Method and apparatus for assessing the current state of doneness of a cooking food item

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided for assessing the current state of doneness of a cooking food item. In a preferred embodiment, a sharpened hollow tubular cutting member of relatively small diameter is rotationally activated to cut and remove from a cooking food item a cylindrical core sample, preferably throughout its entire thickness, without substantial distortion of the shape of the sample. Upon expulsion from the cutting member, inspection of the core sample permits visual determination of the current state of doneness of the food item.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of assessing the current state of doneness of a cooking food item comprising:
 (1) cutting in said cooking food item a cylindrical core sample thereof of relatively small diameter in comparison to the size of said cooking food item in a direction substantially transverse to a surface to which heat is being applied to said food item;   (2) removing said cylindrical core sample from said cooking food item without substantial distortion of its shape; and   (3) visually inspecting the color and appearance of said cylindrical core sample to assess the current state of doneness of said cooking food item.   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus for assessing the current state of doneness of a cooking food item comprising:
 (1) cutting means for cutting from said cooking food item a cylindrical core sample thereof of relatively small diameter in comparison to the size of the cooking food item in a direction substantially transverse to a surface to which heat is being applied to said food item.   (2) means for retaining said cylindrical core sample within said cutting means permitting extraction of said cylindrical core sample from the cooking food item; and   (3) means for expulsion of said cylindrical core sample from said cutting means following its removal from said cooking food item, without substantial distortion of the shape of said sample, whereby visual inspection of the color and appearance of the expelled sample permits assessment of the current state of doneness of said cooking food item.