JP6419009B2 - Cooker and cooking method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a cooking device and a cooking method.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known a cooking device in which ingredients and cooking liquid (water, seasoning liquid) are put in a cooking tank and cooked (boiled, boiled, steamed, etc.) in a boiling state of about 100 ° C. In order to shorten the cooking time, a cooking device such as a pressure cooker that cooks at a high temperature of about 120 ° C. with the cooking tank in a high pressure state is also known. In Patent Document 1 below, as an example of a heating cooker, an apparatus for cooking by heating by supplying steam into a cooking tank in which ingredients are stored is described.

  In cooking at a high temperature, there is a problem that the protein contained in the food is thermally denatured to harden the food, the nutrient contained in the food is broken, and the original flavor and color of the food are impaired by oxidation. In addition, when a pressure cooker is used, there is a risk that an accident such as a pan lid flying due to an error in usage or a malfunction of the equipment may occur. On the other hand, a method of cooking food at a lower temperature so as not to deteriorate the quality of the food is known.

JP 2011-085318 A

  Conventional low-temperature cooking can prevent deterioration of food quality such as heat denaturation of protein, but has a problem that cooking time becomes longer compared to cooking by boiling the cooking liquid by high-temperature heating. In steam cooking, there is also a problem that the temperature distribution in the cooking tank becomes non-uniform and uneven heating occurs.

  This invention is made | formed in view of the said subject, The objective is to provide the cooking device and cooking method which can shorten cooking time in low-temperature heat cooking, and can reduce a heating nonuniformity. .

A cooker according to one aspect of the present invention includes a sealable cooking tank in which ingredients and cooking liquid are stored, a temperature raising means for raising the temperature of the cooking tank, a pressure reducing means for reducing the pressure in the cooking tank, And a controller for controlling the temperature raising means and the pressure reducing means. The controller controls the temperature raising means while controlling the pressure-reducing means so that the inside of the cooking tank is depressurized to a saturated steam pressure at a predetermined cooking temperature, thereby raising the temperature of the cooking tank. the vacuum in the cooking chamber by controlling the pressure reducing means so as to stop, decompression of the cooking vessel is depressurized in the cooking vessel while being stopped until the saturated vapor pressure but before reaching the cooking temperature The temperature raising means is controlled so that the cooking tank is maintained at the cooking temperature while maintaining the state.

  In the above cooking device, the cooking liquid can be boiled even in low temperature cooking by maintaining the cooking tank at the cooking temperature in a state where the inside of the cooking tank is depressurized from the atmospheric pressure to the saturated vapor pressure of the cooking temperature. it can. Thereby, the convection of a cooking liquid is accelerated | stimulated in a cooking tank, and the heat transfer to a foodstuff becomes quick. Moreover, since the heat conductivity inside a foodstuff becomes high in the cooking under reduced pressure, the center temperature of a foodstuff can be brought close to the surface temperature rapidly. As a result, the cooking time can be further shortened. Moreover, since the temperature distribution in a cooking tank can be made uniform by generating saturated steam, the heating unevenness of a foodstuff can be reduced more.

  “Cooking liquid” is a concept that includes not only seasoning liquid but also liquid such as water.

  The cooker may further include a temperature detection unit that detects an outer surface temperature of the cooking tank. The control unit may control the temperature raising unit so that the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit is maintained at the cooking temperature.

  According to the results of the inventors' diligent research, when the cooking tank is maintained at the cooking temperature in a state where the cooking tank is decompressed to the saturated vapor pressure of the cooking temperature, the temperature of the cooking tank, the temperature of the cooking liquid, , The temperature of the food becomes substantially the same. Therefore, if the outer surface temperature of the cooking tank in which temperature detection is relatively easy is detected and maintained at the cooking temperature, the food material temperature can be maintained at the cooking temperature without directly detecting the food temperature.

  In the cooking device, the decompression unit may have a decompression pump whose operation is controlled by the controller and decompressing the cooking tank by sucking air in the cooking tank. The control unit stops the operation of the decompression pump after the cooking tank is depressurized to the saturated vapor pressure, and controls the temperature raising means so that the cooking tank reaches the cooking temperature after the stop. May be.

  According to the above configuration, by stopping the operation of the vacuum pump before the cooking tank reaches the cooking temperature and starts boiling, moisture is sucked into the vacuum pump when the air in the cooking tank is sucked. Can be prevented. Therefore, there is an advantage that it is not necessary to provide a trap mechanism for preventing moisture from being sucked into the decompression pump.

  The cooker may further include an input unit capable of inputting set values of the cooking temperature and cooking time of the ingredients.

  According to the said structure, a foodstuff can be reliably heat-cooked on the conditions of the set cooking temperature and cooking time.

The cooking method which concerns on the other situation of this invention is a cooking method which heat-cooks in the sealable cooking tank in which a foodstuff and a cooking liquid are accommodated. The cooking method includes a step of setting a cooking temperature of the food material and a step of cooking the food material at the cooking temperature. In the heating and cooking step, the cooking tank is heated while the cooking tank is depressurized to the saturated vapor pressure of the cooking temperature, and the pressure in the cooking tank is reduced before the cooking tank reaches the cooking temperature. After stopping, the depressurization in the cooking tank is stopped and the cooking tank is maintained at the cooking temperature while the state in which the pressure in the cooking tank is reduced to the saturated vapor pressure of the cooking temperature is maintained.

  In the above cooking method, the cooking tank is maintained at the cooking temperature in a state where the inside of the cooking tank is depressurized from the atmospheric pressure to the saturated vapor pressure of the cooking temperature, so that the cooking liquid is boiled even in low temperature cooking. Can be cooked. Thereby, the convection of a cooking liquid is accelerated | stimulated in a cooking tank, and the heat transfer to a foodstuff becomes quick. Moreover, since the heat conductivity inside a foodstuff becomes high in the cooking under reduced pressure, the center temperature of a foodstuff can be brought close to the surface temperature rapidly. As a result, the cooking time can be further shortened. Moreover, since the temperature distribution in a cooking tank can be made uniform by the convection of a cooking liquid, a heating nonuniformity can be reduced more.

  In the cooking method, in the heating cooking step, an outer surface temperature of the cooking tank may be maintained at the cooking temperature.

  As described above, when the cooking tank is maintained at the cooking temperature with the pressure reduced to the saturated vapor pressure of the cooking temperature, the temperature of the cooking tank, the temperature of the cooking liquid, and the temperature of the ingredients are substantially the same. become. Therefore, if the outer surface temperature of the cooking tank in which temperature detection is relatively easy is monitored and maintained at the cooking temperature, the food material temperature can be maintained at the cooking temperature without directly detecting the food temperature.

  In the cooking method, in the cooking step, the inside of the cooking tank may be decompressed by sucking air in the cooking tank by a decompression pump. Further, in the heating cooking step, the operation of the decompression pump may be stopped after the inside of the cooking tank is reduced to the saturated vapor pressure, and the cooking tank may reach the cooking temperature after the stop.

  According to the above method, by stopping the operation of the vacuum pump before the cooking tank reaches the cooking temperature and starts boiling, moisture is sucked into the vacuum pump when the air in the cooking tank is sucked. Can be prevented. Therefore, there is an advantage that it is not necessary to prepare a trap mechanism for preventing water suction into the decompression pump.

  The cooking method may further include a step of setting a cooking time of the food before the step of cooking by heating.

  According to the said method, a foodstuff can be reliably heat-cooked on the conditions of the set cooking time.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the cooking time and cooking method which can shorten cooking time in low-temperature heat cooking and can reduce a heating nonuniformity can be provided.

It is the schematic which shows the structure of the cooking appliance which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the cooking method using the said cooking appliance. It is a timing chart for explaining temperature control and pressure control in the above-mentioned cooking method. It is the schematic which shows the structure of the cooking appliance which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a graph which shows the measurement result of the heat transfer time to a foodstuff.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
<Composition of cooker>
First, the structure of the cooking appliance 1 which concerns on Embodiment 1 which is one Embodiment of this invention is demonstrated with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of a cooking device 1 according to the present embodiment.

  The cooking device 1 is a cooking device that immerses the ingredients 90 in a cooking liquid 91 (water, seasoning liquid) and performs cooking such as cooking or boiling. The cooker 1 mainly includes a cooking tank 10, a temperature raising means 20, a decompression means 30, an air introduction means 40, a temperature detection unit 50, and a control unit 60.

  The cooking tank 10 is formed with respect to the tank main body 11 so as to cover the tank main body 11 in which an internal space in which the ingredients 90 and the cooking liquid 91 are stored is formed and an opening 11A is formed on the upper side, and the opening 11A. And a lid portion 12 that can be freely opened and closed.

