Device and method for cooking foodstuffs in a frozen environment

Claim 1

A combination refrigeration-freezing and cooking device comprising: a thermally insulated chamber having refrigeration means associated therewith to maintain the interior of said chamber at refrigerated or freezing temperatures; electric circuit means contiguous with the interior of said chamber; one or more heating receptacles disposed in said chamber, each having a dish member to contain food and a heating element integral with the dish, the dish having a low heat capacity sufficient to pass substantially all of the heat applied to the dish by the element Through the dish, the heating element integral with each dish connected to said circuit means; and means to energize said circuit means and the heating elements while the interior of said chamber is maintained at said refrigerated and freezing temperatures.

Claim 8

A method of cooking and heating food in a refrigerated or freezing environment comprising: a. placing food in a plurality of thermally insulated casseroles each having a dish member to support the food and an electric heating element integrally associated with the dish, the dish having a low heat capacity sufficient to pass substantially all of the heat applied to the dish by the element through the dish; b. covering said casseroles and the food therein with a thermally insulated cover member; c. placing said casseroles in spaced relationship with each other in a thermally insulated chamber adapted to maintain the interior of said chamber at temperatures in the range of -20* F. to 40* F. to preserve said food; and d. energizing the electrical heating element of one or more selected casseroles in discrete preset pulsations of electricAl energy to cook the food in said selected casseroles while the interior of said chamber is maintained substantially in said temperature ranges.

Claim 9

A method of cooking and heating food in a refrigerated or freezing environment comprising: a. placing food in a plurality of thermally insulated casseroles each having a dish member to support the food and an electric heating element integrally associated with the dish, the dish having a low heat capacity sufficient to pass substantially all of the heat applied to the dish by the element through the dish; b. covering said casseroles and the food therein with a thermally insulated cover member; c. placing said casseroles in spaced relationship with each other in a thermally insulated chamber adapted to maintain the interior of said chamber at temperatures in the range of -20* F. to 40* F. to preserve said food; and d. energizing the electrical heating element of one or more selected casseroles in discrete preset pulsations of electricAl energy to cook the food in said selected casseroles while the interior of said chamber is maintained substantially in said temperature ranges.

Claim 11

A device for cooking food in an environment maintained at refrigerated or freezing temperatures comprising: a. a thermally insulated chamber having electrical connecting means extending to the interior of said chamber; b. means for conducting a refrigerant through the interior of said chamber to maintain the interior of said chamber at refrigerated temperatures in the range of 32* F. to 40* F. or freezing temperatures in the range of -20* F. to 32* F., c. electrical timing means associated with said chamber and connected to said electrical connecting means for energizing said electrical connecting means at predetermined intervals of time throughout a predetermined cooking period; d. a plurality of thermally insulated casseroles supported in said chamber in spaced relationship with each other, each casserole having a metal dish member to support food, the dish member having a weight of about 1.5 pounds per square foot and a heat capacity of about 0.5 calories per square inch per degree centigrade; e. an electric heating element integrally formed with said dish member for applying heat to said casseroles while said chamber is maintained at said refrigerated or freezing temperatures, the heating element connected to said electrical connecting means for energizing the element at said predetermined intervals of time throughout said predetermined cooking period; and f. a thermally insulated cover member associated with each casserole, the combined thermal insulation of each cover member and casserole adapted to maintain the heat loss for each casserole in the range of not more than 5 percent to 10 percent of the total heat introduced into said casserole by said heating element when said element is energized at said predetermined intervals of time throughout said predetermined cooking period.

Claim 12

A device for cooking food in an environment maintained at refrigerated or freezing temperatures comprising: a. a thermally insulated chamber having electrical connecting means extending to the interior of said chamber; b. means for conducting a refrigerant through the interior of said chamber to maintain the interior of said chamber at refrigerated temperatures in the range of 32* F. to 40* F. or freezing temperatures in the range of -20* F. to 32* F., c. electrical timing means associated with said chamber and connected to said electrical connecting means for energizing said electrical connecting means at predetermined intervals of time throughout a predetermined cooking period; d. a plurality of thermally insulated casseroles supported in said chamber in spaced relationship with each other, each casserole having a metal dish member to support food, the dish member having a weight of about 1.5 pounds per square foot and a heat capacity of about 0.5 calories per square inch per degree centigrade; e. an electric heating element integrally formed with said dish member for applying heat to said casseroles while said chamber is maintained at said refrigerated or freezing temperatures, the heating element connected to said electrical connecting means for energizing the element at said predetermined intervals of time throughout said predetermined cooking period; and f. a thermally insulated cover member associated with each casserole, the combined thermal insulation of each cover member and casserole adapted to maintain the heat loss for each casserole in the range of not more than 5 percent to 10 percent of the total heat introduced into said casserole by said heating element when said element is energized at said predetermined intervals of time throughout said predetermined cooking period.

Claim 14

A device for freezing food for storage and for selectively cooking food while stored in a freezing environment comprising: a. a chamber having refrigeration means associated therewith to maintain the interior of the chamber at freezing temperatures in the range of -20* F. to 32* F.; b. a plurality of thermally insulated casseroles packed with food and disposed in spaced relationship within said chamber for storage at said freezing temperatures; c. an electric heating element associated with each casserole adapted to heat the food packed therein to temperatures in the range of 180* F. to 200* F. to cook same when the heating element is electrically energized while said chamber is maintained at said freezing temperatures; and d. electric circuit means associated with said chamber connected to the heating elements associated with each casserole adapted to selectively energize the casseroles through their associated heating elements for heating and cooking the food therein, the thermal insulation of the casseroles adapted to maintain the heat loss of the casseroles when selectively energized for heating and cooking at not more than 5 percent to 10 percent of the total heat introduced into the casseroles by said heating element, the thermal insulation of the casseroles in conjunction with said freezing temperatures in the chamber further maintaining the interior of the casseroles not selectively energized at freezing temperatures substantially below 32* F. during the time the selected casseroles are energized.

Claim 15

A device for freezing food for storage and for selectively cooking food while stored in a freezing environment comprising: a. a chamber having refrigeration means associated therewith to maintain the interior of the chamber at freezing temperatures in the range of -20* F. to 32* F.; b. a plurality of thermally insulated casseroles packed with food and disposed in spaced relationship within said chamber for storage at said freezing temperatures; c. an electric heating element associated with each casserole adapted to heat the food packed therein to temperatures in the range of 180* F. to 200* F. to cook same when the heating element is electrically energized while said chamber is maintained at said freezing temperatures; and d. electric circuit means associated with said chamber connected to the heating elements associated with each casserole adapted to selectively energize the casseroles through their associated heating elements for heating and cooking the food therein, the thermal insulation of the casseroles adapted to maintain the heat loss of the casseroles when selectively energized for heating and cooking at not more than 5 percent to 10 percent of the total heat introduced into the casseroles by said heating element, the thermal insulation of the casseroles in conjunction with said freezing temperatures in the chamber further maintaining the interior of the casseroles not selectively energized at freezing temperatures substantially below 32* F. during the time the selected casseroles are energized.