Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PRODUCING A MEAT PRODUCT
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a meat product, such as a jerky
product (e.g., a meat
jerky product), a method of preparing the meat product, and a packaged meat
product.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Jerky products (e.g., meat jerky) are usually made from whole
stripes (e.g., slices) of
meat or meat which is ground and then formed into a shape, such as a stick. A
slice or a formed
shape is used in order to produce a jerky product that can be hand held. To
produce the jerky
product, slices of raw meat are often cured in a marinade. Raw meat absorbs
flavor (of the
marinade) better than cooked meat. After the slices are cured, the cured
slices are dried in a
smokehouse, such as a smoker.
[0003] Jerky products are typically safe to be stored at room temperature,
or "on the shelf',
which is often referred to as "shelf stable". To be shelf stable, a perishable
food needs to be
treated by heat and/or dried to destroy foodbome microorganisms that can cause
illness or spoil
food. If a perishable food is not properly stored (e.g., refrigerated), the
perished food may grow
organisms and spoil. An example of a perishable food is a pulled-meat. Pulled-
meat is the result
of a method of cooking a meat at a low temperature such that, instead of being
sliced, the meat
can be "pulled" or otherwise broken apart ¨ e.g., pulled into tender bites.
The resulting meat
requires storage, such as refrigeration, and cannot be safely stored at room
temperature (i.e. it is
not shelf-stable).
SUMMARY
[0004] The present disclosure describes a method and system to produce a
meat product, such
as a jerky product, and a packaged meat product. The meat product may be
produced from raw
meat or cooked meat. In some implementations, the jerky product is made by
drying shredded,
precooked meat. To illustrate, as an illustrative, non-limiting example, the
jerky product may be
made by precooking meat (e.g., by steaming), shredding the precooked meat,
mixing the
shredded meat with marinade (e.g., a sauce), and then drying the mixture (of
the shredded meat
and the marinade) on one or more screens in a smokehouse to make shelf-stable
jerky. In some
such implementations, the mixture (of the shredded meat and the marinate) is
spread on a screen
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to form a layer (e.g., a sheet), dried in a smokehouse, and then the dried
sheet is cut to pieces.
The result is a meat product (e.g., the jerky) that tastes like pulled-pork,
but does not require
refrigeration.
[0005] Thus, the system(s), the method(s), and packaged meat product(s)
described herein
produce and/or include a produced meat product, such as a jerky that is shelf-
stable. The meat
product (e.g., a pulled-meat jerky product) advantageously has an appearance
of irregular
shredded pieces of meat. Additionally, or alternatively, the meat product
(e.g., the jerky) may be
free from extraneous material, may have visible spice distributed on the
surface, or both. In
some implementations, the meat product may also have a tender texture with
occasional moist
texture. The meat product (e.g., the jerky) may have a savory, smoky flavor,
other flavor based
on one or more spices and/or sauces used to prepare the produced meat product.
In a particular
implementation, the meat product (e.g., the jerky) advantageously tastes like
pulled-pork, but
does not require refrigeration.
[0006] Some embodiments of the present methods include a method for
producing a meat
product, the method comprising: cooking a sauced, shredded cooked meat
product; determining
a moisture level associated with the sauced, shredded cooked meat product; and
determining the
sauced, shredded cooked meat product is a meat jerky product based on the
water activity.
[0007] Some embodiments of the present methods include a method for
producing a meat
jerky product, the method comprising: cooking a first meat product to produce
a second meat
product; shredding the second meat product to produce a third meat product;
adding sauce to the
third meat product to produce a fourth meat product; cooking the fourth meat
product; measuring
water activity of the fourth meat product; and determining the fourth meat
product is a meat
jerky product based on the water activity being within a target range. In some
implementations,
the first meat product comprises raw meat, the second meat product comprises a
cooked meat
product, the third meat product comprises a shredded cooked meat product,
and/or the fourth
meat product comprises a sauced, shredded cooked meat product. In a particular
embodiment,
the fourth meat product is cooked on the surface in a smokehouse.
