SANDWICH HAVING AN EDIBLE CASING LINK

1 . A food product comprising:

a pre-cooked loose meat filling;

a raw meat batter having a ground raw meat suspended in a liquid, a seasoning mix, and added water; and

an edible casing, the edible casing filled with the pre-cooked loose meat filling, the seasoning mix, and the ground raw meat to produce a filled casing for subsequent cooking into a meat link;

the edible casing is effective to retain a shape of the meat link and wherein if the edible casing is removed after the subsequent cooking, the meat link does not retain its shape.

2 . (canceled)

3 . The food product of claim 1 comprising about 5% to about 40% pre-cooked loose meat filling; about 0.5% to about 10% seasoning mix; about 15% to about 40% raw meat; and about 1% to about 25% added water.

4 . The food product of claim 3 wherein the added water includes about 15% to about 25% of the food product.

5 . The food product of claim 3 wherein the added water includes about 15 to about 10% of the food product.

6 . The food product of claim 1 wherein the raw meat includes about 15% to about 25% protein, about 60% to about 80% water, and about 5% to about 10% fat.

7 . The food product of claim 1 wherein the pre-cooked loose meat filling may comprise at least one of:

poultry;

pork;

beef; and

meat substitute.

8 . The food product of claim 1 wherein after the subsequent cooking the pre-cooked loose meat filling remains unbound to the raw meat such that relative movement is allowed between the pre-cooked loose meat filling, the seasoning mix, and the raw meat.

9 . The food product of claim 8 wherein the edible casing shrinks by less than about 2% of its overall size during the subsequent cooking.

10 . The food product of claim 1 wherein the raw meat is combined and filled into the edible casing with the pre-cooked loose meat filling prior to the subsequent cooking of the meat link.

11 . The food product of claim 1 wherein the raw meat is an emulsified meat comprising at least one of:

poultry;

pork; and

beef.

12 . The food product of claim 11 wherein the raw meat batter further includes at least one of:

a salt;

a nitrite; and

a phosphate.

13 . The food product of claim 1 wherein the seasoning mix includes at least one of:

a dry spice; and

a wet spice.

14 . The food product of claim 13 wherein the wet spice includes at least one of:

a barbeque sauce;

a honey barbeque sauce;

a teriyaki sauce;

a peppercorn sauce;

a gravy sauce;

a tomato sauce;

a sloppy joe sauce;

a chili spice sauce;

a hot spice sauce;

a buffalo sauce;

a marinade;

a mustard sauce;

a honey mustard sauce;

a condiment-based sauce;

an olive oil and garlic sauce;

functional ingredients;

cheese;

jalapenos;

tomatoes;

pickles;

pimentos;

olives;

egg; and

onions.

15 . The food product of claim 13 wherein the dry spice includes at least one of:

a buffalo spice;

a teriyaki spice;

a peppercorn spice;

a barbeque spice;

dried garlic;

dried onion;

red pepper;

black pepper;

ground mustard;

paprika;

salt;

turmeric;

sugar;

sweeteners;

nutmeg; and

ground flavoring powders.

16 . A method of making meat links comprising:

preparing pre-cooked loose meat filling;

grinding raw meat in a mixer;

mixing a seasoning mix and a first portion of added water to the ground raw meat;

mixing a second portion of added water and the pre-cooked loose meat filling;

stuffing a combined meat mixture including the pre-cooked loose meat filling, the raw meat, the seasoning mix, and the first and second portions of added water into an edible casings; and

cooking the combined meat mixture in the edible casings.

17 . The food product of claim 1 wherein the edible casing is made of collagen.