GB1603799A

GB1603799A - Assembled meat

Info

Publication number: GB1603799A
Application number: GB25164/78A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Unilever PLC
Current assignee: Unilever PLC
Priority date: 1978-05-31
Filing date: 1978-05-31
Publication date: 1981-11-25
Also published as: AT364685B; IT1120980B; FR2427065B1; ATA387479A; IT7968171A0; FR2427065A1; DE2921504A1; BE876700A; SE7904741L; SE440592B

Description

(54) ASSEMBLED MEAT (71) We, UNILEVER LIMITED, a company organised under the laws of Great Britain, of Unilever House, Blackfriars, London E.C.4, England, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a process for assembling pieces of meat to produce a unitary product.

Several methods have been proposed for uniting pieces of meat into an integral body of meat of desired shape in which the pieces do not come apart, and which on slicing has a texture similar to a primal cut.

One of the methods involves curing meat with a curing composition containing phosphate ions and mechanically working the uncooked meat until an appreciable amount of tacky exudate forms on the surfaces, and after pressing together the tacky surfaces, cooking the meat to form a compact body.

This method, although reasonably suitable for reuniting pork hams, is less satisfactory when applied to small joints of beef.

According to another method small joints of meat are cooked, stuck together and shaped in one operation. A disadvantage associated with this method is that cooking losses are high and the liquors which are released during cooking interfere with the sticking process. This results in poor bonding between the pieces of meat. Gelatin is frequently used to bind the pieces of meat together, but is unsuitable for use in products which are reheated by the housewife since gelatin is not a thermostable, heat-settable material and so meat products which are bonded with gelatin fall apart when reheated.

We have found a process which obviates to a great extent the disadvantages of the traditional processes.

The process according to the invention comprises: a) mechanical working of pieces of uncooked meat for a period long enough to obtain a tacky exudate on the surface of the meat; b) adding an effective amount of an emulsifier while mechanical working is continued until the emulsifier is evenly distributed on the surface of the meat; c) filling the emulsifier-coated pieces of meat into a container; and d) cooking the meat under compression to achieve a centre temperature of at least 60"C.

In the process according to the invention the term meat includes in principle any kind of meat such as beef, pork, lamb, poultry or even fish.

The weight of the pieces of meat can vary within a wide range. Preferably the pieces of meat weigh from 30--1000 g.

The mechanical working can be mixing, tumbling or pounding. Preferably tumbling is applied.

The tacky exudate appearing on the surface of the meat contains a proteinaceous heatsettable substance, which acts as a glue enabling sticking the pieces of meat together.

This glue sets on heating and remains relatively stable and solid on reheating. The effectiveness of the tacky exudate-glue is increased by adding an effective amount of an emulsifier.

In most cases a level of 0.01-5 wit.%, preferably 0.14 wit. % based on the weight of the meat is suitable.

The emulsifier can be of the ionic type such as sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate, of the non-ionic type, such as saturated monoglycerides derived from e.g. stearic acid or palmitic acid, unsaturated monoglycerides derived from e.g. oleic acid, mono-diglycerides (commercially available unrefined mixtures of glycerides) and/or saponified monoglycerides e.g. a sodium salt of a glyceride derived from stearic or palmitic acid. The preferred emulsifier is sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate.

The emulsifier is preferably added in powder form. It is, however, possible to spray on the meat a suspension/solution of the emulsifier.

It was found particularly useful to add to the meat before or after, but preferably after the addition of the emulsifier, a certain proportion of a water-absorbing agent which gels when heated and so prevents cooking liquors from interfering with the bonding process.

As a water-absorbing agent starchy materials and thermo-setting hydrocolloids can be used.

Preferably starchy materials are used which are at least partially ungelatinised. Very suitable starchy materials are potato starch, maize starch and soy flour. The starch is mixed with the meat in a proportion of 110% for a relatively short time just sufficient to form a homogeneous paste on the surface of the meat.

The pieces of meat treated according to the above process are tightly compacted e.g. by stuffing these into casings or moulds, preferably with the removal of entrapped air e.g. by applying a reduced pressure.

The pieces of meat are heated under tight compression to achieve a cenue temperature of at least 600C and preferably of 65 75or.

The amount of cooking liquor released is kept to a minimum by cooking the meat at a temperature varying preferably from 60 to 80"C and ideally from 65-750C for a relatively long time, which means for a period in the order of 4-6 hours.

High humidity hot air cooking or cooking in water can be applied. The product obtained can be sliced after cooling and packed.

The product obtained remains coherent on reheating, retains the original texture of the meat and does not wrinkle.

Example I.

Pieces of beef of weight varying from 30- 500 g. were tumbled and, while tumbling, sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate was added in a proportion of 1% based on the weight of the meat. Tumbling was carried out until the emulsifier was evenly distributed on the surface of the meat. Defatted soyfiour was added in a proportion of 5 wt.% based on the weight of the meat until the flour was evenly distributed on the pieces of meat.

The pieces of meat were then forced into fibrous casings and heated under tight compression using hot air of 700C for about 5 hours to achieve a centre temperature of 65or. The product was cooled and subsequently sliced. The slices of meat could be reheated and remained coherent.

Example II.

Pieces of uncooked cod weighing 100200 g. were tumbled gently in a Z-blade mixer for 4 minutes in the presence of 1% of a commercially available unrefined mixture of mono/diglycerides which was added to the fish as a suspension.

The emulsifier-coated fish was filled into casings, and cooked under tight compression at 80 C to achieve a centre temperature of 75or.

The fish was cooled and sliced to slices of about 4 mm. The slices remained fairly coherent on reheating.

Example III.