Additionally, the method may
include placing the fourth meat product on a surface. In some such
embodiments, the surface
comprises a surface of a screen.
[0008] Some embodiments of the present methods include a method for
producing a meat
jerky includes cooking a sauced, shredded cooked meat product, determining a
moisture level
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associated with the sauced, shredded cooked meat product, and determining the
sauced, shredded
cooked meat product is a meat jerky product based on the moisture level.
[0009] Some embodiments of the present methods include a method for
preparing a jerky
product include precooking meat (e.g., by any suitable method such as
steaming, in an oven, in a
smokehouse, boiling, sous vide cooking, etc.), shredding the meat, mixing the
shredded meat
with a sauce or marinade, and then further cooking and drying the mixture on
screens in a
smokehouse to make shelf-stable pulled-meat product. In some such embodiments,
the meat is
precooked and shredded before drying. In a particular embodiment, the result
is a meat product
that tastes like pulled-pork, but does not require refrigeration.
[0010] Some embodiments of the present methods include a method for
producing sauced
pulled-meat jerky include cooking a meat product to produce a cooked meat
product, shredding
the cooked meat product to produce a shredded meat product, adding sauce to
the shredded meat
product to produce a sauced pulled-meat product, placing the sauced pulled-
meat product on a
screen, cooking the sauced pulled-meat product on the screen in a smokehouse,
measuring water
activity of the sauced pulled-meat product and removing the sauced pulled-meat
product from
the smokehouse once the water activity is within a target range.
[0011] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a method for producing
sauced pulled-
meat jerky comprising cooking a meat product to produce a cooked meat product,
shredding the
cooked meat product to produce a shredded meat product, adding sauce to the
shredded meat
product to produce a sauced pulled-meat product, placing the sauced pulled-
meat product on a
screen, cooking the sauced pulled-meat product on the screen in a smokehouse,
measuring water
activity of the sauced pulled-meat product and removing the sauced pulled-meat
product from
the smokehouse once the water activity is within a target range.
[0012] In some embodiments, the method comprises adding sauce to achieve a
meat to sauce
ratio of the sauced pulled-meat product in a range of 55:45 to 75:25 (11:9 to
3:1).
[0013] In some embodiments, the method comprises cooking the sauced pulled-
meat product
at a temperature of approximately 200 F.
[0014] In some embodiments, the target range is 0.76-0.82.
[0015] In some embodiments, the method comprises cooking the sauced pulled-
meat product
at a relative humidity of at least 30%.
[0016] Further aspects and details of example embodiments are set forth
below.
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[0017] As used herein, the term "meat" generally refers to animal flesh,
such as beef, pork,
lamb, chicken, turkey ostrich, fish, shellfish, another animal, or a
combination of flesh from
different animals. Additionally, as used herein, the term "meat product", such
as a meat jerky
product, may also be referred to as a jerky product, a shelf stable pulled-
meat product, a sauced
pulled-meat jerky, a pulled-meat jerky product, a pulled-meat product, or a
pulled-meat. Meat
and/or meat product may also refer to meat at different stage of process.
Accordingly, meat
product may also refer to raw and/or uncooked meat, pre-processed meat, cooked
meat, shredded
(uncooked or cooked) meat, sauced (uncooked or cooked) meat, dried meat,
smoked meat, etc.
[0018] As used herein, a "shelf-stable" food (sometimes referred to as
ambient food) is a food
of a type that can be safely stored at room temperature, such as stored at
room temperature in a
sealed container. This includes foods that would normally be stored
refrigerated but which have
been processed so that they can be safely stored at room or ambient
temperature for a usefully
long shelf life.
