LOW-PRESSURE COOKING METHOD AND COOKWARE VESSEL ADAPTED FOR THE SAME
First Claim
1. ) A cooking assembly comprising:
- a. an induction heating base having an upper surface for supporting a cookware vessel, one or more induction heating coils disposed below the upper surface, and a controller that is responsive to energize the one or more induction heating coils,b. a cookware vessel having a bottom portion adapted to be supported by the upper surface of the induction heating base, substantially upright sidewall extending upward there from to terminate at a rim, the sidewall encircling said bottom portion to form an interior portion capable of retaining a fluid,c. a lid adapted with a gasket to engage said cookware vessel at the rim thereof to form a vacuum seal therewith, the lid having at least one sealable penetration formed in the surface thereof,d. a transmitter device adapted for removable supported engagement with the lid and in signal communication with the controller, the transmitter device having a thermal probe that enters an interior portion of the vessel via the sealable penetration of the lid,e. wherein the programmable controller is operative to energize and de-energize the one or more induction coils to maintain a pre-determined temperature entered into the controller in response to the temperature measured by the thermal probe,f. wherein the gasket and sealable penetration in the lid are adapted to maintain at least one of an at least partial vacuum and a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure in the interior portion of the vessel,g. wherein the cooking assembly includes a means to reduce the partial pressure of air in the cookware vessel to 0.3 Bar and less.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Food stuffs are cooked at precise temperatures, which are optionally below 100° C., in a vessel that is evacuated to exclude air, in which low pressure steam replaces the air. When a sufficient quantity of air is excluded and replaced with water vapor, the temperature of vapor is accurately measured inside the vessel below the lid to control the temperatures within about 1° C. Air is preferably excluded via a controlled heated process for a relatively short period of time at high temperature to generate steam, the temperature is lowered to condense water vapor upon which the lid will sealingly engage the rim of the vessel, forming a partial vacuum in the cooking vessel.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. ) A cooking assembly comprising:
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a. an induction heating base having an upper surface for supporting a cookware vessel, one or more induction heating coils disposed below the upper surface, and a controller that is responsive to energize the one or more induction heating coils, b. a cookware vessel having a bottom portion adapted to be supported by the upper surface of the induction heating base, substantially upright sidewall extending upward there from to terminate at a rim, the sidewall encircling said bottom portion to form an interior portion capable of retaining a fluid, c. a lid adapted with a gasket to engage said cookware vessel at the rim thereof to form a vacuum seal therewith, the lid having at least one sealable penetration formed in the surface thereof, d. a transmitter device adapted for removable supported engagement with the lid and in signal communication with the controller, the transmitter device having a thermal probe that enters an interior portion of the vessel via the sealable penetration of the lid, e. wherein the programmable controller is operative to energize and de-energize the one or more induction coils to maintain a pre-determined temperature entered into the controller in response to the temperature measured by the thermal probe, f. wherein the gasket and sealable penetration in the lid are adapted to maintain at least one of an at least partial vacuum and a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure in the interior portion of the vessel, g. wherein the cooking assembly includes a means to reduce the partial pressure of air in the cookware vessel to 0.3 Bar and less. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. ) A cooking assembly comprising:
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a. a cookware vessel having a bottom, substantially upright sidewalls extending upward there from to terminate at a rim, the sidewall encircling said bottom portion to form an interior portion capable of retaining a fluid, b. a sealing means to form a vacuum within the vessel, c. a heating means for providing thermal communication with said cookware vessel, d. a controller to modulate the output of the heating means, e. a thermal probe adapted to measure a temperature of at least a portion of the vessel or the environment thereof, f. a transmitter device adapted to receive the output of the thermal probe and transmits values thereof to the controller g. wherein the programmable controller is operative to energize and de-energize the one or more induction coils to maintain a pre-determined temperature entered into the controller in response to the temperature measured by the transmitter device, h. wherein the cooking assembly includes a means to reduce the partial pressure of air in the vacuum sealed vessel to 0.3 Bar and less. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. ) A process for cooking, the process comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a vessel capable of retaining fluid therein having a lid that is in sealable engagement with the rim thereof, b) introducing at least one of water and an aqueous fluid in the vessel, c) placing a foodstuff in the vessel, d) placing the lid on the vessel, e) heating the vessel to a first temperature at least until the water is converted to a sufficient quantity of water vapor to replace the atmospheric content of the vessel, f) reducing the heating power to the vessel to bring the vessel to a 2nd temperature lower than the first temperature, wherein the condensation of the water vapor within the vessel causes an internal reduction pressure sufficient to engage the lid to seal with the rim of the vessel. g) maintaining the vessel at the 2nd temperature for a predetermined amount of time. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification