Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The invention relates to a mode of preparing a ground
meat pattie for storage, transportation, or cooking, with
particular respect to the general type of patties known as
hamburgers.
The United States makes and consumes millions of
hamburgers each year in restaurants, private homes and chains
of outlets devoted primarily to this food product. Despite
this tremendous usage and the great number of people involved
in supplying the meat, preparing and cooking the hamburgers
and consuming the same, they continue to be formed usually as
round flat discs of ground meat, shaped by hand, having very
little strength to withstand the stresses of handling, turning
and heating which are imposed upon the hamburger patties from
the time they are formed to the time they are consumed. The
hamburger patties are very apt to cup, crack, warp, or even
break up while being cooked, or by being handled prior to
cooking, during cooking, and during subsequent consumption. `~
It is a primary object of this invention to provide
a method of preparing a ground meat pattie which will overcome
the disadvantages of conventional hamburger patties as briefly
outlined above.
Accoridng to the invention there is provided the
method of preparing a ground meat pattie for storing and trans-
porting comprising the steps of: (1) separating a predetermined
quantity of ground meat from a larger supply of ground raw meat,
and (2) pressing a series of concentric circular ribs
separated by narrow circular grooves in the top and bottom of
said quantity of ground meat to form a thin round pattie having
said clrcular concentric ribs and grooves in its upper and
30 lower surfaces whereby said pattie is strengthened to withstand ;
stresses in handling, storage, transporting and ultimate cooking.
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least in preferred forms, is that it can provide a ground
meat pattie, having the above-described characteristics,
which will cook faster than a conventional ground meat pattie
and yet will improve the taste of the cooked product.
The above and additional advantages will be made
clear from the following detailed description when taken in
connection with the annexed drawing, in which:
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least in preferred forms, is that it can provide a ground
meat pattie, having the above-described characteristics,
which will cook faster than a conventional ground meat pattie
and yet will improve the taste of the cooked product.
The above and additional advantages will be made
clear from the following detailed description when taken in
connection with the annexed drawing, in which:
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.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a quantity of ground
meat placed between an upper and lower layer of plastic wrapping
material and disposed in the bottom half of a mold just prior to
pressing both the meat and the wrapper material into the desired -
configuration of the invention with the upper half of the mold;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view similar to ~ig. 1, but
with the upper half of the mold lowered and pressing upon the ~
meat and plastic wrapper; ~ -
~ ig. 3 is a perspective view of the pressed and
formed meat pattie coated with its plastic wrapper and removed
from the mold after the first press;
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the formed meat pattie
after the corners of the wrapper material have been refolded
over it and the pattie has been replaced in the mold for a
subsequent second pressing; . .
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the doubly pressed .
and wrapped meat pattie when removed from the mold after the
second press;
~ ig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line
6-6 of ~ig. 5 and looking in the direction of the arrows;
Fig. 7 is a view similar to ~ig. 6, but with the
wrapper removed; and
~ ig. 8 is a vertical sectional view through the mold
alone with the upper and lower halves disposed apart in
exploded relation.
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The product intended to be achieved with the method
of the present invention is best seen in ~ig. 7 and comprises
a circular disc 10 of molded ground meat having a plural~ty :
of concentric rings 12 nestled one within the other. Each
of the rings 12 is approximately circular in cross-section, but
need not be exactly, and the adjacent rings are joined by -
molded meat connections 14 which are formed during the molding
operation between adjacent crests or ribs 16 and between
grooves 18.
A suitable mold which may be used for pressing the
meat pattie, by a housewife, for example, is best seen in Fig.
8 as comprising a mold 20 having a lower half 22 and an upper
half 24 which carries a handle 26.
As best seen in ~igs. 1 and 8, the upper half mold
24 has formed in it a series of concentric grooves 28 which
are preferably approximately semicircular in cross-section
with adjacent grooves intersecting in crests 30.
The lower portion 22 of the mold is similarly grooved
at 32. The grooves 32 register with the grooves 28. The
crests 30 of the grooves 28 oppose the crests 34 of the lower
half portion of the mold. When the mold is closed, as by
lowering the top half portion in ~ig. 8, the crests 30 are spaced
from the crests 34 of the grooves 32 except at the center
where a circular post 36 of the mold bottom 22 registers with
and contacts a similar post 38 in the mold top 24. An annular
ledge 40 of the lower part of the mold 22 registers with an
annular edge 42 in the upper part of the mold 24.
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With the upper part of the mold 24 separated from
the lower part 22~ as in Fig. 8, the user may directly place
a predetermined quantity of uncooked raw ground meat, such as
hamburger, sausage, meat loaf, etc., in the lower half 22 and
the upper half 24 pressed downwardly upon said quantity of meat
so as to fill the grooves 28, 32 and form a substantial layer
above the crests 34. During pressing the upper mold downwardly~
the handle 26 may be rotated to provide a pressing or "ironing"
action which compacts the meat within the grooves and in the
spaces between the crests 30-and 34. The top part of the mold
24 is then withdrawn and the product shown in ~ig. 7 is extric-
ated from the lower part of the mold 22.