  The tank body 11 has a pan shape including a bottom portion 14 and a side wall portion 15 erected from the bottom portion 14. The tank body 11 is formed with an internal space having a depth enough to accommodate the food 90 and the cooking liquid 91. The tank body 11 is composed mainly of a metal material such as aluminum or copper having good thermal conductivity. Moreover, the tank main body 11 is a multilayer pan comprised by the heat generating body which the outer surface (bottom surface 16) of the bottom part 14 consists of magnetic metals, such as ferritic stainless steel. The tank body 11 may be entirely constituted of aluminum or copper, or may be entirely constituted of ferritic stainless steel.

  The lid 12 is made of a heat resistant material such as glass or polycarbonate material. The lid 12 is opened when the food 90 and the cooking liquid 91 are put into the tank body 11, and the lid 12 is closed so as to cover the entire opening 11A as shown in FIG. 1 during cooking.

  The cooking tank 10 may further include a lid packing (not shown) that seals a gap between the tank body 11 and the lid portion 12. The lid packing is made of an elastic member such as silicone resin. Thereby, inflow of the air from the outside to the inside of the cooking tank 10 is suppressed, and the cooking tank 10 has a sealable structure. In addition, the cooking tank 10 may have a structure that can be sealed not only by the lid packing but also by other means.

  The temperature raising means 20 is for raising the temperature of the cooking tank 10. The temperature raising means 20 includes a placement portion 21 disposed below the cooking tank 10 and a heating coil 22 disposed within the placement portion 21.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the placement unit 21 includes a flat placement surface 21 </ b> A on which the cooking tank 10 is placed. The cooking tank 10 is removable with respect to the mounting part 21. For example, the cooking tank 10 is removed from the mounting portion 21 when the food 90 or the cooking liquid 91 is put into the cooking tank 10 or when the inside of the tank is washed.

  The heating coil 22 electromagnetically heats the vicinity of the bottom 14 in the cooking tank 10 by supplying current. More specifically, the heating coil 22 generates an eddy current in the heating element or the tank body 11 in the cooking tank 10 by a magnetic field generated by supplying current, and the bottom of the cooking tank 10 by Joule heat generated by the eddy current. 14 vicinity is heated up. Note that the temperature raising means 20 is not limited to the one that raises the temperature of the cooking tank 10 by the induction heating method as in this embodiment, and may be another means such as a resistance heating method.

  The decompression means 30 is for decompressing the inside of the cooking tank 10 by sucking the air in the cooking tank 10. The decompression means 30 includes a decompression pipe 31, a pressure detector 32, a decompression valve 33, and a decompression pump 34.

  The decompression pipe 31 has a flow path through which air sucked from the cooking tank 10 flows. As shown in FIG. 1, the decompression pipe 31 is arranged so that one end thereof is connected to the upper surface of the lid 12 and communicates with the inside of the cooking tank 10.

  The pressure detector 32 is a pressure sensor for detecting the pressure in the cooking tank 10. The pressure detection part 32 is attached in the middle of the pressure reduction piping 31, as shown in FIG.

  The pressure detector 32 may be provided at another position (lid, pan body, valve, etc.) as long as the pressure in the cooking tank 10 can be detected.

  The pressure reducing valve 33 is a control valve that switches between air flow and shutoff in the pressure reducing pipe 31. When the pressure detector 32 is attached to the decompression pipe 31 as in the present embodiment, the decompression valve 33 is located on the opposite side of the cooking tank 10 as viewed from the pressure detector 32 as shown in FIG. Is arranged.

  The decompression pump 34 is a vacuum pump, and decompresses the inside of the cooking tank 10 by sucking air in the cooking tank 10 through the decompression pipe 31. When the pressure detector 32 is attached to the decompression pipe 31 as in the present embodiment, the decompression pump 34 is located on the opposite side of the pressure detector 32 from the decompression valve 33 as shown in FIG. Is arranged.

  According to the decompression means 30, by operating the decompression pump 34 with the decompression valve 33 opened, the air in the cooking tank 10 can be sucked through the decompression pipe 31 to decompress the cooking tank 10. it can.

  The air introduction means 40 is for returning the pressure in the reduced-pressure cooking tank 10 to atmospheric pressure by flowing air into the cooking tank 10. The air introduction means 40 has an air introduction pipe 41 and an air introduction valve 42.

  The air introduction pipe 41 has a flow path through which air supplied into the cooking tank 10 flows. As shown in FIG. 1, the air introduction pipe 41 is arranged so that one end of the air introduction pipe 41 is connected to the upper surface of the lid portion 12 along with the decompression pipe 31 and communicates with the inside of the cooking tank 10. The air introduction pipe 41 may have a configuration in which at least a part is used together with the decompression pipe 31.

  The air introduction valve 42 is a control valve that switches between air flow and blockage in the air introduction pipe 41. The air introduction valve 42 is arranged in the middle of the air introduction pipe 41 as shown in FIG.

  According to the air introduction means 40, the air is introduced into the cooking tank 10 through the air introduction pipe 41 with the air introduction valve 42 opened, so that the decompressed cooking tank 10 is restored to atmospheric pressure. Can be made.

  The temperature detection unit 50 is configured by a temperature sensor that detects the outer surface temperature of the cooking tank 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the temperature detection unit 50 is attached to the vicinity of the bottom 14 on the outer side surface 13 (outer surface), and detects the temperature of this portion. Examples of the temperature detection unit 50 include temperature sensors such as thermocouples and thermistors, but are not limited thereto.

  The temperature detector 50 is not limited to being attached to the outer surface 13 in the vicinity of the bottom portion 14 as in the present embodiment, but is preferably attached to a portion mainly heated by the temperature raising means 20. For example, the temperature detector 50 may be attached to the bottom surface 16 (outer surface) and detect the temperature of this portion. Moreover, the temperature detection part 50 can be attached in arbitrary positions in the tank main body 11, if it is a part used as the temperature substantially the same as the bottom face 16 during the heating by the temperature rising means 20. FIG. Further, the temperature detection unit 50 is not limited to a single temperature sensor, and may include a plurality of temperature sensors.

  The control unit 60 is a controller that controls the operations of the temperature raising means 20, the pressure reducing means 30, and the air introduction means 40.

  The control unit 60 controls the temperature raising means 20 to supply current to the heating coil 22 to electromagnetically heat the bottom 14 of the cooking tank 10. The control unit 60 is connected to the temperature detection unit 50, and a detection result (measurement result of the outer surface temperature of the cooking tank 10) by the temperature detection unit 50 is input.

  The controller 60 is connected to each of the pressure reducing valve 33 and the pressure reducing pump 34. The controller 60 controls the opening / closing operation of the pressure reducing valve 33 and controls the operating state (ON / OFF) of the pressure reducing pump 34. The control unit 60 is connected to the pressure detection unit 32, and a detection result (pressure in the cooking tank 10) by the pressure detection unit 32 is input.

  The controller 60 is connected to the atmosphere introduction valve 42 and controls the opening / closing operation of the atmosphere introduction valve 42.

  The cooker 1 further includes an input unit 70. The input unit 70 is a part where the user can input the set values of the cooking temperature and cooking time according to the type of food 90, the cooking method, and the like. The input unit 70 transmits the input set value to the control unit 60.

  The control unit 60 has a storage unit (not shown) for storing the set value. Moreover, the control part 60 further has a calculating part (not shown) for calculating the value of the saturated vapor pressure at the set cooking temperature, and stores the calculated value in the storage part.

  The cooker 1 further includes a display unit 80. The display unit 80 is a display, and displays the cooking state such as the outer surface temperature of the cooking tank 10 and the pressure in the cooking tank 10 input to the control unit 60.

<Cooking procedure>
Next, the procedure of the cooking method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. This cooking method is performed using the cooking device 1 (see FIG. 1), and is a method of cooking such as cooking or cooking in a sealable cooking tank 10 in which the ingredients 90 and the cooking liquid 91 are accommodated. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the cooking method. FIG. 3 is a timing chart showing a method of temperature control and pressure control of the cooking tank 10 in the cooking method. In FIG. 3, (1) shows the change in the outer surface temperature of the cooking tank 10 detected by the temperature detector 50, (2) shows on / off switching of the temperature raising means 20, and (3) shows pressure detection. The pressure in the cooking tank 10 detected by the unit 32 is shown, (4) shows on / off switching of the decompression pump 34, (5) shows the open / closed state of the decompression valve 33, and (6) shows the atmosphere. The open / close state of the introduction valve 42 is shown. In FIG. 3, the horizontal direction indicates the passage of time.

