Device for defrosting, warming and cooking using a circulating fluid

摘要

A device useful for slowly heating food and a method of slowly heating food to defrost, warm and/or cook using a temperature controlled circulating liquid are described. Embodiments of the device are particularly useful for the sous vide method of cooking that uses relatively low temperatures and long cooking times. The active components including a pump and heater are placed in a self-contained base unit. When the base unit and the liquid-containing vessel or carafe are engaged, the liquid in the carafe is actively circulated by the pump in the base unit to maintain a homogenous temperature. The liquid is heated as required as it flows through the base unit.

主权项

1. A method for slowly heating food in a removable liquid-holding carafe that is attached to a base unit when in use, the method comprising:
adding a fluid to the carafe, the carafe having first and second valve assemblies that are movable between an open position that allows the fluid to flow through the valve assembly when the carafe is placed on the base unit, and a sealed position, which is fluid-tight allowing the carafe to hold the fluid when the carafe is removed from the base unit, first and second valve assemblies being mechanically biased in the sealed position; placing a sealed package containing food inside the carafe in contact with the fluid; attaching the carafe to the base unit by engaging first and second valve assemblies in the carafe with mating first and second base valve actuator assemblies on the base unit to establish a fluid-flow path between the carafe and the base unit by pushing first and second valve assemblies into the open position to allow the fluid to flow through the first valve assembly into the base unit through the first base valve actuator assembly and fluid to flow through the second valve assembly into the carafe from the second base valve actuator assembly; heating the sealed package containing food for a selected period of time by operating a pump in the base unit in the fluid-flow path to continuously draw the fluid from the carafe into the base unit through the first valve assembly in the carafe and push the fluid out into the carafe through the second valve assembly in the carafe, and by selectively operating an electrically powered heating element in the base unit positioned in the fluid-flow path in the base unit to heat the fluid to a target temperature below a boiling point of the fluid and maintain the temperature of the fluid near the target temperature as measured by a first temperature sensor in contact with the fluid flowing through the base unit; and after a selected period of elapsed time that is sufficient for the food to reach an equilibrium temperature that is substantially equal to the target temperature, removing the carafe from the base unit to disengage first and second valve assemblies in the carafe from first and second base valve actuator assemblies on the base unit to allow mechanical bias to move first and second valve assemblies to the sealed position which allows the carafe to be moved while holding the fluid.