Production of precooked formed meat patties

Abstract

A cold forming process for forming a meat patty includes heating a ground meat product to a temperature T 1 , wherein T 1 ≤40° F. The ground meat product is formed into an uncooked patty at temperature T 1 . The uncooked patty is precooked to form a precooked patty having a skin of depth D comprising denatured protein. The skin is formed on at least an area on the outside of the precooked patty. At least a first portion of the meat product disposed beneath said skin is at approximately T 1 . The precooked patty is cooked to form a cooked patty, wherein said at least a first portion of the meat product is at a temperature T 2 . The cooked patty is then frozen and then packaged.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for producing a cooked meat patty, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) grinding a meat product into a ground meat product, the ground meat product at temperature T 1 ;   (b) forming the ground meat product into an uncooked patty at temperature T 1  by depositing the ground meat product into a mold, the mold moving as the ground meat product is deposited therein;   (c) precooking the uncooked patty in the mold to thereby form a precooked patty having a skin of depth D comprising denatured protein, wherein the skin is formed on at least an area on the outside of the precooked patty, and wherein at least a first portion of the precooked patty disposed beneath said skin is at temperature T 1 ;   (d) releasing the precooked patty from the mold;   (e) cooking the precooked patty to form a cooked patty wherein the at least a first portion of the cooked patty is at a temperature T 2 ;   (f) freezing the cooked patty; and   (g) packaging the frozen cooked patty.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mold comprises a plurality of form pans defining a pan conveyor. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of releasing the precooked patty from the mold is caused by rotating at least one of the plurality of form pans. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the mold does not include a top and the step of precooking the uncooked patty in the mold comprises moving the mold relative to a heating plate positioned above the top of a linear segment of the pan conveyor. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein T 2  is greater than T 1 . 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of precooking the uncooked patty includes applying infrared heating to the uncooked patty. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of precooking the uncooked patty includes applying inductive heating to the uncooked patty. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of precooking the uncooked patty includes applying heat to the uncooked patty using a technique selected from the group consisting of: steam conduction heating, electric conduction heating, thermal oil conduction heating, application of a liquid, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mold does not include a top or bottom and the step of precooking the uncooked patty comprises moving the mold relative to a first heating plate positioned above the mold and moving the mold relative to a second heating plate positioned below the mold. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus for producing a precooked meat patty, the apparatus comprising:
 a pan conveyor comprising a plurality of molds each configured to hold a ground meat product to define an uncooked patty;   a pan conveyor driver configured to move the pan conveyor along a conveyance path; and   a heater configured to precook each uncooked patty in each mold of the plurality of molds to thereby form precooked patties each having a skin of depth D comprising denatured protein, wherein the skin is formed on at least an area on the outside of each precooked patty, and wherein at least a first portion of the precooked patty disposed beneath said skin is in an uncooked state;   wherein the conveyance path includes a curved end portion that causes each precooked patty to fall from the pan conveyor as the pan conveyor moves along the conveyance path.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising a former positioned adjacent the pan conveyor and configured to deposit the ground meat product in the plurality of molds. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the heater is positioned between the former and the curved end portion. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein each mold of the plurality of molds does not include a top. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the heater is positioned above the pan conveyor. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein each mold of the plurality of molds does not include a bottom. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising a second heater positioned below the pan conveyor. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising a second heater configured to cook the first portion of the precooked patty to a cooked state. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the heater is selected from the group consisting of: a steam conduction heater, an electric conduction heater, a thermal oil conduction heater, a hot liquid bath, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the heater is an induction coil. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a former positioned adjacent the pan conveyor and configured to deposit the ground meat product in the plurality of molds; and   a second heater configured to cook the first portion of the precooked patty to a cooked state.