Abstract: An apparatus for cutting a sausage product has an elongate, generally cylindrical housing and a generally annular cutter member. The housing has an axis, a circumferential side wall with radial inner and outer surfaces, and first and second axial ends. The housing defines a cutting chamber sized for receiving the sausage product, and the side wall includes a plurality of elongate, generally parallel axial slots extending therethrough. The slots are generally equally spaced from each other around the circumference of the side wall. The cutter member has an axial length and a curved inner circumferential surface with a diameter at least slightly greater than that of the outer surface of the housing side wall.

Abstract: A plate for use on an outlet end of food grinder comprises a generally cylindrical disk-like body portion having an axis, first and second generally parallel spaced principal surfaces extending generally perpendicular to the axis, and concentric inner and outer peripheral surfaces. A plurality of generally spaced slot-like openings extend through the body portion from the first principal surface to the second principal surface in an annular area of the body portion. Each of the slot-like openings extend from substantially the same predetermined distance inwardly from the outer peripheral surface of the body portion. Each of the slot-like openings are elongated and have a predetermined width. All of the slot-like openings are generally parallel to each other. At least some of the slot-like openings have a length to width ratio of at least about 10:1, and a width from approximately one millimeter to approximately six millimeters.

Abstract: A method for cutting an animal knuckle which has previously had the kneecap and all bones removed to provide meat products having substantially economic value comprises removing substantially all fat from the exterior surface of the knuckle. The principal muscles of the knuckle are located and identified. The knuckle is cut along one or more seams extending through the knuckle and around portions of the principal muscles to remove at least one principal muscle from the remainder of the knuckle. The removed muscle is denuded by removing substantially all cartilage, fat, connective tissue, membrane, and other non-muscle material from each outer surface to provide essentially a solid piece of meat. The denuded muscle is cut into at least two generally solid meat products, each meat product being very low in fat content and of relatively high economic value. Each of the meat products is tenderized prior to being sold to a consumer.

Abstract: A method of making a food product from the leg of a bird wherein the leg has a thigh end, a foot end, an elongated bone extending generally from the thigh end to the foot end, and meat surrounding and attached to the bone. The method comprises the steps of severing at least a first portion of the meat from the bone proximate the thigh end while leaving a second portion of the meat distal from the thigh end attached to the bone. The first portion of the meat is moved toward the foot end to expose a portion of the bone at least proximate the thigh end. At least part of the exposed portion of the bone is severed and removed. The first portion of the meat is then moved toward the thigh end so that the first portion of the meat extends outwardly from the remaining part of the bone to provide a leg food product which is boneless at its thigh end and includes a bone at its foot end.

Abstract: A method of making a food product from the wing of a bird comprising a middle section, a tip section and an end section involves cutting through a first joint to separate and remove the tip section. Skin extending between the middle section and the end section is cut along a cutline extending therebetween. The end section is also nicked on a side opposite to the side on which the skin has been cut. A cut is made through the area between the bones of the middle section to separate the middle section into two portions. The end section is bent with respect to the middle section about the joint therebetween so that the middle section and end section are generally aligned end to end with each other with the common joint therebetween. Finally, the two portions of the middle section are spread apart to provide a food product having the appearance of a cowboy wearing chaps.

Abstract: A method of dressing a thigh cut of poultry having an upper surface, a lower surface and an elongated thigh bone having an axis. The thigh bone is positioned between the upper and lower surfaces. A first cut is made generally perpendicular to the upper surface along a first cut line extending generally parallel to the axis of the bone to remove a first side portion of the thigh cut. The first cut line is spaced from a first side of a bone by a first predetermined distance. A second cut is made generally perpendicular to the upper surface along a second cut line extending generally parallel to the axis of the bone to remove a second side portion of the thigh cut. The second cut line is spaced from a second side of the bone by a second predetermined distance such that the remaining portion of the thigh cut is generally in the form of a parallelogram in cross section.

Abstract: A method of dressing a thigh cut of poultry having an upper surface, a lower surface and an elongated thigh bone having an axis. The thigh bone is positioned between the upper and lower surfaces. A first cut is made generally perpendicular to the upper surface along a first cut line extending generally parallel to the axis of the bone to remove a first side portion of the thigh cut. The first cut line is spaced from a first side of a bone by a first predetermined distance. A second cut is made generally perpendicular to the upper surface along a second cut line extending generally parallel to the axis of the bone to remove a second side portion of the thigh cut. The second cut line is spaced from a second side of the bone by a second predetermined distance such that the remaining portion of the thigh cut is generally in the form of a parallelogram in cross-section.

Abstract: A method of making a food product from the thigh of a bird comprises cutting the thigh along a first cut line extending generally parallel to the axis of the thigh and generally perpendicular to upper and lower surfaces of the thigh to remove a first side portion of thigh meat. The thigh is also cut along a second cut line extending generally parallel to the axis and generally perpendicular to the upper and lower surfaces to remove a side portion of thigh meat. The first and second cut lines are spaced from the bone by first and second predetermined distances. The first and second side portions of thigh meat are cut into a plurality of elongated strips, each strip having a predetermined width. In the preferred embodiment, the thigh meat is marinated either before or after being cut into the elongated strips.

