Claims
- 1. A method for producing a reconstitutable dehydrated chunky bean product so as to substantially eliminate hard beans from the bean product, the method comprising:
a. separately hydrating first and second portions of raw beans by maintaining the entirety of said first and second portions submerged in a wetting liquid for respective first and second hydration periods so as to obtain respective first and second portions of unchopped hydrated beans; b. separately cooking each of said first and second portions of hydrated beans to obtain respective first and second portions of unchopped cooked beans; c. chopping said first portion of the cooked beans to form a composition of a desired texture; d. forming the texturized composition into a generally flat sheet; e. drying the flat sheet of texturized composition; f. forming the sheet into chunks; g. drying the second portion of unchopped cooked beans using microwave energy; and h. adding the dried second portion of unchopped cooked beans to said chunks.
- 2. The method of claim 1, further including adding to at least one of said first and second portions of hydrated beans at least one member selected from the group consisting of flavor ingredients, oil, and colorant.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein, step (a) takes place in a hydration vessel and, at least one member selected from the group consisting of flavor ingredients, oil, colorant, and a concentrated or reconstituted broth removed from the hydration vessel is added to said first portion of beans.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein, in step (g), the second portion of unchopped cooked beans is dried using convective heating in addition to said microwave energy.
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein said first and second portions of hydrated beans are cooked in a stationary cooking vessel.
- 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the generally flat sheet of texturized composition has a top surface and a bottom surface and at least one of said top and bottom surfaces is ribbed.
- 7. The method of claim 1, wherein, in steps (a) and (b), said first portion of raw beans is hydrated and cooked under a first set of processing conditions and said second portion of raw beans is hydrated and cooked under a second, different set of processing conditions.
- 8. A method for producing a reconstitutable dehydrated chunky bean product so as to substantially eliminate hard beans from the bean product, the method comprising:
a. separately hydrating first and second portions of raw beans by maintaining the entirety of said first and second portions submerged in a wetting liquid for respective first and second hydration periods so as to obtain respective first and second portions of unchopped hydrated beans; b. separately cooking each of said first and second portions of hydrated beans to obtain respective first and second portions of unchopped cooked beans; c. chopping said first portion of the cooked beans to form a composition of a desired texture; d. forming the texturized composition into a generally flat sheet; e. drying the flat sheet of texturized composition; f. forming the sheet into chunks; g. arranging the second portion of unchopped cooked beans into a stack of multiple bean layers; h. drying said layers of unchopped cooked beans using microwave energy; and i. adding the dried second portion of unchopped cooked beans to said chunks.
- 9. The method of claim 8, further including adding to at least one of said first and second portions of hydrated beans at least one additive selected from the group consisting of flavor ingredients, oil and colorant.
- 10. The method of claim 8, wherein, step (a) takes place in a hydration vessel and, at least one member selected from the group consisting of flavor ingredients, oil, colorant, and a concentrated or reconstituted broth removed from the hydration vessel is added to said first portion of beans.
- 11. The method of claim 8, wherein, in step (e), the sheet of texturized composition is dried by exposure to both microwave energy and convective heating.
- 12. The method of claim 0.8, wherein the generally flat sheet of texturized composition has a top surface and a bottom surface and at least one of said top and bottom surfaces is ribbed.
- 13. The method of claim 8, wherein, in steps (a) and (b), said first portion of raw beans is hydrated and cooked under a first set of processing conditions and said second portion of raw beans is hydrated and cooked under a second, different set of processing conditions.
- 14. The method of claim 8, wherein, in step (h), the layers of unchopped cooked beans are dried using convective heating in addition to said microwave energy.
- 15. The method of claim 8, wherein said first and second portions of hydrated beans are cooked in a stationary cooking vessel.
- 16. The method of claim 8, wherein, in step (g), said stack has at least four layers.
- 17. The method of claim 8, wherein the hydrating step is preceded by washing and cleaning the raw beans, said hydrating step being carried out by a process comprising, for each of said first and second portions of raw beans:
placing the raw beans into a stationary hydration vessel; introducing a defined quantity of wetting liquid into the hydration vessel to establish a liquid level such that all of the beans are immersed in the liquid; capturing, at a location below said liquid level, harder beans that buoy up towards an upper portion of the hydration vessel; and circulating said wetting liquid through the beans within the hydration vessel for said respective hydration period; and after said hydration period, removing a broth from the hydration vessel, wherein the broth is comprised of an unabsorbed portion of the wetting liquid and a proportion of bean solids; and recovering said bean solids from said broth.
- 18. The method of claim 17, further including:
after said hydration period, removing softer beans that have sunk towards a lower end of the hydration vessel; removing said harder beans from a point below said capturing location.
- 19. The method of claim 17, wherein, after the bean solids are recovered, the unabsorbed portion of the liquid is re-introduced into the hydration vessel to be used in hydrating a subsequent batch of beans.
- 20. The method of claim 18, wherein, after removal, the captured, harder beans are returned to the hydration vessel to be further hydrated with a subsequent batch of beans.
- 21. The method of claim 17, wherein said recovery of bean solids from the broth is accomplished by one or more means selected from the group consisting of spray drying, evaporation, and filtration.
- 22. The method of claim 17, further including recovering one or more flavors from the broth.
