METHOD FOR MAKING FROZEN GROUND MEAT CRUMBLES AND PRODUCT MADE THEREBY
A method of producing meat crumbles is described. Meat crumbles are produced such that the individual crumbles maintain their separation through processing to the final product. When used by a consumer, the meat does not have to be directly handled before being placed into a cooking apparatus, thereby reducing the mess and potential bacterial infections associated with the excessive handling of meat products.
1 . A method for producing meat crumbles comprising:
a) providing meat comprising at least one of fat trimmings, lean trimmings, and frozen meat materials;
b) grinding the meat, wherein bones and other foreign objects have been removed from the meat;
c) extruding the meat to create meat crumbles having a predetermined size and individual definition; and
d) freezing the meat in the presence of a coolant for a predetermined amount of time such that the meat particles maintain their individual definition.
2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
a) adding inclusions to the meat.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the adding inclusions step is performed after the blending step.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the temperature is between about 25° F. and about 40° F. while the grinding step is performed.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the coolant is at least one of N 2 , Argon, air impingement, Freon, and ammonia.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the coolant is CO 2 .
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined amount of time is about 10 minutes.
8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
a1) before the grinding step, initially blending the meat and adding a coolant to lower the temperature of the meat.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the temperature is between about 25° F. and about 40° F. during the initial blending step.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the meat is at least one of beef, poultry, pork, lamb, fish, crustaceans, or the like.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the meat is inoculated with an effective amount of non-spoilage and non-pathogenic bacteria effective to competitively inhibit the growth of pathogenic and spoilage bacteria.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined size of the meat crumbles is between about 1/16″ to about ½″.
13 . Meat crumbles made by a process comprising the steps of:
a) providing meat comprising at least one of fat trimmings, lean trimmings, and frozen meat materials;
b) removing foreign objects from the meat;
c) grinding the meat;
d) extruding the meat to create meat crumbles having a predetermined size and individual definition; and
e) freezing the meat in the presence of a coolant for a predetermined amount of time such that the meat particles maintain their individual definition.
14 . The meat crumbles of claim 13 , wherein the predetermined size of the meat crumbles is between about 1/16″ to about ½″.
15 . The meat crumbles of claim 13 , wherein the predetermined size of the meat crumbles is between about ⅛″ to about ⅜″.
16 . The meat crumbles of claim 13 , wherein the meat is at least one of beef, poultry, pork, lamb, fish, crustaceans or the like.
17 . The meat crumbles of claim 13 , wherein the meat is inoculated with an effective amount of non-spoilage and non-pathogenic bacteria effective to competitively inhibit the growth of pathogenic and spoilage bacteria.
18 . The meat crumbles of claim 13 , wherein the coolant used in the blending step is at least one of CO 2 , N 2 , Argon, air impingement, Freon, and ammonia.
19 . A method for preparing meat crumbles comprising:
a) opening a container of meat crumbles, wherein the meat crumbles have an irregular diameter of between about 1/16″ and about ½″, and wherein the meat crumbles are individually defined.
b) without directly touching the meat crumbles, pouring the meat crumbles from the container into a cooking apparatus.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the meat crumbles have an irregular diameter of between about ⅛″ and about ⅜″.