DE102011120280B4 - Process for pressure cooking foodstuffs and pressure cooking device - Google Patents

Abstract

Method for pressure cooking food using a cooking appliance (10), in which - in a first step, an item to be cooked or a group of items to be cooked is selected, - in a second step, the item to be cooked is placed in a cooking chamber (14) and the pressure cooking process is started, - in a third step, a predetermined pressure cooking process runs automatically, - in a fourth step, the overpressure in the cooking chamber (14) is released in a controlled manner and the cooking chamber (14) is opened, characterized in that after the first step, the cooking appliance (10) proposes further foods, that can be cooked together with the selected food or the selected food group.

Description

The invention relates to a method for pressure cooking food using a cooking appliance and a pressure cooking appliance.

It is well known that food can be cooked not only at atmospheric pressure, but also under positive pressure. This occurs when either a previously added liquid or the liquid released by the food evaporates in a closed volume at high temperatures. Corresponding cooking appliances for the household are known as "pressure cookers". For gastronomy, the term "VarioCooking Center" is used to describe cooking appliances that have a large, trough-shaped or pan-shaped cooking space that can be tightly closed with a lid. This can cause excess pressure to build up in the cooking chamber. It is also known that the overpressure is specified in two or possibly more fixed pressure levels. These can be selected by the operator before starting the pressure cooking process.

In the DE 199 10 604 A1 a cooking appliance is shown which has both a frying and a steaming cooking mode and which includes a controller which regulates the temperature over the cooking time set by the user.

From the DE 689 04 658 T2 and the DE 10 2008 051 265 A1 are known cooking devices with temperature and pressure sensors and a controller that monitors the temperature and pressure profile during the cooking process.

Furthermore, from the DE 10 2011 118 779 A1 a pressure cooking device and a method for pressure cooking food by means of the pressure cooking device.

The object of the invention is to provide a method for pressure cooking which is improved in such a way that a higher quality of the cooked food is achieved with a simultaneously optimized operational sequence and the lowest possible use of energy, as well as a corresponding pressure cooking appliance. This is achieved with a method according to claim 1 and a pressure cooker according to claim 10. Further developments of the invention are defined in the respective dependent claims.

According to the invention, a method for pressure cooking food using a cooking appliance is provided, in which in a first step an item to be cooked or a group of items to be cooked is selected, in a second step the item to be cooked is placed in a cooking chamber and the pressure cooking process is started in a third step predetermined pressure cooking process runs automatically, and in a fourth step the overpressure in the cooking chamber is released in a controlled manner and the cooking chamber is opened. It is also provided that, after the first step, the cooking appliance proposes further foods that can be cooked together with the selected food or the selected food group. In this way, an operator is encouraged to pressure cook other foods at the same time, so that energy and process time can be saved overall. The method according to the invention is based on the finding that the pressure cooking process can be optimized in that the overpressure to be used for a foodstuff to be cooked is specified on the device side. This prevents the operator from simply choosing the overpressure based on (possibly not entirely accurate) experience. In addition, finely graded, different overpressures can be used for different foods in this way, the correct manual selection of which would overwhelm an operator. It is also prevented that a cooking item is cooked with an unnecessarily high overpressure, which would have a disadvantageous effect both on the quality of the cooked foodstuff and on the use of energy. Conversely, it is ensured that, in principle, a suitably high overpressure is used, which has an advantageous effect on the cooking time. The controlled release of the excess pressure also has a beneficial effect on the process time. In the case of foodstuffs that allow a sudden strong drop in pressure, the excess pressure can be released quickly. On the other hand, in the case of foodstuffs, for which a rapid reduction in pressure leads to undesired impairments, the excess pressure is released slowly accordingly.

The additional food items can be suggested either immediately after the user has selected the first food item, or later during an ongoing cooking process if the user indicates that they want to cook a second food item in addition to the first food item (“rolling load”). In this case, the user can preferably still select whether he would like to cook the new foodstuff immediately or at a later point in time suggested by the pressure cooker, which is selected in such a way that the two foods are ready at the same time.

Provision is preferably made for the predetermined pressure cooking process to be interrupted in a controlled manner when a user selects another item to be cooked which is to be pressure-cooked together with the item to be cooked which is already in the cooking chamber. In particular, this can be done in such a way that the further food to be cooked is finished at the same time as the food to be cooked that was brought in first. In this way, for example wise precise side dishes to a meat or fish component of a meal.

According to a preferred embodiment, it is provided that the pressure cooking process is continued after the other food to be cooked has been introduced into the cooking chamber, with the parameters used subsequently being adjusted to the other food to be cooked, if necessary. For example, when the pressure cooking is continued, a lower overpressure is used if the other items to be cooked cannot tolerate the same high overpressure as the first item to be cooked.

It is preferably provided that the rate at which the excess pressure is released from the cooking space depends on the selected food or the food group. Here, too, if several different foods are being cooked at the same time, consideration is given to the food that reacts most sensitively to a rapid drop in pressure in the cooking chamber. For example, if meat and potatoes are pressure cooked at the same time, the rate at which the cavity is depressurized must be chosen with regard to the potatoes, which tend to burst if the pressure is released very quickly.

According to one embodiment of the method, it is provided that the time required to release the overpressure is taken into account when determining the total cooking time. This takes into account the knowledge that the food to be cooked continues to cook during the phase in which the pressure is reduced, so that the pressure reduction can be started in good time before the end of the total cooking time.

The predetermined pressure cooking process, which is selected as a function of the selected food to be cooked, is determined at least by the overpressure that prevails during cooking and by the cooking time. These parameters are the ones that have the greatest impact on the quality and consistency of pressure-cooked food. In the case of more complex printing processes, the humidity inside the cooking chamber and the temperature could also be monitored.

According to one embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the cooking time is influenced by recorded measured values, in particular the core temperature and/or the load quantity. This enables the pressure cooking process to be specifically adapted to the food to be cooked in order to achieve reproducible high quality.

According to one embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the user is prompted to refill the cooking chamber with liquid after the end of a pressure cooking process. This ensures that there is always enough liquid inside the cooking chamber to generate steam. In the case of complex devices, the request to the user can also be displayed as a function of the signal from a filling level monitor.

According to the invention, a pressure cooking appliance is also provided with a cooking chamber, a closure for the cooking chamber, in particular a lid, a locking device for the closure, a pressure control valve, a controller in which several pressure cooking programs are stored, and a communication interface by means of which an operator can set a pressure cooking program can select and with which the pressure cooker can make suggestions to the operator for simultaneous pressure cooking of different foods in the pressure cooker. In this case, the controller is set up to suggest further foods that can be cooked together with the selected food or the selected food group after a food or a food group has been selected in a first step. With regard to the advantages that can be achieved with this pressure cooker, reference is made to the above explanations.

According to one embodiment of the invention, a sensor is provided which provides the controller with parameters of the food to be pressure-cooked, in particular the weight or the core temperature. This enables the controller, for example, to extend the cooking time with a large load or to interrupt the pressure cooking process precisely when a certain core temperature of the food to be cooked has been reached.

The invention is described below using an exemplary embodiment which is illustrated in the attached drawing. In this, a pressure cooker according to the invention is shown in a schematic side view.

In the single figure, a pressure cooker 10 is shown, which has a hob 12 in which a cooking chamber 14 is formed. The cooking chamber 14 can be closed with a closure 16, which is designed here as a cover. In order to be able to place the cover 16 on the hob 12 in a pressure-tight manner, a locking device 18 is provided.

The cooking hob 12 is assigned a heater 20 which can be controlled by a controller 22 . The controller 22 includes a memory 24 in which overpressures are stored for a variety of foods that can be used in pressure cooking.

A communication interface 26 is provided on the pressure cooking appliance 10 and is embodied here as a touch-sensitive screen. An operator can use the communication interface 26 to select which foods are to be cooked in a pressure cooking process. This is symbolized here by a piece of meat, which is shown in the upper part of the screen. The communications interface also allows an operator to suggest additional foods or groups of foods that are recognized by the controller 22 as suitable to be cooked along with the food that the user has selected. An example of a food item suggested here is the symbolized potatoes shown in the lower part of the screen.

The pressure cooking appliance 10 also contains a pressure sensor 28, which detects the pressure in the cooking chamber 14 and makes it available to the controller 22, a core temperature sensor 30, which is also connected to the controller 22, and a pressure control valve 32, which is controlled by the controller 22 . By opening the pressure control valve 32 in a controlled manner, the excess pressure in the cooking chamber 14 can be reduced at a predetermined rate.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, a griddle 34 is arranged on the bottom of the hob 12 so that foodstuffs can be cooked in the steam above a liquid level 36 . In principle it is of course also possible to cook the food directly on the bottom of the hob 12 .

In the figure, the pressure cooking device 10 is shown in a state in which it has interrupted the pressure cooking process of meat at a certain point so that a user can insert potatoes into the cooking chamber. At the beginning of the pressure cooking process, the operator entered that he wanted "rolling pressure cooking", i.e. loading the cooking chamber with additional food while the first food was still being cooked. Here the user has selected "Potatoes". He also entered that the potatoes should be ready at the same time as the meat.

The controller 22 then started the pressure cooking process with parameters that are adapted to the meat to be cooked. Based on the core temperature, which was detected by the core temperature sensor 30, the controller 22 has been able to calculate the remaining cooking time that is still available until the meat has reached the desired state. At a time when the remaining cooking time of the meat roughly corresponds to the cooking time of the potatoes, the controller 22 has interrupted the pressure cooking process by releasing the excess pressure from the cooking chamber 14 using the pressure control valve 32 and opening the closure 16 . Since meat is very insensitive to a rapid drop in pressure, the pressure could be released very quickly.

After the operator inputs via the communication interface 26 that he has placed the potatoes in the cooking chamber, the controller continues the pressure cooking process, with a slightly lower overpressure then being used than before.