Abstract: A thigh cut of poultry prepared by a method of dressing a thigh cut of poultry having an upper surface, a lower surface and an elongated thigh bone having an axis. The thigh bone is positioned between the upper and lower surfaces. A first cut is made generally perpendicular to the upper surface along a first cut line extending generally parallel to the axis of the bone to remove a first side portion of the thigh cut. The first cut line is spaced from a first side of a bone by a first predetermined distance. A second cut is made generally perpendicular to the upper surface along a second cut line extending generally parallel to the axis of the bone to remove a second side portion of the thigh cut. The second cut line is spaced from a second side of the bone by a second predetermined distance such that the remaining portion of the thigh cut is generally in the form of a parallelogram in cross section.

Abstract: A method of making a food product from a wing of a bird is disclosed. The wing includes a middle section, a tip section connected to one end of the middle section, and an end section attached to the other end of the middle section. The food product is produced by cutting the bird wing in order to separate the middle section from the tip and end sections. The separated middle section is cut along a first cut line to remove the first knuckle from the separated middle section. The separated middle section is also cut along a second cut line to remove the second knuckle from the separated middle section. When the food product is cooked, the meat shrinks inwardly to expose end portions of bones within the middle section. The present invention also encompasses the food product which results from the process of the present invention.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for butchering a portion of an animal carcass to form a flat, boneless meat product, wherein the animal carcass portion being butchered contains a boneless, generally cylindrically shaped muscle portion. The method includes cutting the animal carcass to remove the muscle portion and then forming from the removed rib eye muscle portion a generally cylindrically shaped base. Then, a first cut is made which extends into the cylindrically shaped base along a cut line extending generally from one end of the cylindrically shaped base to the other end. Next, a second cut is made which extends from the first cut and extends generally circumferentially with respect to the cylindrically shaped base from one end surface to the other along the cylindrically shaped base, wherein the second cut continues to extend to the center axis of the cylindrically shaped base along a generally helically shaped path.

Abstract: A method for butchering a poultry carcass to provide a wishbone cut comprising locating the breastbone on the outer surface of the poultry carcass and making a first cut into the poultry carcass along a line generally perpendicular to the breastbone and between the breastbone and the wishbone to a depth sufficient to provide a desired thickness of the wishbone cut. A second cut is then made along a line extending from the first cut generally parallel to the wishbone toward a point at which the wings join the wishbone, while pulling the cut portion of the carcass in a direction away from the breastbone. A third cut is then made through said wing/wishbone joints and the severed portion is removed.

Abstract: A hot dog or other elongated food product having generally longitudinal slits extending along the entire length of the hot dog. The slits are preferably spaced around the circumference and extend radially from the outer surface toward, but not completely to, the center of the hot dog, thereby forming elongated segments, each having a cross section in the shape of a sector of a circle truncated at its apex. The unslit central core comprises a common link between the truncated sector shaped segments, which initially holds the segments in a generally unitized hot dog-shaped construction, any section of which readily fragments into small sized segments when severed from the whole by a bite which extends through the central core.

Abstract: Restructured meat products are prepared from meat parts which are preferably fresh and without the addition of salt, phosphates and/or enzymes before or during the restructuring process. The process comprises slicing the meat parts, preferably across the meat grain, into slices about 1 to 3 mm thick, and preferably about 1.5 to 2 mm thick, said slices having a major surface area about as large as the meat parts will permit, generally averaging greater than about 10 cm.sup.2 and preferably greater than about 20 cm.sup.2, kneading said slices together in a mass to cause the slices to stick together by means of the natural juices which exude from the meat surface and by entanglement of the slices, and forming the mass of meat slices into a restructured meat product. The restructured meat product may consist of beef, pork, veal, lamb, chicken, turkey or mixtures thereof and may be made in the form of roasts, logs for slicing, cutlets or other convenient meat forms.

Abstract: A method of butchering a side of lamb into a plurality of meat cuts comprising cutting along a line running generally perpendicular to the backbone at the point where the hip bone joins the backbone to divide the side into a leg portion and a body portion. The shoulder and foreshank are removed and the body portion is cut along a substantially straight line running generally perpendicular to the ribs to sever a substantial portion of the ribs from the remainder of the body portion. The body portion is cut generally perpendicular to the backbone, slightly forward of the first rib, between the sixth and seventh ribs and beyond the thirteenth rib to divide the remaining body portion into a neck portion, first and second rack cuts, and a loin cut. The chine bone is removed from both rack cuts and the chine bone and backbones are removed from the loin cut. The rib cut is cut along the breastbone to remove the breastbone cartilage and flank portions to form a breast cut.

Abstract: A process and apparatus are provided for making substantially disk-shaped meat patties having substantially uniform weight from substantially cylindrical masses of ground meat. The cylindrical masses of ground meat are placed upon a conveyor and while the conveyor is continuously advancing, they are flattened by at least one flattening means, such as a piston press, to form patties which look like, taste like and have the texture of homemade patties.