Frozen pizza preparation method

• US 20150132452A1
• Filed: 01/26/2015
• Published: 05/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Michael A. Weinstein, Robert E. Weinstein
• Original Assignee: Michael A. Weinstein, Robert E. Weinstein
• Inventors: Weinstein, Michael A, Weinstein, Robert E
• Application Number:
  US14/605,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20150132452A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/243
• CPC Class Codes: A21D 13/41 Pizzas
• CPC Class Codes: A21D 15/02 by cooling , e.g. refrigeration, freezing
• CPC Class Codes: A21D 17/006 with microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: A21D 8/06 Baking processes
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2002/00 Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2200/08 Food product presented as a kit of parts
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3406 Pizza or bread
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3498 attached to the base surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3453 Rigid containers, e.g. trays, bottles, boxes, cups
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/647 Aspects related to microwave heating combined with other heating techniques

Abstract

A frozen pizza rapid preparation method that allows an ordinary consumer to rapidly prepare a frozen pizza with a crisp crust by steps of obtaining a frozen pizza having a crust that has been baked before it has been frozen, microwave heating the pizza, transferring the pizza to a stovetop skillet, and crisping the crust on the stovetop skillet.

Claims

1. A method for an ordinary frozen pizza consumer to rapidly prepare frozen pizza for consumption, the method comprising:

obtaining a frozen pizza rapid preparation package comprising a frozen pizza having a pizza crust that has been baked prior to freezing and that has at least one topping thereon;

placing the frozen pizza in a microwave oven;

heating the frozen pizza in the microwave oven for a predefined period of time sufficient to heat the pizza to a temperature similar to a pizza cooked in an oven, thereby transforming the frozen pizza into a heated pizza;

transferring the heated pizza into a stove top skillet; and

crisping the pizza crust of the heated pizza in the stovetop skillet on a stove top.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the obtaining step includes obtaining a frozen pizza selected from the group consisting of a pizza crust and toppings thereon that have been baked together prior to being frozen, and a pizza crust that has been baked alone before application of toppings and then being frozen.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the obtaining step includes obtaining a frozen pizza having a characteristic selected from the group consisting of a weight in the range of about 50 to 500 grams, a weight in the range of about 160 to about 320 grams, a largest dimension that measures in the range of about 6 to about 14 inches, and a crust periphery without toppings that is about ⅛

inches or greater.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the obtaining step includes obtaining a frozen pizza having a crust that has been sufficiently baked before freezing as to not require further baking.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the obtaining step includes obtaining a frozen pizza having a dough that does not acquire a cracker-like texture after microwave heating and stovetop crisping.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the heating in the microwave oven step includes heating for a period of time selected from the group consisting of a range of about 40 seconds to about 7 minutes and a range of about 1.5 to 3 minutes.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the crisping step includes crisping on the stove top in the stovetop skillet for a period of time selected from the group consisting of a range of about 30 seconds to about 3 minutes and a range of about 30 seconds to about 90 seconds.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the obtaining step includes obtaining a frozen pizza rapid preparation package further comprising a transfer substrate.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the placing step includes situating the frozen pizza atop a planar member of a transfer substrate and placing both into the microwave oven.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the heating step includes heating the frozen pizza in a microwave oven for a period of time selected from the group consisting of a range of about 40 seconds to about 7 minutes and a range of about 1.5 to 3 minutes.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the transferring step and the crisping step includes employing a transfer substrate to remove heated pizza from the microwave oven and transfer the heated pizza to a stovetop skillet.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the obtaining step includes obtaining a frozen pizza rapid preparation package containing [the frozen pizza and] a disposable crisping means selected from the group consisting of a disposable pan liner, a transfer substrate to further line a stovetop pan, and a disposable stovetop pan.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the transferring step and the crisping step includes placing a disposable pan liner in the stovetop skillet, transferring a microwave heated pizza atop the disposable pan liner, and crisping the pizza crust atop the disposable pan liner in a stovetop skillet.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising selecting an aluminum foil disposable pan liner as the disposable crisping means.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the transferring step and the crisping step includes transferring both a planar transfer substrate with the heated pizza thereon directly into a stovetop skillet and crisping the heated pizza in the stovetop skillet, with the transfer substrate situated between the pizza and the stove top skillet, the transfer substrate being of stove-top compatible material.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising selecting a planar transfer substrate made of a material selected from the group consisting of plastic, paper, foil-coated paper, and combinations thereof.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising selecting a planar transfer substrate that is parchment paper.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the transferring step and the crisping step includes employing a transfer substrate to transfer microwave heated pizza to a disposable stovetop pan and crisping the pizza crust in the disposable stovetop pan.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the obtaining step includes obtaining a frozen pizza rapid preparation package containing the frozen pizza and a disposable crisping means that is a disposable stovetop pan.

20. A method for an ordinary consumer to rapidly prepare frozen pizza for consumption, the method comprising:

obtaining a frozen pizza rapid preparation package comprising;

a frozen pizza having a pizza crust that has been sufficiently baked as to be suitable for consumption prior to freezing, and having at least one topping upon the pizza crust;

microwave-crisping sequence instructions that instruct sequential steps of heating the frozen pizza in a microwave oven followed by crisping the pizza crust on a heated stovetop pan;

means to transfer the hot microwave-heated pizza from the microwave oven to a stovetop pan; and

unifying packaging that unifies the frozen pizza, sequence instructions, and transfer means;

removing the frozen pizza and transfer means from the frozen pizza rapid preparation package;

placing the frozen pizza upon the transfer means in a microwave oven;

heating the frozen pizza in the microwave oven for a predefined period of time;

using the transfer means to transfer the heated pizza from the microwave oven to a stovetop pan; and

crisping the pizza crust on a heated stovetop pan for a predefined period of time.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the microwave heating step includes heating for a period of time selected from the group consisting of a range of about 40 seconds to about 7 minutes and a range of about 1.5 to 3 minutes.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the stovetop crisping step includes crisping on the stove top in the stovetop skillet for a period of time selected from the group consisting of a range of about 30 seconds to about 3 minutes and a range of about 30 seconds to about 90 seconds.