GB2281850A - Food product - Google Patents

Abstract

A food product comprises grated meat, produced conveniently by reconstituting a body of meat, pressing into a desired shape, and moving the body into engagement with a grating machine at a low temperature. The grated meat may be used as part of a salad, on a pizza topping, in a stir-fry, as a filling for baked potato, as an ingredient for a sauce, for toasting, and a variety of other purposes, and may be provided by red meat, white meat, poultry, ham or the like. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Food Description of Invention This invention is concerned with improvements relating to food.

It is of course well known to provide certain foodstuffs such as a large variety of vegetables and cheeses either in diced form, or in sliced form, or grated.

Conversely, meat products are provided only in minced form, sliced or diced form.

According to this invention there is provided grated meat.

Whilst the invention may be utilised for meat in general, including red meats such as beef, pork, lamb etc., and possibly even fish meat, the invention is particularly suitable for poultry (chicken, turkey etc.) or to ham.

It has been found that grating meat increases the aroma, and taste, as well as providing, in certain circumstances, a highly desirable texture.

It has been found that grated meat has a wide variety of uses, including use as part of a salad, as a filling for bread rolls, as a topping for pizzas, or in stir fry dishes.

The meat may be grated at a low temperature, i.e. below OOC, but may advantageously be grated at a low temperature of between 0 C and 60C.

Whilst the invention may be utilised in relation to whole muscle meat, the invention is particularly useful with meat in reconstituted form.

Thus according to this invention there is provided a method of manufacture of a food product involving the steps of (a) providing a body of reconstituted meat; and (b) grating the body of meat.

The step of reconstituting may involve, mixing comminuted muscle meat with brine and an emulsion of ground meat products and pressing the mixture into a desired shape. The meat product is removed from the skin, and fed into an automatic grating machine, preferably one involving a rotating member.

Examples of the invention will now be given, including a description of a grating machine which may be utilised in the performance of the invention.

Preparation Muscle meat of fresh turkey is comminuted into small portions, whilst the skin of the turkey is ground in a solution of brine to provide an emulsion.

The emulsion is mixed with the comminuted muscle meat and pressed at a high pressure into a cylindrical skin, the ends of which are subsequently closed. The meat bomb so produced is then cooked by a steam cooking process, and then cooled to about 4"C.

The cooked product is then removed from the skin and cut into shorter lengths of approximately 10cm, and fed into the drum 4 of the grating machine illustrated in the accompanying drawing, the drum combining a cage 6 rotating at high speed and comprising impellers 8 on the internal surface. As the cage rotates, the impellers catch the portions of meat, which are urged by centrifugal force radially outwardly. During each rotation, the meat passes into contact with a grating assembly 10 located across an opening in the drum, which causes the meat to be progressively grated as it is drawn across the blades thereof, grated meat being discharged through opening 10.

Examples of Use 1. The grated turkey meat obtained by the method set out above may be used as part of a salad, on a pizza topping, in a stir-fry, as a filling for a baked potato.

2. Ham is grated by use of the machine described above, and is utilised as an ingredient of a sauce for use in the preparation of spaghetti carbonera.

3. Grated ham is mixed with a cheese sauce, poured over toast and grilled, in the preparation of cheese and ham on toast.

Thus, according to this invention there is also provided a pack containing grated cheese and grated meat. Such a pack may be utilised conveniently in the preparation of a variety of food products, such as sauces, toppings, etc..

Claims (9)

1. Grated meat.

2. The invention according to Claim 1 wherein the meat is a) red meat, b) fish meat, c) poultry or d) ham.

3. The invention according to Claim 1 wherein the meat is grated at a low temperature, of below 0 C, or at a temperature of between 0 C and 6"C.

4. The invention according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the meat is whole muscle meat, or reconstituted meat.

5. A method of manufacture of a food product involving the steps of a) providing a body of reconstituted meat; and b) grating the body of meat.

6. A method according to Claim 5 wherein the step of reconstituting involves mixing comminuted muscle meat with brine and an emulsion of ground meat products and pressing the mixture into a desired shape.

7. A method according to any one of Claims 5 and 6 involving the use of a circular grating member mounted for rotation.

8. A pack containing grated cheese and grated meat.

9. A food product substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.