[0019] As used herein, water activity (aw) of a food is the ratio between
the vapor pressure of
the food itself, when in an undisturbed balance with the surrounding air mea,
and the vapor
pressure of distilled water under identical condition. To illustrate, a water
activity of 0.80 means
the vapor pressure is 80 percent of that of pure water, the water activity
increases with
temperature. The moisture condition of a product can be measured as the
equilibrium relative
humidity (ERH) expressed in percentage or as the water activity expressed as a
decimal. The
amount of available moisture can be reduced to a point which will inhibit the
growth of
organisms, such as bacteria, yeast, and mold. The water activity, ERH, and/or
moisture content
of a meat product may be subject to one or more international and/or national
legal requirements,
such as a standard defined by a regulatory body, such as the British Retail
Consortium (BRC),
International Featured Standards (IFS), the Global Food Safety Initiative
(GFSI), the Food and
Drug Administration (FDA), and the United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA), as
illustrative, non-limiting examples. As an illustrative, non-limiting example,
if the water activity
of food is controlled to 0.85 or less in a product, the product may not be
subject to one or more
international or national regulations, As an illustrative, non-limiting
example, if the water
activity of food is controlled to 0.85 or less in a product, the product may
not be subject to 21
CRF Parts 108, 113, and 114.
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[0020] Moisture content of a food material (e.g., a sample) is a ratio of a
mass of water in the
sample to a mass of the sample. Moisture content can be determined using one
or more
technologies/techniques, such as thermogravimetric analysis (e.g., oven
drying, halogen/infrared
(IR) drying, etc.), chemical analysis (Karl Fischer titration, calcium carbide
testing), calorimetric
analysis (e.g., differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), differential thermal
analysis (DTA)),
spectroscopic analysis (IR spectroscopy, microwave spectroscopy, proton
nuclear magnetic
resonance spectroscopy), or another technology/technique (e.g., gas
chromatography, density
determination, refractometry, etc.).
[0021] As used herein, various terminology is for the purpose of describing
particular
implementations only and is not intended to be limiting of implementations.
For example, as
used herein, an ordinal term (e.g., "first," "second," "third," etc.) used to
modify an element,
such as a structure, a component, an operation, etc., does not by itself
indicate any priority or
order of the element with respect to another element, but rather merely
distinguishes the element
from another element having a same name (but for use of the ordinal term). The
term "coupled"
is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly, and not
necessarily mechanically; two
items that are "coupled" may be unitary with each other. The terms "a" and
"an" are defined as
one or more unless this disclosure explicitly requires otherwise. The term
"substantially" is
defined as largely but not necessarily wholly what is specified (and includes
what is specified;
e.g., substantially 90 degrees includes 90 degrees and substantially parallel
includes parallel), as
understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art. In any disclosed
implementation, the term
"substantially" may be substituted with "within [a percentage] of' what is
specified, where the
percentage includes .1, 1, or 5 percent; and the term "approximately" may be
substituted with
"within 10 percent of' what is specified. The phrase "and/or" means and or. To
illustrate, A, B,
and/or C includes: A alone, B alone, C alone, a combination of A and B, a
combination of A and
C, a combination of B and C, or a combination of A, B, and C. In other words,
"and/or" operates
as an inclusive or.
[0022] The terms "comprise" (and any form of comprise, such as "comprises"
and
"comprising"), "have" (and any form of have, such as "has" and "having"), and
"include"
(and any form of include, such as "includes" and "including"). As a result, an
apparatus that
"comprises," "has," or "includes" one or more elements possesses those one or
more elements,
but is not limited to possessing only those one or more elements. Likewise, a
method that
CA 3042059 2019-05-02
,
"comprises," "has," or "includes" one or more steps possesses those one or
more steps, but is not
limited to possessing only those one or more steps.
[0023] Any implementation of any of the systems, methods, and article of
manufacture can
consist of or consist essentially of ¨ rather than comprise/have/include ¨ any
of the described
steps, elements, and/or features. Thus, in any of the claims, the term
"consisting of' or
"consisting essentially of' can be substituted for any of the open-ended
linking verbs recited
above, in order to change the scope of a given claim from what it would
otherwise be using the
open-ended linking verb. Additionally, the term "wherein" may be used
interchangeably with
"where."
