Abstract: A steam cooking utensil includes a base, a boiling liquid reservoir defined by the base, and a heater mounted in the base to heat liquid in the boiling liquid reservoir. A drip ring is supported in the base above the liquid reservoir. A cooking bowl is supported by the base and includes a bottom tray having an imperforate surface and a food support surface extending radially outwardly from the imperforate surface. The food support surface is defined by a plurality of alternating hill-like ridges and valley-like channels extending radially outwardly in concentrically spaced rings. The food support surface includes a plurality of vent holes for enabling steam generating in the reservoir to flow into the cooking bowl.

Abstract: A heat insulating cooking vessel includes a heat insulating outer container, an inner container which is releasably housed in the outer container, and a heat insulating lid member for closing the opening portion of the outer container when the inner container is housed in the outer container. The inner container is formed shallower than the outer container so that the inner container is positioned below the opening portion of the outer container when housed in the outer container. The side wall of the inner container has at least one handle, each handle being composed of a tang portion extending upward and a grip portion arranged on the tip of the tang portion. The heat insulating lid member of the outer container has at least one cutout into by which the handle of the inner container can be inserted.

Abstract: A smoking for use with a patio grill of the type having an open horizontal cooking surface and means therebelow for providing heat such as by burning charcoal, an electric heating element or a gas fire, the smoker being formed of a bottom section having an open horizontal bottom with a peripheral edge dimensioned to rest upon the open horizontal cooking surface of the patio grill, the bottom section having closed sides and end walls and an upper, open horizontal top, a horizontal cooking grill supported by the bottom section adjacent the open top, and the smoker having a removable top section with an open horizontal bottom with peripheral edge dimensioned to rest upon and closely engage the bottom section top peripheral edge and having closed side walls and end walls and dimensioned to provide a closed space to encompass food to be smoked resting on the horizontal cooking grill.

Abstract: A cooking apparatus capable of barbecuing and steaming food which includes a steam generating chamber and a heat source to both generate steam and brown the cooked food. In a preferred manner, the steam generating chamber is connected to a water supply source and a lid on the chamber is of the floating type. The cooking apparatus lends itself to the usual heat sources and can be accommodated in a modular cooking unit.

Abstract: An oven that cooks foodstuffs containing water at temperatures up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit with longwave radiation generated by masking a cooking volume from radiant heating elements by blackened rigid inserts, which absorb shortwave and longwave radiation from the heating elements and uniformly reradiate the energy into the cooking volume as longwave radiation; non-condensing steam is injected into the oven until the vapor pressure of the water in the foodstuff attains a pressure at which water will migrate to the surface of the foodstuff to be evaporated; air is then passed through the oven to remove water from the foodstuff, while cooking with longwave radiation continues.

Abstract: An apparatus for steaming food is disclosed. Food suspended within a compartment of the apparatus is cooked by steam rising from a reservoir of boiling water below. After passing through the food compartment, steam collects in a dome shaped lid where it condenses to water then which flows by means of a gutter device below the lid into channels along the food compartment walls to return to the reservoir without contacting the food.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved steaming case and in particular to one including a metal case having a room therein for receiving a plurality of laminas, an open-top water tank disposed at lower part of the case and a gas cooker mounted below the water tank for heating the water therein whereby the heat of the waste gas may be recovered and fully utilized and the water in the water tank will be automatically maintained at a predetermined level.

Abstract: A steam cooking device having an outer shell with an open top and an open bottom. A cover closes the open top. The open bottom is sized to fit about a heating element. A support member is provided within the outer shell, for supporting food to be cooked. This support member is spaced above the bottom of the outer shell to provide space within the shell for a water container.

Abstract: A steam cooking device having an outer shell with an open top and an open bottom. A cover closes the open top. The open bottom is sized to fit about a heating element. A support member is provided within the outer shell, for supporting food to be cooked. This support member is spaced above the bottom of the outer shell to provide space within the shell for a water container.

Abstract: A portable food cooker for water smoker or direct heat cooking of food products comprising a support pedestal mounted on wheels and containing a heating unit, an open-ended wall section removably supported with a lower open end on the pedestal in communication with the heating unit and extending upwardly therefrom, a removable cover for closing the upper end of the wall section and defining with the pedestal and wall section a confined cooking compartment, one or more food support grills mounted at selected elevations in the compartment, and a pan located in the compartment below the grills and above the heating unit to contain water for water smoker cooking or, alternatively, fuel for direct heat cooking. The pan catches and contains material falling from food on the grill during the cooking operation, and an annular reservoir in the bottom of the wall section collects materials falling into the lower portion of the cooking compartment.

Abstract: An open framework rack has shoulders of progressively greater width for supporting within the rack cooking receptacles of progressively greater width one spaced above the other for efficient steam cooking within a steam chamber. The rack desirably comprises wireform risers providing stepped terraces. A plurality of connecting rings secure the risers in the rack. A multichannel/rib adapter is adapted for supporting a cooking receptacle on the rack or on the bottom of a steam chamber. The rack is adapted for handling by upstanding ears thereon or by a bail removably engaging the ears.