During the molding step, the concentric ribs and ;~,-
grooves of the molding device 20 compress the ground meat
into a disc formed of concentric rings 12 joined by thin,
or narrow meat connections 14 formed between the adjacent , .
crests 30 and 34, thus imparting to the pattie a configuration :~
of very desirable characteristics. The compressing action
serves to remove much of the air from the ground meat, thereby
increasing its internal cohesive strength. This, when coupled
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with the increase in inherent strength gained by the rib con- ~: .
struction formed by the multiple, connected circular rings, :. -
results in a pattie of unusually good structural strength which
holds up very well under the distorting stresses likely to be
imposed upon it after forming and during possible freezing,
storage, thawing, cooking and consumption.
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The configuration of the top and bottom surfaces of the
meat pattie lO, with their alternate concentric ribs and grooves,
form surface areas which may be mathematically proven to be
more than 40~0 greater than the like surface areas of a flat,
or conventional pattie formed of like ground meat and of the
same diameter and weight. The ability of substances to absorb,
or release heat, with other things being equal, varies directly
with the area exposed. Therefore, the concentric ring meat
pattie lO of this invention will cook, freeze, or thaw faster
than conventional patties of the same content, diameter and
weight. Actual test experience has proven this to be true.
In fact, the actual time needed to freeze, or thaw, is less
than expected based on the area difference alone. This is
probably explained by the increased density of the patties lO
resulting from the compressive action of a mold such as that
illustrated in Fig. 8. During cooking in a skillet, or on a
flat heating, or cooking surface, the cooking time for the
patties lO has proven to be less than one-half that required
to cook a conventional ground meat pattie of the same material,
overall diameter and weight to the same degree of doneness.
This, again, is made possible by the more than 40% greater surface
area of pattie lO, its improved density9 resulting from
compressive action, (density being an important factor con-
trolling heat transfer within the pattie, itself) and the fact
1 that the pattie 10 remains flat on the cooking surface during
the entire time of cooking. While lying flat, the hot,
exuded cooking juices are trapped under the pattie and fill
the concentric grooves 18 which greatly improves transfer of
heat from the cooking surface to the pattie, itself. Further,
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the retention o these juices improves the taste of the
cooked patties. Moreover, the action of the grooves 18 holding
exuded hot meat juices both under and on top of the concentric
rings 1~ during cooking tends to reduce sticking, burning in
spots and generally contributes to a tender, juicy and
delicious end product. It has been found that during cooking
the meat patties 10 are not likely to cup, crack, warp or
break up as frequently happens with conventional ground meat
patties. This statement applies to handling, storage, trans-
portation and similar actions taken with the patties before~
or after cooking. The reason for this improved strength and
improved action under cooking forces is explained by the basic
structure of the pattie, which is composed of multiple,
connected, circular rings of ground meat with well-defined
matching circular grooves formed in the meat surface on each
side. These grooves act to cut the continuous lines of
shrinkage force, which are set up across the flat surface of
conventional patties as they cook, causing such conventional
patties to cup, crack, warp, distort, or break up. The
shrinkage forces in the patties 10 having concentric ribs are, -
in the main, confined to each circular ring of meat, each ring
12 shrinking uniformly and independently in such a way as to
not noticeably disturb its relationship with other rings in
the pattie. An additional factor in the increase of pattie
strength is the result of the compressive action of the
circular ribs and grooves in the mold which combine to squeeze
much of the air from the ground meat and to form it into a
denser pattie of higher cohesive strength.
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A mold device such as 20, Fig. 8, makes it possible -
and practicable to simultaneously pressure mold the ground
meat to the desired pattie form and apply a contour-fitting,
skin-tight, hygienic, easy to handle and easily removed,
relatively vapor-proof plastic film covering to the entire
outer surface of the meat pattie lO. Such a film is illustrat-
ed in Figs. 1 - 6, as will be later explained. The plastic
material from which the film is made must have essential
characteristics of flexibility, stretchability, impermeability
to liquids and vapors as well as the ability to cling to
,~ the meat when applied with a molding press. Suitable examples
-~r~de~nar~s
of such plastic film are carried under the t~dcnamc3,
"Handi-Wrap", "Stretch'N Seal", and "Saran Wrap".
To form and utilize the plas$ic ilm wrapper in a
home, for example, one end 52 of a strip of the plastic
material 50 approximately 6" x 12" is laid over the mold base
22 and the desired quantity (2-1/2 to 4 ounces~ of the ground
meat 10' is placed on this end portion 52 of the strip of
plastic. The other end 54 of the plastic film is folded over
the meat and firmly pressed downwardly by the upper mold half
24 into the base section of the mold, as illustrated in Fig.