[0024] Further, a device or system that is configured in a certain way is
configured in at least
that way, but it can also be configured in other ways than those specifically
described. The
feature or features of one implementation may be applied to other
implementations, even though
not described or illustrated, unless expressly prohibited by this disclosure
or the nature of the
implementations.
[0025] Some details associated with the implementations are described
above, and others are
described below. Other implementations, advantages, and features of the
present disclosure will
become apparent after review of the entire application, including the
following sections: Brief
Description of the Drawings, Detailed Description, and the Claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] The following drawings illustrate by way of example and not
limitation. For the sake
of brevity and clarity, every feature of a given structure is not always
labeled in every figure in
which that structure appears. Identical reference numbers do not necessarily
indicate an identical
structure. Rather, the same reference number may be used to indicate a similar
feature or a
feature with similar functionality, as may non-identical reference numbers.
The figures are drawn
to scale (unless otherwise noted), meaning the sizes of the depicted elements
are accurate relative
to each other for at least the implementation depicted in the figures. Views
identified as
schematics are not drawn to scale.
[0027] FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method for
producing sauced pulled-
meat.
[0028] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating another example of a method for
producing sauced
pulled-meat.
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[0029] FIG. 3 is a photograph of an example product made by a method
according to the
present disclosure.
[0030] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method for
producing a meat
product.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0031] Referring to FIG. 4, an example of a method of producing a meat
product is shown.
Method 400 may be performed by a manufacturing device or a system. The meat
product may
include or correspond to a jerky product, such as a shelf-stable jerky product
or a shelf-stable
pulled-meat jerky product.
[0032] Method 400 includes cooking a first meat product to produce a second
meat product,
at 410. The first meat product may include or correspond to a raw meet
product, such as an
uncooked meat product. For example, the first meat product may include a
cushion, such as a
pork cushion. The second meat produce may include or correspond to a cooked
meat product.
The first meat product may be cooked in an oven (e.g., a convection and forced
draft oven, a
vacuum oven, a microwave oven, an infrared lamp drying oven), a smoker (e.g.,
a smokehouse, a
wood smoker, an electric smoker), sous-vide, in a crockpot, in a Dutch oven, a
low temperature
cook device, cooked via steaming, cooked via boiling, cooked via curing, or
any combination
thereof. In some implementations, the first meat product may be cooked
according to a schedule
of one or more time periods (e.g., one or more stages). Each of the one or
more time periods
(e.g., stages) may be associated with one or more cook parameter settings,
such as duration, dry
bulb temperature, wet bulb temperature, relative humidity, smoke (on or off),
exhaust (on or off),
steam (on or off), one or more additional parameter settings, or any
combination thereof. In
some implementation, at least two time periods have the same one or more cook
parameter
settings. In other implementations, no two time periods have the same one or
more cook
parameter settings.
[0033] In some implementations, the first meat product may be cooked at a
temperature, or an
average temperature, of 200 F, substantially 200 F, or approximately 200 F.
Additionally, or
alternatively, the first meat product may be cooked at a humidity, or an
average humidity, greater
than or equal to 75 %, greater than or equal to substantially 75 %, or greater
than or equal to
approximately 75 %.
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[0034] In
some implementations, the fourth meat product (e.g., the sauced, shredded
cooked
meat product) may include 55-75 wt. % third meat product (e.g., the shredded
meat product) and
25-45% sauce, where each weight-percent range is inclusive or exclusive.
Additionally, or
alternatively, the fourth meat product (e.g., the sauced, shredded cooked meat
product) may
include a third meat product to sauce ratio within a range of 11:9 to 3:1,
inclusive or exclusive.
In other implementations, an amount of sauce included in the fourth meat
product may be
determined based on the first meat product (e.g., the raw meet product) or the
second meat
product (e.g., the cooked meat product). For example, an amount of sauce mixed
with the third
meat product (e.g., the shredded meat product) to produce the fourth meat
product (e.g., the
rd
sauced, shredded cooked meat product) may be 1/3 ¨ 9/11th, inclusive or
exclusive, the weight
of the first meat product or the second meat product that is processed to
produce the third meat
product.