Shortly before the end of the cooking time, the controller 22 starts the process of releasing the excess pressure. Because potatoes burst easily if the overpressure is released too quickly, the overpressure is released comparatively slowly. The controller 22 takes into account the duration of the pressure reduction phase and starts this phase in good time before the end of the cooking time that the pressure is released when the cooking time has elapsed; During the pressure reduction phase, the food continues to cook in the cooking compartment. As a result, when the cooking time has elapsed, both foods are finished at the same time, with the process time and the use of energy being optimised.

Another embodiment relates to the cooking of beef goulash. The permissible overpressure of 1.0 bar for beef goulash is stored in memory 24 . If a user wants to cook beef goulash, he starts the "beef goulash" cooking program via the communication interface 26. Since no other foods are stored in the memory 24 that use a cooking program with an overpressure of 1.0 bar, the communication interface 26 does not send any other foods suggested. After the start of the pressure cooking program, the goulash is cooked with an overpressure of 1.0 bar and the expected remaining cooking time is displayed. This can be determined using known methods using the core temperature or from time curves which reflect the cooking time as a function of the excess pressure.

If the user wants to cook another food while the pressure cooking process is in progress, he selects the "rolling pressure cooking" function. He can then select a suitable food or food group from various suitable foods that can be cooked together with the beef goulash that is already in the cooking chamber 14 . For example, if the user selects 'potatoes', the user will be asked whether they should be ready at the same time as the goulash (and therefore need to be added at a specific, later time) or whether they should be cooked immediately. In this case, the ongoing pressure cooking process is interrupted and the shutter 16 is opened. You will then be prompted to add the potatoes. After the user has confirmed that they want the Kar toffeln has introduced into the cooking chamber 14, the closure 16 is closed and locked again, whereupon the pressure cooking process is continued. However, a maximum overpressure of 0.6 bar is stored in memory 24 for the “potato” food, which is maintained during the pressure cooking process that is now taking place. The controller 22 now calculates a new remaining cooking time for the beef goulash, since there is less excess pressure during the second part of the pressure cooking process, and the cooking time for the potatoes. These two remaining cooking times are displayed.

It is of course possible to cook more than two foods at the same time. However, the controller 22 checks whether the combination desired by the operator actually makes sense. In the case of rolling pressure cooking, the interruption of an ongoing pressure cooking process is only permitted if this makes more sense than waiting for the current pressure cooking process to be completed. This prevents pressure cooking from being interrupted several times in quick succession in order to introduce new food into the cooking chamber 14 or to remove food that has just been cooked. The overall energy balance can be taken into account here in particular. An interruption of a cooking process (with the resulting loss of energy due to pressure reduction for reloading and subsequent renewed pressure build-up) is only permitted if less energy is consumed overall than in batch cooking.

Reference List

10

Pressure cooker / cooking device

12

hob

14

cooking chamber

16

closure / lid

18

locking device

20

Heating

22

steering

24

Storage

26

communication interface

28

pressure sensor

30

core temperature probe

32

pressure control valve

34

crucible floor grate

36

liquid level

Claims (11)

Method for pressure cooking food by means of a cooking appliance (10), in which - in a first step, an item to be cooked or a group of items to be cooked is selected, - in a second step, the item to be cooked is placed in a cooking chamber (14) and the pressure cooking process is started, - in a third step, a predetermined pressure cooking process runs automatically, - in a fourth step, the overpressure in the cooking chamber (14) is released in a controlled manner and the cooking chamber (14) is opened, characterized in that after the first step, the cooking device (10) proposes further foods, that can be cooked together with the selected food or the selected food group. procedure after claim 1 , characterized in that the other foods are suggested when an operator selects a rolling load after the start of a cooking process. procedure after claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the predetermined pressure cooking process is interrupted in a controlled manner when an operator selects another item to be cooked which is to be pressure-cooked together with the item to be cooked which is already in the cooking chamber (14). procedure after claim 3 , characterized in that the pressure cooking process is continued after the other food to be cooked has been introduced into the cooking chamber (14), the parameters subsequently used being optionally adapted to the other food to be cooked. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rate at which the overpressure is released from the cooking space (14) depends on the selected food or the food group. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the time required to release the excess pressure is taken into account when determining the total cooking time. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the predetermined pressure cooking process is determined at least by the overpressure that prevails during cooking and by the cooking time. procedure after claim 7 , characterized in that influences the cooking time is from recorded measured values, in particular the core temperature and/or the load quantity. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that after completion of a pressure cooking process, an operator is prompted to refill liquid in the cooking chamber. Pressure cooking device (10) with a cooking chamber (14), a closure (16) for the cooking chamber (14), a locking device (18) for the closure (16), a pressure control valve (32), a controller (22), in which several Pressure cooking programs are stored, and a communication interface (26) by means of which an operator can select a pressure cooking program and with which the pressure cooking device (10) can make suggestions to the operator for the simultaneous pressure cooking of different foods in the pressure cooking device (10), the controller (22) is set up to, after a cooking item or a cooking item group has been selected in a first step, to propose further foods that can be cooked together with the selected cooking item or the selected cooking item group. Pressure cooker (10) after claim 10 , characterized in that a sensor (30) is provided which provides the controller (22) with parameters of the foodstuff to be cooked under pressure, in particular the weight or the core temperature.

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