CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of application No. 62/333,904 filed on May 10, 2016 which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to cooking, particularly cooking fish and seafood.

Description of the Related Art

It is often perceived as difficult for consumers to cook salmon and similar fish effectively at home. Traditional cook methods, if not followed to the letter, can lead to a less than ideal cooked product. There are known methods of cooking that have attempted to solve this problem, but there still exists a need for an improved method of cooking salmon given that current known methods are deficient and commonly result in less than ideally cooked product.

US Patent No. 6637939 discloses cooking food in bag. The present invention is different because while the cited patent requires a bag with a steam vent due to direct cooking exposure, the present invention does not require same, nor does the cited patent include reference or suggestion of desired cooking times and parameters.

The present invention may be utilized to improve the cooking of salmon and other fish and seafood and to solve other problems not expressly identified or contemplated by the prior patents identified above. Summary of Invention

In accordance with an aspect of the invention, a method of cooking salmon or the like is provided comprising the following steps: Providing a frozen fillet of fish in a sealed bag suitable for cooking in boiling water;

Providing a cooking container including water therein and applying sufficient heat or energy source to the container in order to bring water to a boil;

placing said bag in boiling water and simultaneously or immediately thereafter remove heat or energy source; retaining the bag in water for a period of time, for example, 10 minutes; removing the bag from water, optionally delaying removal of fish from bag for an additional period of time, for example 1 to 3 minutes; Removing fish from bag for consumption.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings which show example embodiments, and in which :

FIG. 1 is a comparison of End Cook Temperatures;

FIG. 2 is a comparison of cook time between Sauce vs No Sauce and Score vs No Score;

FIG. 3 is a comparison of cook time between 20mm and 22mm thick cut;

FIG. 4 is a comparison of cook time between different types of cuts;

FIG. 5 is a comparison of cook time between different coatings;

FIG. 6 is a comparison of cook time relative to the amount of water per fish;

FIG. 7 shows the time required to reach 145F relative to thickness of salmon.

Detailed Description of Example Embodiments of the Invention

The present invention is a process or method of cooking fish. As discussed below and exemplified through extensive testing, the herein invention's example method will maximize the likelihood of a properly cooked product, with reduced likelihood of cooking error, resulting in

"restaurant quality" cooked salmon or other fish such as, for example, trout, char, grayling and whitefish or other fish not expressly listed herein. It is intended that this process may be utilized for all species of fish, including but not limited to those listed above. The process allows for cooking in an acceptable time period for consumers. In accordance with an example embodiment of the invention, a process is defined as follows:

Provide a cooking vessel; bring water to a boil in a cooking vessel (by applying heat or via microwave or other energy source); Provide a piece of frozen salmon or any suitable fish within a bag suitable for cooking in boiling water; seal the bag; place the bag into the cooking vessel containing the boiling temperature water, immediately turn off heat source, cover the cooking vessel, leave the bag submerged in the water for a set time period, remove bag from water, optionally delay removing fish from bag for further period of time, then remove salmon or other fish from the bag. The salmon or other fish is then ready to eat.

This example method was shown to have favourable cooking results. It was observed during testing that the placement of frozen fish into boiling temperature water, which then was removed from heat/energy source and allowed to cool, caused the appropriate level of cooking for fish, while not allowing vapor pressure inside the bag to exceed levels that could compromise the bag.

In the context of prior art fish cooking techniques, it is not known and would be counter intuitive to turn off the heat source while cooking fish as conventionally followed methods of cooking fish teach that heat must be applied consistently to fish to ensure thorough and proper cooking. As will be discussed below, based on extensive testing, factors such as the ratio of fish to water, thickness of fish, temperature of fish, time leaving cooking bag with fish in previously boiled cooling water, time before fish is removed from the bag after removal from water, were determinative of ideal cooking results.

Example Testing and Data:

Based on testing conducted in connection with the development of the herein invention, the data and results of which are discussed below and set out in schedule A, the inventive and advantageous preparation and cooking parameters of the herein invention were shown.