[0035] In
some implementations, the method 400 includes, prior to mixing the third meat
product with a sauce, cooking the sauce until a temperature of the sauce is at
least a threshold
temperature for at least a particular amount of time ¨ e.g., 165 F for 5
minutes. Additionally, or
alternatively, method 400 may include determining an amount of sauce to mix
with the third
meat product based on the first meat product, the second meat product, or the
third meat product.
It is noted that each of the second meat product (e.g., the cooked meat
product), the third meat
product (e.g., the shredded meat product), and/or the sauce may be ready for
consumption, but
may be not shelf-stable and/or may need refrigeration.
Accordingly, in some such
implementations, the fourth meat product (e.g., the sauced, shredded cooked
meat product) is
also ready for consumption, but may be not shelf-stable and/or may need
refrigeration.
[0036]
Method 400 further includes cooking the fourth meat product, at 416. To
illustrate,
the fourth meat product may be cooked in an oven (e.g., a convection and
forced draft oven, a
vacuum oven, a microwave oven, an infrared lamp drying oven), a smoker (e.g.,
a smokehouse, a
wood smoker, an electric smoker), a heating station, a dryer, a dehydrator, a
temperature and/or
humidity controlled chamber, a microwave, or any combination thereof, as
illustrative, non-
limiting examples.
[0037] In
some implementations, the fourth meat product may be cooked according to a
schedule (e.g., a first schedule) of one or more time periods (e.g., one or
more stages). Each of
the one or more time periods (e.g., stages) may be associated with one or more
cook parameter
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settings, such as duration, dry bulb temperature, wet bulb temperature,
relative humidity, smoke
(on or off), exhaust (on or off), steam (on or off), one or more additional
parameter settings, or
any combination thereof. For example, the fourth meat product may be cooked at
a temperature
(or an average temperature) that is greater than or equal to 175 F, less than
or equal to 200 F,
within a range of 175 F ¨ 200 F (inclusive or exclusive). As another
example, the fourth meat
product may be cooked at a temperature (or an average temperature) that is
greater than or equal
to substantially or approximately 175 F, less than or equal to substantially
or approximately
200 F, within a range of substantially or approximately 175 F ¨ 200 F
(inclusive or exclusive).
Additionally, or alternatively, the fourth meat product may be cooked for a
time period of at least
three hours, less than or equal to three hours, or greater than or equal to
three hours. In some
implementations, the relative humidity during cooking (t 416) is at least 30
%. Additionally, or
alternatively, the relative humidity during cooking (at 416) may range between
0 ¨ 50 %; 1 % ¨
50%, 20 % - 50 %, or 30 % - 50 %.
[0038] Method 400 includes determining to stop cooking the fourth meat
product, at 418. A
determination to stop cooking the fourth meat product is an indication that
the fourth meat
product is shelf-stable and does not need refrigeration. A determination to
stop cooking the
fourth meat product may be made based on a moisture level the fourth meat
product. For
example, the method 400 may include determining a moisture level, such as
water activity and/or
moisture content, of the fourth meat product. The moisture level, such as the
water activity
and/or the moisture content, may be compared to one or more thresholds to make
the
determination to stop cooking the fourth meat product. For example, the
determination to stop
cooking the fourth meat product may be made based on the water activity of the
fourth meat
product being less than or equal to 0.82, greater than or equal to 0.76, or
within a range of 0.76 ¨
0.82 (inclusive or exclusive). As another example, the determination to stop
cooking the fourth
meat product may be made based on the water activity of the fourth meat
product being less than
or equal to 0.82, greater than or equal to 0.78, or within a range of 0.78 ¨
0.82 (inclusive or
exclusive).