Pieces of raw poultry meat weighing 50200 g. were mixed with 2% sodium stearoyl 24actylate, based on the weight of the poultry in a Z-blade mixer, following the procedure of Example I.

The emulsifier-coated poultry was filled into casings and cooked under tight compression at 800C to achieve a centre temperature of 70"C. The log of poultry obtained was cooled and sliced. The slices of poultry remained coherent on reheating.

Examples IV and V.

Examples II and III were reproduced with the exception that after having added the emulsifier, 8% uncooked potato starch was added, based on the weight of the meat.

Also in this instance the slices remained coherent on reheating.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A process for producing a unitary meat product by assembling pieces of meat, which comprises: a) mechanical working of pieces of uncooked meat for a period long enough to obtain a tacky exudate on the surface of the meat; b) adding an effective amount of an emulsifier while mechanical working is continued until the emulsifier is evenly distributed on the surface of the meat; c) filling the emulsifier-coated pieces of meat into a container; and d) cooking the meat under compression to achieve a centre temperature of at least 60"C.

2. A process according to claim 1, in which the pieces of meat weigh at least 30 g.

3. A process according to claim 1, in which an ionic, non-ionic and/or a saponified non-ionic emulsifier is used.

4. A process according to claim 3, in which sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate is used.

5. A process according to any one of claims 1-4, in which 0.01-5 wt.% emulsifier based on the weight of the meat is used.

6. A process according to claim 5, in which 0.1-4 wt.% emulsifier is used.

7. A process according to any one of claims 1-4, in which the emulsifier is added in powder form to the meat.

8. A process according to any one of

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. the meat before or after, but preferably after the addition of the emulsifier, a certain proportion of a water-absorbing agent which gels when heated and so prevents cooking liquors from interfering with the bonding process. As a water-absorbing agent starchy materials and thermo-setting hydrocolloids can be used. Preferably starchy materials are used which are at least partially ungelatinised. Very suitable starchy materials are potato starch, maize starch and soy flour. The starch is mixed with the meat in a proportion of 110% for a relatively short time just sufficient to form a homogeneous paste on the surface of the meat. The pieces of meat treated according to the above process are tightly compacted e.g. by stuffing these into casings or moulds, preferably with the removal of entrapped air e.g. by applying a reduced pressure. The pieces of meat are heated under tight compression to achieve a cenue temperature of at least 600C and preferably of 65 75or. The amount of cooking liquor released is kept to a minimum by cooking the meat at a temperature varying preferably from 60 to 80"C and ideally from 65-750C for a relatively long time, which means for a period in the order of 4-6 hours. High humidity hot air cooking or cooking in water can be applied. The product obtained can be sliced after cooling and packed. The product obtained remains coherent on reheating, retains the original texture of the meat and does not wrinkle. Example I. Pieces of beef of weight varying from 30- 500 g. were tumbled and, while tumbling, sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate was added in a proportion of 1% based on the weight of the meat. Tumbling was carried out until the emulsifier was evenly distributed on the surface of the meat. Defatted soyfiour was added in a proportion of 5 wt.% based on the weight of the meat until the flour was evenly distributed on the pieces of meat. The pieces of meat were then forced into fibrous casings and heated under tight compression using hot air of 700C for about 5 hours to achieve a centre temperature of 65or. The product was cooled and subsequently sliced. The slices of meat could be reheated and remained coherent. Example II. Pieces of uncooked cod weighing 100200 g. were tumbled gently in a Z-blade mixer for 4 minutes in the presence of 1% of a commercially available unrefined mixture of mono/diglycerides which was added to the fish as a suspension. The emulsifier-coated fish was filled into casings, and cooked under tight compression at 80 C to achieve a centre temperature of 75or. The fish was cooled and sliced to slices of about 4 mm. The slices remained fairly coherent on reheating. Example III. Pieces of raw poultry meat weighing 50200 g. were mixed with 2% sodium stearoyl 24actylate, based on the weight of the poultry in a Z-blade mixer, following the procedure of Example I. The emulsifier-coated poultry was filled into casings and cooked under tight compression at 800C to achieve a centre temperature of 70"C. The log of poultry obtained was cooled and sliced. The slices of poultry remained coherent on reheating. Examples IV and V. Examples II and III were reproduced with the exception that after having added the emulsifier, 8% uncooked potato starch was added, based on the weight of the meat. Also in this instance the slices remained coherent on reheating. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. A process for producing a unitary meat product by assembling pieces of meat, which comprises: a) mechanical working of pieces of uncooked meat for a period long enough to obtain a tacky exudate on the surface of the meat; b) adding an effective amount of an emulsifier while mechanical working is continued until the emulsifier is evenly distributed on the surface of the meat; c) filling the emulsifier-coated pieces of meat into a container; and d) cooking the meat under compression to achieve a centre temperature of at least 60"C.

6. A process according to claim 5, in which 0.1-4 wt.% emulsifier is used.

8. A process according to any one of

claims 1-7, in which a water-absorbing agent is used.

9. A process according to claim 8, in which a starchy material is used.

10. A process according to claim 9, in which a starch is used which is at least partly ungelatinised.

11. A process according to claim 9, in which soy flour is used.

12. A process according to claim 9, in which 110% starch is used, based on the weight of the meat.

13. A process according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the starch is applied onto the meat after the application of the emulsifier onto the meat.

14. A process according to any one of the preceding claims, in which cooking is carried out to achieve a centre temperature of 60--800C.

15. A process according to daim 14, in which cooking is carried out to achieve a centre temperature of 63-750C.

16. A process according to claim 14 or claim 15, in which cooking is carried out for a period of 4-6 hours.

17. A process according to any one of claims 14-16, in which cooking is performed in high humidity air at 60-80 0C.

18. A process substantially as hereinbefore described with specific reference to the Examples I-V.