  First, the step which sets the cooking temperature of the foodstuff 90 is performed (FIG. 2: S1). In step S1, the cooking temperature T1 is set according to the type of food 90, the cooking method, and the like. The cooking temperature T1 is set to a low temperature (for example, 60 ° C.) lower than 100 ° C. from the viewpoint of preventing thermal denaturation of proteins contained in the food material 90 during cooking. The cooking temperature T1 is set based on a set value input to the input unit 70 by the user.

  Next, the step which sets the cooking time of the foodstuff 90 is performed (FIG. 2: S2). In step S2, the cooking time t0 is similarly set in accordance with the type of food 90, the cooking method, and the like. The cooking time t0 is similarly set based on the set value input to the input unit 70 by the user.

  Next, a step of cooking the ingredients 90 at the set cooking temperature T1 and cooking time t0 is performed (FIG. 2: S3). In step S3, the food 90 is cooked while the pressure in the cooking tank 10 and the temperature of the cooking tank 10 are adjusted as described below.

  First, the pressure adjustment in the cooking tank 10 will be described. The decompression pump 34 is turned on by the controller 60, and the decompression valve 33 is opened (FIG. 2: S31, FIG. 3: t1). At this time, the air introduction valve 42 is closed. Thereby, the air in the cooking tank 10 is sucked by the decompression pump 34 through the decompression pipe 31, and the inside of the cooking tank 10 is decompressed.

  When the inside of the cooking tank 10 is depressurized from the atmospheric pressure P0 to the saturated vapor pressure P1 of the cooking temperature T1 (FIG. 2: S33, FIG. 3: t2), the operation of the decompression pump 34 is stopped by the control unit 60 and the decompression is performed. The service valve 33 is closed (FIG. 2: S34). On the other hand, the air introduction valve 42 is kept closed. Thereby, the inside of the cooking tank 10 is maintained in a state where the pressure is reduced to the saturated vapor pressure P1 at the cooking temperature T1.

  Next, temperature adjustment of the cooking tank 10 will be described. First, the temperature raising means 20 is turned on by the control unit 60 (FIG. 2: S32, FIG. 3: t1). Thereby, the bottom 14 side of the cooking tank 10 is electromagnetically heated by the heating coil 22, and the outer surface temperature of the cooking tank 10 rises from the initial temperature T0 toward the cooking temperature T1. Here, as shown in FIG. 3, before the outer surface temperature of the cooking tank 10 reaches the cooking temperature T1, the pressure in the cooking tank 10 reaches the saturated vapor pressure P1, and the operation of the decompression pump 34 is stopped.

  Thereafter, the cooking tank 10 is further heated with the pressure reduced to the saturated vapor pressure P1, and the outer surface temperature of the cooking tank 10 reaches the cooking temperature T1 (FIG. 2: S35, FIG. 3: t3). Here, in the state where the inside of the cooking tank 10 is reduced to the saturated vapor pressure P1, heat transfer in the tank is accelerated, so that the outer surface temperature of the cooking tank 10, the temperature of the cooking liquid 91, and the temperature of the ingredients 90 are as follows. It becomes almost the same. Therefore, when the outer surface temperature of the cooking tank 10 reaches the cooking temperature T1, the cooking liquid 91 also reaches substantially the same temperature as the cooking temperature T1. Moreover, since the cooking tank 10 is depressurized to the saturated vapor pressure P1, the cooking liquid 91 boils in a low temperature state, and the food 90 is cooked in a low temperature boiling state.

  During cooking, the state where the inside of the cooking tank 10 is reduced to the saturated vapor pressure P1 is maintained, and the outer surface temperature of the cooking tank 10 is maintained at the cooking temperature T1. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the controller 60 repeatedly turns the temperature raising means 20 on and off, so that the outer surface temperature of the cooking tank 10 is maintained at the cooking temperature T1. In this manner, the food 90 is cooked over the cooking time t0 under the conditions of the saturated vapor pressure P1 and the cooking temperature T1 (FIG. 2: S36).

  Next, a step of releasing the cooking tank 10 to the atmosphere is performed (FIG. 2: S4). In step S4, after the cooking time t0 has elapsed, the temperature raising means 20 is turned off by the control unit 60, and the air introduction valve 42 is opened. As a result, air flows into the cooking tank 10 through the air introduction pipe 41, and the pressure in the cooking tank 10 is restored to the atmospheric pressure P0. As described above, the cooking method according to the present embodiment is completed by sequentially executing steps S1 to S4.