2, simultaneously pressing concentric ribs into both the
plastic film and into the ground meat. The thus formed and
covered pattie 60 is then removed from the mold base 22 as
illustrated in Fig. 3.
If desired, the corners 62 of excess plastic
material may be folded upwardly and inwardly to overlie the
pattie as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3, and the wrapped
pattie 60 is then returned to the mold as in Fig. 4, preparatory
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to repressing the same for a second time. After the second
pressing the formed pattie 60 t with the plastic wrapping is
removed from the mold and takes the appearance shown in
Fig. 5. As will be seen from Fig. 6, the ground meat has
been formed into a circular ribbed configuration described
above and is surrounded on its bottom by a single layer of
plastic material 52 and on portions of its top by double
layers of the plastic material 54, 56.
The formation of the meat pattie 60' closely covered
by plastic material 50, having the same ribbed configuration
pressed into the plastic, enables the pattie to be easily
removed from the mold without meat sticking to the mold
surfaces. The pattie can be readily handled in a hygienic
manner without danger of contamination of the meat by un-
wanted and unsafe materials through handling, and the patties
may be stored for a long period of time safely and hygienically.
Storage of the meat pattie may be safely extended
for a longer period of time by freezing the meat pattie in its
covering, thereby preventing decomposition likely to occur
at higher, or normal temperatures. When the frozen patties
are ready to be removed from storage in preparation for
cooking and consumption, the patties are merely allowed to
thaw to room temperature in their plastic wrappers, and the
wrappers are then stripped off by lifting away the four folded
corners 62 and thereafter separating the two upper and lower
plastic leaves 52, 54 from the meat. This is a relatively
easy operation to perform and once done, the meat pattie 10'
now unwrapped will appear as described in ~ig. 7, and may be
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placed on a flat heating surface to cook the same in the
manner previously described. It will be apparent that the
pattie 10' retains its circular ribbed construction throughout
the storage~ transporting~ freezing and thawing operations
while wrapped in the plastic material and when the wrapper
is stripped therefrom, still retaining its ribbed construction,
may be cooked with all the attendant advantages of such shape and
configuration as has been previously described.
The complete method of preparing a ground meat
pattie for storage, transportation, and/or cooking as has
been described above, may be summarized as including the
following steps:
(1) Separating a predetermined quantity of ground
meat from a larger supply of ground raw meat,
(2~ pressing or molding a series of concentric
circular ribs separated by narrow circular grooves in the top
and bottom of said quantity of ground meat to form a thin
round pattie with said circular concentric ribs and grooves
in both its upper and lower surfaces,
(3) simultaneously with said pressing step (~)
pressing an upper and lower layer of plastic film with the
meat to simultaneously form the pattie with a close-fitting
wrapper of plastic material,
(4) removing the wrapped and pressed pattie from
the mold and folding excess plastic material to overlie the
pattie,
(5) re-pressing the pattie with the folded wrapper
thereon in the same mold, or pressing device,
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(6) removing the pattie as re-pressed from the
molding device,
(7) subjecting the wrapped and pressed patties
to freezing temperature for storage, or transportation,
(8) thawing the wrapped frozen patties to room
temperature, or thereabouts,
(9) stripping the plastic wrapper from the ground
meat pattie,
(10) and cooking the stripped ground meat pattie
on a flat heating surface without support of any other
supporting device, or implement.
In the above described process certain steps may be
modified, or omitted, if desired. For example, the meat and
wrapper need be pressed only once. Again, the pattie may be
formed from ground meat directly in the mold without a wrapper
and removed from the mold and placed directly on the heating
surface for cooking. Other variations of the method and
method steps are obviously possible.
While the invention has been described in relation to
a use by a single person, a housewife for example, and by use
of a simple mold which may be retained and used in an ordinary
kitahen, the method of the invention may obviously be adapted
to larg~ quantity production, mechanization, and the like.
A commercial meat packer, for example, may utilize machinery
capable of molding dozens, if not hundreds of the patties
simultaneously. Plastic film may be applied as a wrapper
automatically by use of a two-ply continuous plastic belt. The
wrapped patties may be fast frozen in continuous operation and
may then be stored fox relatively long periods of time and
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transported over a great distance with minimal loss in
quality. The plastic belt wrappers may be perforated between
patties which would simplify marketing by allowing purchasers
to conveniently serve themselves from a packer's shipping
box by pulling out and tearing off a desired number of
patties. ~urther modifications will occur to those skilled
in the art. For example, although the ribs forming the
rings of the patties, as described above, are shown to be
substantially circular in cross-section, they are not
limited to this shape, but may be somewhat elliptical, or
even approximately hexagonal to yield superior release of
the pattie from the mold.
Although a certain specific embodiment of the
invention has been shown and described, it is obvious that
many modifications thereof are possible. The invention,
therefore, is not intended to be restricted to the exact
showing of the drawing and description thereof, but is
considered to include reasonable and obvious equivalents.
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