Abstract: A more convenient and versatile charcoal fired cooking apparatus is disclosed. A free-standing charcoal and water pan assembly having support legs allows lifting off of the body or shell of the cooker together with two food support racks held on brackets thereof. The water pan is also liftable from the legs of the free-standing assembly to enable direct grilling of food when desired. A removable dome rests on the top edge of the cooker body.

Abstract: A self-standing cooking apparatus is disclosed which consists of a pressurizable vessel having a door which can be latched and sealed, an integral steam-pressure source and integral upper and lower heating rod elements which serve as broil elements and bake elements, respectively, and a water-filled tray which can be disposed above the upper heating rod. An electrical control circuit enables selective energization of the bake and broil heat elements by continuous or controlled duration pulses of current which control the proportion of infrared energy that will be produced by the heating rods. The oven can be operated under pressure with the heating rods applying infrared radiation to the foodstuff being cooked in order to obtain browning or crisping of the foodstuff which is cooked at elevated pressure. The oven can also be operated in a conventional bake mode, a conventional broil mode, a steam cooking mode, a sealed cooking and warming mode and a toasting mode.

Abstract: A microwave-reflective first container, designed to preclude microwave exposure of the sides and bottom and limit exposure to the top of a shelled, raw egg contained therein, is covered by a microwave-permeable lid and nested within a microwave-permeable second container so that the bottom and lower sides of said first container are in physical contact with a microwave-lossy liquid contained therein. Also, disclosed are (1) temperature monitoring, (2) a spoon shape to said first container's bottom, (3) restricting the ability of said first container to rotate and (4) methods of using said apparatus to soft and hard cook raw, shelled eggs from both their prefrozen and room temperature states.

Abstract: An apparatus for heating food includes a treating chamber, a multilevel shelving in the treating chamber for supporting the food to be heated; a plurality of blowers arranged in the treating chamber; and heating elements associated with the blowers for generating hot air currents. All the blowers are arranged in a vertically spaced, superposed relationship at one side of the treating chamber and an arrangement is provided for directing the air currents generated by each blower towards another, opposite side of the treating chamber.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus for use at the dining table to provide a continuous supply of hot tortillas. An elongated housing has two openings in the top thereof with a first opening having a resistive heating element contained therein, and the second opening receiving a ceramic vessel therein. The ceramic vessel is maintained at an elevated temperature, either from the heat of the resistive heating element or from a separate heating unit. The ceramic vessel is basically cylindrical with an upper opening closed by a cover having a reservoir to receive water. The water is converted and transmitted as steam through passages in the cover to the inside of the ceramic vessel thereby helping maintain moisture content of the hot tortillas.

Abstract: A convection steamer apparatus and method having improved heat-transfer characteristics for rapidly and effectively processing food items or the like at atmospheric pressure and at a relatively low constant steam temperature comprising a steam generator and distribution system for delivering steam in a turbulent controlled path to a heating chamber. A diffuser device acts to introduce substantially dry steam into the distribution system and a pressure differential generator device communicates with the chamber for continuously inducing a pressure differential to continuously purge air and/or unused steam from said chamber to maintain turbulent, generally orbital flow of dry steam in heat-transfer relation around the food items to be processed.The invention further contemplates an improved construction for an atmospheric closure for fluid and heat sealing of the heating chamber during the processing of such food items or the like.

Abstract: A frying basket for supporting food items, such as pies, to be cooked in an immersed position in a cooking medium. The frying basket has a back wall and two end walls defining an accessible front food loading area opposite the back wall. In the basket, on horizontal supports, are two shelves comprising solid bottom trays mounted on an open framework with divider plates between each tray to form separate compartments for each food item. An upper shelf is mounted above a lower shelf and functions to retain food items on the lower shelf and to support food items as well. Mounted above the second shelf is a retaining cover which functions to retain food items on the upper shelf. Both the upper shelf and the retaining cover are each held in that position by a latch at one of the end walls.

Abstract: This disclosure pertains to an apparatus for use in heating containers of food, as in cans, bottles, plastic pouches and the like by emersion into water adapted to insure uniform heating thereof by substantially insulating the containers from thermal contact with all the parts of the heating apparatus except the water in contact with the container. The apparatus can also be used to heat water alone, brew coffee, tea or other beverages.

Abstract: The invention is an improvement on the deep fat fryer disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,430,553, which shows a food basket movable between a cooking position in which the food is immersed in shortening and a tilted drain position, and an impervious tray moving with the basket for collecting particles so that when the basket and tray are tilted, the shortening and particles will be drained therefrom into a filter basket. The improvement comprises a perforated wall attached to the tray and extending thereabove so that when the tray and basket are lifted above the shortening, the particles will be prevented from going sideways over the edges of the tray into the pot or frying vessel.

Abstract: A retorting tray for sterilizing material sealed in flexible pouches. The tray comprises a base portion which forms a conduit for circulation of a heating medium therethrough. The base portion has edges extending therefrom terminating in a stackable feature whereby one tray can stack on the other. The base also has protuberances therefrom for spacing apart the flexible pouches in a substantially unmovable manner to control the maximum cross-section of the pouch and for providing a space for circulation of a heating medium about the flexible pouches to sterilize the contents.