Apparatus for the preparation of pre-cooked meat products

Abstract

Bacon or other meat food is prepared for distribution and storage in a pre-cooked heat and serve form by a sequence of distinct steps in which microwave heating is preceded by a steam heating step and may be followed by a finish hot gas treatment to control final moisture content, on a conveyorized continuous process basis. Preferably the pre-microwave treatment is accomplished in two stages consisting of a steam stage followed by a hot air stage. The amount of costly microwave heating and the length of microwave tunnel required is reduced by the preliminary steam treatment which economically accomplishes a partial cooking including rendering of fat and partial dehydration. Hot air treatment preceding or accompanying the mirowave heating removes surface moisture which would otherwise absorb microwave energy. Steam flow during the preliminary treatment is preferably opposite to the direction of movement of the product which then encounters progressively hotter and drier steam to optimize the preheating and initial rendering of fat. The process may be followed by asceptic or hot-fill canning or by a chilling step prior to packaging for storage under refrigeration. Rendered fat may be recovered from each heating stage of the process with the fat from the steam stage preferably being passed through the subsequent hot air treatment region to provide a desirably dry fat.