26 . The contained package of  claim 15 , wherein the reduced cook cycle is less than the cook cycle of conventional rendering methods by at least a factor of three.