Claims
- 1. A method of processing meat comprising the steps of:
a) contacting bodies of meat originally stored at a relatively low temperature with a treating solution; b) agitating said bodies of meat in contact with said treating solution at a predetermined elevated temperature above said low temperature and maintaining said elevated temperature substantially constant while agitating said meat for a period of time sufficient to distribute the treating solution in the meat in at least one first treating vessel; c) thereafter cooling the bodies of meat in at least one second vessel; and d) recovering said bodies of meat in a cooled state below said elevated temperature and substantially dry.
- 2. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said bodies of meat are heated in a further vessel prior to being delivered to said first vessel.
- 3. The method defined in claim 2 wherein said bodies of meat are heated by contact with a solution prior to being delivered to said first vessel.
- 4. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said bodies of meat are heated in contact with said solution in said first vessel.
- 5. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said bodies of meat are transferred from said first vessel to a plurality of said second vessels.
- 6. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said bodies of meat are transferred from said first vessel to said second vessel by a conveyor.
- 7. An apparatus for the treatment of meat comprising:
at least one first vessel for agitating bodies of meat in contact with a treating solution at a predetermined elevated temperature and for maintaining said temperature substantially constant while said meat is agitated therein for a period of time sufficient to distribute the treating solution in the meat; and at least one second vessel for receiving bodies of meat from said first vessel for cooling said bodies of meat to a temperature below said elevated temperature.
- 8. The apparatus defined in claim 7 wherein at least said first vessel is a rotary paddle massager or a tumbler.
- 9. The apparatus defined in claim 7 wherein at least said second vessel is a rotary paddle massager or tumbler.
- 10. The apparatus defined in claim 7 wherein at least one of said vessels has a jacket and said apparatus includes a system for passing a heated or cooled fluid through said jacket.
- 11. The apparatus defined in claim 7, further comprising a temperature controller for regulating temperature in at least one of said vessels within ±2° F.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application 60/189,667 filed Mar. 15, 2000 and is a continuation-in-part of the copending application Ser. No. 09/808,398 filed Mar. 14, 2001.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60189667 |
Mar 2000 |
US |
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09808398 |
Mar 2001 |
US |
Child |
09995878 |
Nov 2001 |
US |