GB298802A - Improvements in or relating to the curing of raw meats, such as hams, bacons, fish and the like - Google Patents

Abstract

298,802. Heriot, M. M. Dec. 2, 1927. Preserving meat.-Raw meats, such as hams and bacon, and fish are preserved by treatment with a curing liquid in a hermetically sealed chamber, and are subjected during the treatment alternately to the action of vacuum and pressure automatically controlled by pressure-responsive regulating mechanism operated on the attainment of predetermined limits of pressure. In the construction described, the meat is inserted through a door 3 into the chamber 1 where it is supported on wire mesh or other liquid permeable trays 5 slidably carried by angle irons 4. The chamber is connected by a pipe 10 to a combined pressure and vacuum pump 11, operated by an electric motor, and by pipes 14, 17, each of which .has a cock 15, 18 and a combined spring valve 16<a>, 19<a>, and ball float valve 16<b>, 19<b>, to the brine tank. In operation, the chamber 1 is first evacuated by pump 11, the vacuum being maintained for about half an hour so that blood &c. is drawn off the meat and is removed through sump 6, valve 7, trap 9 and valve 8. The cock 15 is then opened and brine enters the chamber until the supply is cut off by means of ball valve 16<b>. Float valve 19<b> is meanwhile open but exit of the brine is cut off by spring valve 19<a>. A gauge 12 is then connected electrically, by closing switch 13, to the pump 11. The vacuum in the chamber rises until a predetermined maximum point is reached, when a contact 12<a> on the gauge is closed, causing the action of pump 11 to be reversed and to pump air into the chamber, forcing the brine to permeate the meat. When the pressure reaches a predetermined limit, spring valve 19<a> is opened and the brine is forced through pipe 17 back to the tank until the outlet is closed by fall of ball valve 19<b>. The pressure in the chamber rises still further until a maximum point is reached when a contact 12<b> on the gauge 12 is closed, causing the action of pump 11 to be reversed and evacuation begun. The vacuum draws some brine out of the meat. At a predetermined point the spring valve 16<a> is released by the vacuum and briue enters the tank and the cycle of operations is begun again and may be repeated as often as desired. In place of the combined vacuum and pressure pump 11, separate vacuum and pressure pumps may be employed. The process allows the time of curing to be shortened, for example to 60 hours in the case of ham and bacon.