Method for rapidly heating or cooking a food product

Abstract

Method of and apparatus for heating or cooking a food product packaged within a container by using heated air. The oven apparatus includes a substantially closed-loop heated air system that starts with a blower that blows air into a heating barrel where a heating element heats the air to a high temperature. The heated air exits the heating barrel, passes through an air flow channel in the oven's door, and enters the oven's heating chamber. The heated air passes through the container inside the heating chamber and heats the food product within the container. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the heating chamber is rotated while the heated air passes through the container to tumble the food product and ensure even heating thereof. The air exiting from the food product container enters a recirculation chamber which directs the air back into the blower to repeat the cycle. Heated air is recirculated through the food product container for either a fixed period of time, or until the temperature of the air exiting from the container reaches a predetermined value. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the oven includes a central processing unit that is programmed to control the oven's overall operation based on signals received from various transducers, e.g., a door switch, various temperature sensors, an air flow switch, and product-in switch. Also disclosed are various embodiments of containers that are particularly adapted for heating food products by utilizing the oven apparatuses of the present invention.