[0039] Additionally, or alternatively, the determination to stop cooking
the fourth meat
product may be made based on the moisture content of the fourth meat product
being less than or
equal to 26 %, greater than or equal to 20 %, or within a range of 20 % ¨ 26 %
(inclusive or
exclusive). In some implementations, the determination to stop cooking the
fourth meat product
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may be made based on the moisture content of the fourth meat product being
less than or equal to
substantially or approximately 26 %, greater than or equal to substantially or
approximately
20 %, or within a range of substantially or approximately 20 % ¨ 26 %
(inclusive or exclusive).
[0040] In some implementations, a moisture level (e.g., water activity
and/or moisture
content) may be check (e.g., determine) one or more times. For example, the
moisture level may
be determined at one or more times based on a schedule (e.g., a second
schedule) and/or
periodically ¨ e.g., periodically after completion of the first schedule. For
example, the fourth
meat product may be cooked for a particular time period, such as thirty
minutes, three hours, etc.,
and then the moisture level is determined. If a determination is not made to
stop cooking the
fourth meat product, cooking for the particular time period (or another time
period) and checking
the moisture level is repeated until a determination made (based on the
moisture level of the
fourth meat product) to stop cooking the fourth meat product. For example, the
other time period
may be thirty minutes.
[0041] Method 400 includes stopping cooking of the fourth meat product to
result in a fifth
meat product, at 420. For example, in response to the determination to stop
cooking the fourth
meat product, at 418, the method 400 may include removing the fourth meat
product from a
cooking device/environment and/or not returning the fourth meat product (i.e.,
the fifth meat
product) to a cooking device/environment. The fifth meat product may include
or correspond to
a jerky meat product.
[0042] Method 400 may include, optionally, processing the fifth meat
product, at 422.
Processing the fifth meat product may include removing the fifth meat product
from the surface
(e.g., the screen), cutting the fifth meat product, shredding the fifth meat
product, examining
(e.g., x-raying or subjecting to inspection using a metal detector) the fifth
meat product ¨ e.g., to
detect potential metal contaminants, such as from equipment used prior to or
during 410-422,
performing quality control measures on at least a sample of the fifth meat
product, or any
combination thereof, as illustrative, non-limiting examples.
[0043] The method 400 may also include packaging the fifth meat product to
produce a
packaged meat product, at 424. For example, for example, a packaging device or
packaging
system may receive the fifth meat product and package the fifth meat product
into one or more
packages.
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[0044] In
some implementations, the method 400 may include, optionally, preparing the
first
meat product (e.g., the raw meat). Preparing the first meat product may be
performed prior to
cooking the first meat product, at 410. Preparing the first meat product may
include injecting the
first meat product with a base solution, such as a brine. The base solution
may be configured to
assist in meat break-down during cooking of the first meat product (at 410).
Additionally, or
alternatively, preparing the first meat product may include tumbling the first
meat product,
applying a rub (e.g., a dry rub) to the first meat product, or both. Tumbling
may enable and/or
allow the base solution to move freely throughout and/or migrate within the
first meat product.
In a particular implementation, the rub and the first meat product are tumbled
together to apply
the rub to the first meat product.
[0045] In
some implementations, after mixing the third meat product with the sauce, at
414,
the fourth meat product may be placed on a surface and/or left to rest for a
time period. In some
implementations, the surface may be configured to support (e.g., hold) the
fourth meat product
and to enable air flow and/or drying on at least a portion of a top surface of
the fourth meat
product placed on the surface, at least a portion of a bottom surface of the
fourth meat product
placed on the surface, or both. Additionally, or alternatively, the fourth
meat may be placed on
the surface and/or left to rest for the time period, prior to cooking the
fourth meat product at 416.
In some implementations, the surface may be the surface of a tray, a screen, a
rack, a grill,
netting, or any combination thereof, as illustrative, non-limiting examples.
As an illustrative,
non-limiting example, the surface includes a screen having dimensions 33-34
inch by 29-30 inch.
