Patent Application
20180111742
Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
In recent years, the Asian style dumpling, also known as potsticker has gained its popularity in the U.S. consumer markets. It is well known that in preparing potstickers, it takes substantial amount of time to cook or even to heat up potstickers by all existing methods. There has not been a satisfactory method of preparing potstickers by microwave heating, even though microwave heating is commonly accepted as a convenient, efficient and desirable heating method. So far, applying microwave heating based on the heating instructions provided for the packaged potsticker food products in the market often results in unsatisfactory outcomes with common problems of overheating or insufficient heating. The typical result of over-heating the potstickers with microwave is a severe dehydration of the potsticker skin that greatly deteriorates the food quality. The main reason that an existing microwave heating method does not apply to potstickers is that the potsticker skin is relatively more sensitive to microwave heating.
The current disclosure relates to a new device and method of heating potstickers with microwave(s) that gives or results in consistent good quality potstickers after heating, therefore it is a useful new tool for microwave heating of commercial packaged potsticker food products.
The disclosure relates to an apparatus for preparation of a potsticker food product, having: a bag; the potsticker food product within the bag; and wherein the bag defines at least one air gap through the bag. The disclosure further relates to a potsticker manufacturing process, having the steps of: placing a potsticker food product in a bag; sealing the bag; and creating at least one air gap through the bag. Additionally, the disclosure relates to a potsticker preparation process, having the steps of: microwaving a potsticker food product in a bag to create steam; and steaming and venting the steam through at least one air gap through the bag.
The exemplary embodiments may be better understood, and numerous objects, features, and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing the accompanying drawing(s). These drawing(s) are used to illustrate only exemplary embodiments, and are not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the disclosure may admit to other equally effective exemplary embodiments. The figures are not necessarily to scale and certain features and certain views of the figures may be shown exaggerated in scale or in schematic in the interest of clarity and conciseness.
The description that follows includes exemplary apparatus, methods, techniques, and instruction sequences that embody techniques of the inventive subject matter. However, it is understood that the described embodiments may be practiced without these specific details.
With reference to
For the above mentioned packaged frozen food products, the current invention uses the following configuration and parameters:
(1) Frozen potsticker packed with or without sauce packet 9 in a 6 to 7 oz. microwavable bag:
(2) Frozen potsticker packed with or without sauce packet 9 in a 7 to 8 oz. microwavable bag:
In other exemplary embodiments the size of the Air Gap(s) 2 (or the length of Section 8) may vary, the number of the locations of the Air Gap(s) 2 may vary, the placement of the locations of the Air Gap(s) 2 may vary, and/or the microwave heating time and/or intensity/power may vary. A sealing device may be used to create the Bag Seal 7 of Bag 1 together with Air Gap(s) 2 at locations, for example, 3, 4 and 5. In another working exemplary embodiment, the placement of the locations of the Air Gap(s) 2 may appear some or all in regions of the Bag 1 other than the Bag Seal 7 (e.g. some or all as perforations through the sidewalls of the Bag 1). The length of the Section 8 of Air Gap(s) 2 and the length of the microwave heating time may be collectively and/or separately critical to the preferred success of the final potsticker food product 6 for the purpose of achieving optimal food quality within the context of the size of the bag 1.
While the embodiments are described with reference to various implementations and exploitations, it will be understood that these embodiments are illustrative and that the scope of the inventive subject matter is not limited to them. Many variations, modifications, additions and improvements are possible.
Plural instances may be provided for components, operations or structures described herein as a single instance. In general, structures and functionality presented as separate components in the exemplary configurations may be implemented as a combined structure or component. Similarly, structures and functionality presented as a single component may be implemented as separate components. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements may fall within the scope of the inventive subject matter.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62412357 | Oct 2016 | US |
