Method for smoke-infusing cheese

摘要

A method of smoke-infusing proteinaceous foods comprises the following sequential steps: a) enclosing the proteinaceous foods in a vacuum-treating zone; b) introducing smoke directly or indirectly from a smoke generation zone into the vacuum-treating zone; c) subjecting the proteinaceous foods to vacuum purging at a negative pressure in the vacuum-treating zone, thereby infusing smoke into the proteinaceous foods; d) repeating the steps of introducing smoke directly or indirectly from the smoke generation zone into the vacuum-treating zone; subjecting the proteinaceous foods to vacuum purging at a negative pressure in the vacuum-treating zone at least fifty times in pulsed sequences of smoke introduction stage/vacuum purging stage/vacuum release stage for the efficient infusion of smoke into the proteinaceous foods; and e) a post-chill resting cycle of the smoke-infused proteinaceous foods at a suitable temperature and for a suitable period of time.

主权项

1. A method for smoke infusing cheese comprising the steps of:
(A) introducing cheese into an enclosable smoke-infusing zone; (B) repeatedly cycling said enclosable smoke-infusing zone with a plurality of smoke-infusing cycles, each said smoke-infusing cycle comprising the steps of:
a) converting said enclosable smoke-infusing zone into an enclosed smoke-infusing zone, and then pulling a vacuum on said enclosed smoke-infusing zone to convert said enclosed smoke-infusing zone to an enclosed vacuum smoke-infusing zone,b) flowing smoke at atmospheric pressure, or at above atmospheric pressure, from a smoke generation/providing zone into said enclosed vacuum smoke-infusing zone, thereby substantially filling said enclosed vacuum smoke-infusing zone with said smoke,c) terminating said flow of said smoke into said enclosed vacuum smoke-infusing zone;d) providing a time for each flow of said smoke into said enclosed vacuum smoke-infusing zone in the range of between about 5 seconds and about 7 seconds,e) repeating steps a)-d) between a range of about 360 to about 400 cycles to produce cheese which is smoke-infused; (C) releasing the vacuum in said enclosed vacuum smoke-infusing zone by admitting ambient pressure air into said enclosed vacuum smoke-infusing zone, whereby said enclosed vacuum smoke-infusing zone is brought to a state of ambient air pressure, and residual smoke remaining in said enclosed vacuum smoke-infusing zone is expelled from said enclosed vacuum smoke-infusing zone, (D) withdrawing said smoke-infused cheese from said vacuum smoke-infusing zone, which is now in a state of ambient air pressure, and (E) subjecting said withdrawn smoke-infused cheese to a chilled resting cycle in a cold zone, at a suitable low temperature of between about 0° C. to about 4° C. and for a suitable period of time between about 1-10 hours, thereby to provide smoke-infused cheese.