In some implementations, the fourth meat product may be placed (on the
surface) in a layer or as
a sheet that is about 0.5 inches thick. In a particular implementation,
surface (e.g., the screen) is
configured such that multiple portions of the fourth meat product are
positioned on the surface.
The fourth meat product may be cooked while positioned on the surface.
[0046]
Although method 400 has been described as including one or more operations
and/or
steps (e.g., 410-420), it is noted that one or more operations and/or steps
described with
reference to FIG. 4 may be optional. For example, in some implementations,
prior to cooking
the fourth meat product (at 416), the method 400 may not include 410-414 and,
alternatively,
may include receiving the fourth meat product.
[0047] Thus, method 400 describes producing a meat product (e.g., the fifth
meat product).
The produced meat product (e.g., the fifth meat product) may include a jerky
and may be shelf-
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stable. Method 400 advantageously enables production of the meat product
(e.g., a pulled-meat
jerky product) having an appearance of irregular shredded pieces of meat.
Additionally, or
alternatively, the produced meat product may be free from extraneous material,
may have visible
spice distributed on the surface, or both. The produced meat product may also
have a tender
texture with occasional moist texture. The produced meat product may have a
savory, smoky
flavor, other flavor based on one or more spices and/or one or more sauces
used to prepare the
meat product (e.g., the fifth meat product). In a particular implementation,
the produced meat
product advantageously tastes like pulled-pork, but does not require
refrigeration.
[0048] Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 shows an example method 100 of preparing
a pulled-meat
jerky product from uncooked meat according to an embodiment. At step 102,
uncooked meat is
cooked, for example in an oven, other low temperature method such as smoking
or sous-vide. At
step 104, the cooked meat is shredded to create pulled-meat. At step 106, a
sauce is added to the
pulled-meat. The sauce comprises a mixture of water, sugar, salt and other
flavoring ingredients,
with the relative proportions selected as desired for a particular recipe. For
example, in some
embodiments, the sauce may be comprised of about 55% water, 15% brown sugar,
7% salt, 5%
tomato paste and 18% spices and other ingredients. In some embodiments, sauce
is added to
produce a sauced pulled-meat product at step 106 comprising between
approximately 55-75%
meat and 25-45% sauce, by weight (or a meat to sauce ratio in a range about
11:9 to 3:1).
[0049] At step 108, the sauced pulled-meat is put on a screen. At step 110,
the screen with
the pulled-meat is put in an oven or smokehouse. At step 112, the pulled-meat
is cooked in the
oven and the water activity (moisture level) is measured periodically. At step
114, the pulled-
meat is removed from the oven once the moisture level or water activity is
within a desired target
range.
[0050] In some embodiments, the water activity of the pulled-meat product
at step 114 is 0.76
¨ 0.82. In some embodiments, the moisture content of the pulled-meat product
at step 114 may
be approximately 20-26%.
[0051] FIG. 2 shows an example method 200 of preparing a pulled-meat
product according to
an embodiment. At step 210, uncooked meat (the cushion) is injected with a
base solution (for
example, a brine) which assists in meat break-down when cooking. At step 212,
the meat is
tumbled and a rub is added. Tumbling, allows the base solution to move more
freely throughout
the meat. At step 214, the meat is cooked by placing it in a smokehouse (or
other low
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temperature cooking method). In some embodiments, the temperature of the
smokehouse may
be approximately 200 F and have a humidity greater than 75%. At step 216 the
meat is
shredded (for example, by hand or machine) and cooled. At step 220, the sauce
is added to the
cooled meat and mixed (for example, by tumbling the sauce and meat together)
to make a
mixture, such as a uniform mixture or a non-uniform mixture. After step 220,
the meat and
sauce mixture is ready to eat, but is not shelf-stable and requires
refrigeration.