- 23. The method of claim 17, wherein said hydration is carried out at a temperature between about 180 and about 210° F. and said respective hydration period lasts between 40 and 150 minutes.
- 24. The method of claim 17, wherein said harder beans are captured with a mesh screen and removed through a release valve.
- 25. The method of claim 17, wherein the bean solids separated from the broth are added to a respective portion of the beans after the hydration step.
- 26. A method of hydrating a batch of raw beans having a variety of initial moisture contents, comprising:
a. placing the raw beans into a hydration vessel; b. introducing a defined quantity of wetting liquid into the hydration vessel to establish a liquid level such that all of the beans are immersed in the liquid; c. capturing, at a location below said liquid level, beans that buoy up towards an upper portion of the hydration vessel; d. circulating said wetting liquid through the beans within the hydration vessel for a predetermined hydration period; e. after said hydration period, removing a broth formed from said liquid and beans from the hydration vessel; and f. removing the now hydrated beans from the hydration vessel.
- 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the broth is comprised of an unabsorbed portion of the wetting liquid and a proportion of bean solids, the method further including recovering said bean solids from the broth.
- 28. The method of claim 27, wherein said recovery of bean solids is accomplished by one or more means selected from the group consisting of spray drying, evaporation, and filtration.
- 29. The method of claim 27, wherein, after the bean solids are recovered, the unabsorbed portion of the liquid is re-introduced into the hydration vessel to be used in hydrating a subsequent batch of beans.
- 30. The method of claim 26, wherein during step (c) harder beans are captured and returned to the hydration vessel to be further hydrated with a subsequent batch of beans.
- 31. The method of claim 30, wherein said harder beans are captured with a mesh screen and removed through a release valve.
- 32. The method of claim 26, further including recovering one or more flavors from the broth.
- 33. The method of claim 26, wherein said hydration vessel is stationary and generally vertically elongated.
- 34. A reconstitutable, dehydrated bean product including a first portion comprising whole beans and a second portion comprising chunks having rough and highly-porous edges so as to be reconstitutable without further processing produced according to the process of claim 1.
- 35. A reconstitutable, dehydrated bean product including a first portion comprising whole beans and a second portion comprising chunks having rough and highly-porous edges so as to be reconstitutable without further processing produced according to the process of claim 8.
- 36. A reconstitutable, dehydrated bean product including a first portion comprising whole beans and a second portion comprising chunks having rough and highly-porous edges so as to be reconstitutable without further processing produced according to the process of claim 17;
- 37. An apparatus for hydrating a batch of raw beans having a variety of initial moisture contents, comprising:
a. a stationary hydration vessel having an inner surface, an outer surface, a top end, and a bottom end; b. inlet means at the vessel's bottom end for introducing a wetting liquid into the vessel to establish a liquid level towards said top end; c. first outlet means coupled to the vessel's bottom end for draining a liquid broth; d. restraining means placed inside the hydration vessel below said liquid level; and e. second outlet means connected to said hydration vessel at a point below said restraining means.
- 38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the restraining means is a screen.
- 39. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the second outlet means is a release valve configured to extend through said inner and outer surfaces of the hydration vessel to remove beans that float towards the top of the hydration vessel and are captured by the restraining means.
- 40. A method for producing a reconstitutable dehydrated bean product, comprising:
a. hydrating a first portion of raw beans by maintaining said portion submerged in a wetting liquid for a desired hydration period so as to obtain a first portion of hydrated beans; b. cooking said first portion of hydrated beans to obtain a first portion of cooked beans; c. chopping said first portion of cooked beans to form a composition of a desired texture; d. forming the texturized composition into a generally flat sheet; e. drying the flat sheet of texturized composition; and f. forming said sheet into chunks.
- 41. A method for producing a reconstitutable dehydrated bean product, comprising:
a. hydrating a first portion of raw beans by maintaining said portion submerged in a wetting liquid for a desired hydration period so as to obtain a first portion of hydrated beans; b. cooking said first portion of hydrated beans to obtain a first portions of cooked beans; and c. drying the cooked beans using microwave energy such that the beans substantially maintain their shape.
- 42. The method of claim 40, further including adding to said first portion of hydrated beans at least one member selected from the group consisting of flavor ingredients, oil and colorant.
- 43. The method of claim 40, wherein, step (a) takes place in a hydration vessel and, at least one member selected from the group consisting of flavor ingredients, oil, colorant, and a concentrated or reconstituted broth removed from the hydration vessel is added to said beans.
- 44. The method of claim 41, wherein, in step (c), the cooked beans are dried using convective heating in addition to said microwave energy.
- 45. The method of claim 40, wherein said hydrated beans are cooked in a stationary cooking vessel.
- 46. The method of claim 41, wherein said hydrated beans are cooked in a stationary vessel.
- 47. The method of claim 40, wherein the generally flat sheet of texturized composition has a top surface and a bottom surface and at least one of said top and bottom surfaces is ribbed.
RELATED APPLICATION DATA
[0001] This is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 10/300,197, filed Nov. 19, 2002, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 09/640,297, filed Aug. 16, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,482,457, and is related to Ser. No. 09/641,754, filed Aug. 16, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,150.
Continuation in Parts (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10300197 |
Nov 2002 |
US |
Child |
10745365 |
Dec 2003 |
US |
Parent |
09640297 |
Aug 2000 |
US |
Child |
10300197 |
Nov 2002 |
US |