In an example embodiment of the invention, the salmon or other fish fillets (which may be also referred to interchangeably as pieces or fillets) were placed in bags having wall thickness of 90 microns/3.5mil or 125 microns/5mil comprising nylon EVOH enhanced linear low density

polyethylene (coextrusion of polyolefin plastomer) with percentage composition nylon/evoh of 33%, bulk layers 32.5%, sealant 34.5% by weight. An example embodiment is the 23/08/99 MB-L or MB-I series of bag product offered by Winpak Ltd., suitable for boiling. It should be understood that any known bag suitable and approved for use in cooking with boiling water may be used in accordance with the invention. In accordance with an aspect of the invention, the fillets are vacuum sealed in the bag.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, the above described bags are formed with an easy peel tap and a string that would allow the consumer to easily remove the bag from the pot and product from the bag after cooking. In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, the packaging film such as described above or other known or suitable packaging composition will be formed to embed a peel tab within the film that forms the bag envelope at location of a bag opening such that a peel tab is formed across bag openings along with a string extending from the tab to allow access to the consumer to activate the pull tab to open the bag.

While any suitable amount of water to allow the bag to be submerged may be used, in an example embodiment, the amount of water needed to boil 1-2 fillets is 8 cups. Based on testing, ideal cooking results were obtained with 8 cups of water per bag. Reference to cup is the conventional measure of a cup as 8 fluid ounces of water.

In accordance with an example embodiment of the invention, the water should be brought to a boil utilizing heat or other energy source in any known way prior to the frozen fillets being introduced to therein. The heat or energy source should be removed immediately after placing the bag(s) in the water. The bags with fillets therein should also remain submerged to the full extent possible as long as possible while in the water.

As set out in schedule A attached, approximately 235 cooking tests were undertaken to determine the effect of the relationships between:

a. Time

b. Temperature

c. Thickness and density of fish

d. Shape and cut of fish

e. Species of fish

f. Cooking vessel material and dimensions

g. Plastic film material, thickness, shape, format and composition h. Water temperature

i. Water volume j. Effect of the PH levels on heat transfer in seasoning applications (sauce, seasoning, marinate)

As shown by illustrative example in schedule A, products were tested by consumers and statistical scores were generated to measure cooking results based on consumer feedback. Data was collected on the above relationships, resulting in a conclusion reached regarding the

advantageous optimum cooking parameters in accordance with an aspect of the invention. Testing revealed the following example preferred parameters resulting in favourable cooking results in accordance with an aspect of the invention:

1. Provide frozen fillet, preferably salmon at -18 degrees to -15

degrees celsius within bag suitable for cooking in boiling water

2. Size of fillet 142g (+/- 13g)

3. Thickness 2.5cm (+/-.5cm)

4. Seal bag

5. Provide a cooking vessel and bring 8 cups of water to a boil.

6. Place bag, with frozen fish into boiling water, turn off heat and put cover on pot

7. Wait 10 minutes, remove bag from pot,

8. Wait for 2 minutes once removed from pot. Remove fish from pouch and enjoy.

It should be understood that favorable cooking parameters may also be achieved by varying the above example size, weight, time parameters observed in testing.

For example optimal cook results were observed with a max thickness of 22mm for Atlantic Salmon and 26mm for Pacific salmon. In accordance with an aspect of the invention, the fillets could be treated in advance with flavorings and moisture enhancers as desired.

In accordance with an aspect of the invention, flavoring sauces may be included in the bag with fish fillet, however optimal results were observed when sauce mass does not exceed 20% of fish fillet weight.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, a kit may be provided to consumers comprising individually packaged frozen pieces of fish for example, in the preferred dimensions indicated above, or multiple individually bagged and packaged together and in an example embodiment preferably salmon is the fish presented. Instructions for cooking would be provided in the kit to follow a procedure, such as the methods described herein.

While this invention has been described in conjunction with the specific embodiments outlined above, it is evident that many alternatives,

modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Accordingly, the example embodiments of the invention as set forth above are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

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