[0052] At step 222, pulled-meat is placed on a screen, for example a 33-34
inch by 29-30 inch
screen, and the pulled-meat is placed in a layer that is about 0.5 inches
thick. The screen holds
the pulled-meat but allows for air flow and drying on both sides. At step 224,
the pulled-meat on
the screen is placed in a smokehouse and cooked at approximately 175 ¨ 200 F
for a pre-defined
period of time, for example, three hours. In some embodiments, the relative
humidity during
cooking at step 224 is at least 30%. At step 226 the water activity of the
pulled-meat is
measured. At step 228 if the water activity is within a target range, for
example, 0.78 ¨ 0.82,
then one continues with step 230. Once the water activity is within the target
range then the
pulled-meat is shelf-stable (does not require refrigeration). If the water
activity is not within the
target range then one returns to step 224, and cooks the meat in the
smokehouse for a
predetermined time, which may be a shorter time than three hours (e.g. about
thirty minutes in
some embodiments), and continue on to step 226, and so on, until the water
activity is within the
target range.
[0053] At step 230, the pulled-meat is removed from the smokehouse. At step
232, the
pulled-meat is removed from the screen. At step 234, the pulled-meat is
examined for
contaminants - for example, with a metal detector to detect any metal
contaminants from the
equipment used. At step 236, the pulled-meat is packaged.
[0054] It is noted that one or more operations described with reference to
one of the methods
of FIGS. 1, 2, and 4 may be combined with one or more operations of another of
FIGS. 1, 2, and
4. For example, one or more operations of method 100 may be combined with one
or more
operations of method 400 and/or one or more operations of the method 200.
Additionally, one or
more of the operations described with reference to the systems of FIGS. 1
and/or 2 may be
combined with one or more operations described with reference to the methods
of FIG. 4.
[0055] The pulled-meat jerky product resulting from methods described with
reference to one
or more of FIGS. 1, 2, and 4 may have the appearance of irregular shredded
pieces of meat, free
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from extraneous material, and may have visible spice distributed on the
surface. FIG. 3 is a
photograph of an example product made by a method, such as the method 100, the
method 200,
and/or the method 400, according to the present disclosure.
[0056] The pulled-meat jerky product resulting from methods described with
reference to one
or more of FIGS. 1, 2, and 4 may have a tender texture with occasional moist
texture.
[0057] The pulled-meat jerky product resulting from methods described with
reference to one
or more of FIGS. 1, 2, and 4 may have a savory, smoky flavor, other flavors
will depend on the
spice and sauce that is used.
[0058] It will be appreciated that numerous specific details are set forth
in order to provide a
thorough understanding of the exemplary embodiments described herein. However,
it will be
understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments
described herein may be
practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known
methods, procedures and
components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the
embodiments described
herein. Furthermore, this description is not to be considered as limiting the
scope of the
embodiments described herein in any way, but rather as merely describing
implementation of the
various example embodiments described herein.
[0059] The above specification and examples provide a complete description
of the structure
and use of illustrative implementations. Although certain implementations have
been described
above with a certain degree of particularity, or with reference to one or more
individual
implementations, those skilled in the art could make numerous alterations to
the disclosed
implementations without departing from the scope of this disclosure. As such,
the various
illustrative implementations of the methods and systems are not intended to be
limited to the
particular forms disclosed. Rather, they include all modifications and
alternatives falling within
the scope of the claims, and implementations other than the one shown may
include some or all
of the features of the depicted implementations. For example, elements may be
omitted or
combined as a unitary structure, connections may be substituted, or both.
Further, where
appropriate, aspects of any of the examples described above may be combined
with aspects of
any of the other examples described to form further examples having comparable
or different
properties and/or functions, and addressing the same or different problems.
Similarly, it will be
understood that the benefits and advantages described above may relate to one
implementation or
may relate to several implementations. Accordingly, no single implementation
described herein
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CA 3042059 2019-05-02
should be construed as limiting and implementations of the disclosure may be
suitably combined
without departing from the teachings of the disclosure.
[0060] The
claims are not intended to include, and should not be interpreted to include,
means-plus- or step-plus-function limitations, unless such a limitation is
explicitly recited in a
given claim using the phrase(s) "means for" or "step for," respectively.
CA 3042059 2019-05-02