<Effect>
Next, the effect by the said cooking appliance 1 and a cooking method is demonstrated.

  The cooking device 1 includes a cooking tank 10 in which ingredients 90 and a cooking liquid 91 are stored, a temperature raising means 20 for raising the temperature of the cooking tank 10, a pressure reducing means 30 for reducing the pressure in the cooking tank 10, and a control unit 60. It is equipped with. The controller 60 controls the pressure reducing means 30 so that the inside of the cooking tank 10 is reduced to the saturated vapor pressure P1 of the cooking temperature T1, and the cooking tank 10 is increased so that the cooking tank 10 is maintained at the cooking temperature T1 in the reduced pressure state. The temperature means 20 is controlled.

  The cooking method includes a step S1 for setting the cooking temperature T1 of the food 90, and a step S3 for cooking the food 90 at the cooking temperature T1. In step S3 for cooking by heating, the cooking tank 10 is maintained at the cooking temperature T1 in a state where the inside of the cooking tank 10 is reduced to the saturated vapor pressure P1 of the cooking temperature T1.

  According to the cooking device 1 and the cooking method described above, the cooking tank 10 is maintained at the cooking temperature T1 in a state where the inside of the cooking tank 10 is reduced to the saturated vapor pressure P1 of the cooking temperature T1, and thus the case where the cooking tank 10 is under atmospheric pressure. In contrast, the cooking liquid 91 can be boiled even in low temperature cooking at 95 ° C. or lower. Thereby, the convection of the cooking liquid 91 is promoted in the cooking tank 10, and heat transfer to the food 90 is accelerated. Moreover, since the heat conductivity in the foodstuff 90 becomes high in the cooking under reduced pressure, the center temperature of the foodstuff 90 can be brought close to the surface temperature quickly. As a result, the cooking time can be further shortened. Moreover, the heat denaturation of the protein contained in the foodstuff 90 and the destruction of nutrients can be prevented by cooking at low temperature.

  The cooker 1 includes a temperature detection unit 50 that detects the outer surface temperature of the cooking tank 10. The controller 60 controls the temperature raising means 20 so that the temperature detected by the temperature detector 50 (the outer surface temperature of the cooking tank 10) is maintained at the cooking temperature T1.

  When the cooking tank 10 is maintained at the cooking temperature T1 with the pressure reduced to the saturated vapor pressure P1 of the cooking temperature T1, the temperature of the cooking tank 10, the temperature of the cooking liquid 91, and the temperature of the ingredients 90 are It becomes almost the same. Therefore, if the outer surface temperature of the cooking tank 10 whose temperature detection is relatively easy is detected and maintained at the cooking temperature T1, the food material temperature is maintained at the cooking temperature T1 without directly detecting the temperature of the food material 90. Can do.

  Moreover, by maintaining the temperature so as not to exceed the cooking temperature T1, even when the food 90 is in direct contact with the surface of the cooking tank 10, such as cooking with boiled food or boiled food, the food 90 is excessively exceeded the cooking temperature T1. Heating can be prevented.

  In the cooking device 1, the decompression means 30 has a decompression pump 34 that decompresses the inside of the cooking tank 10 by sucking air in the cooking tank 10. As shown in FIG. 3, the control unit 60 stops the operation of the decompression pump 34 after the inside of the cooking tank 10 has been reduced to the saturated vapor pressure P1, and the cooking tank 10 reaches the cooking temperature T1 after the stop. The temperature raising means 20 is controlled.

  Thus, by stopping the operation of the decompression pump 34 before the cooking tank 10 reaches the cooking temperature T1 and starts boiling, the suction of moisture into the decompression pump 34 when the air in the cooking tank 10 is sucked. Can be prevented. Therefore, there is an advantage that it is not necessary to provide a trap mechanism for preventing moisture from being sucked into the decompression pump 34. The trap mechanism may be provided immediately before the decompression pump 34 without being omitted.

<Modification>
Although the said embodiment demonstrated the case where the decompression pump 34 was stopped before the cooking tank 10 reaches | attains cooking temperature T1, it is not restricted to this. The decompression pump 34 may be stopped after the cooking tank 10 reaches the cooking temperature T1 (the cooking temperature T1 is reached before the decompression pump 34 is stopped), or the decompression pump 34 is stopped simultaneously with reaching the cooking temperature T1. Also good. That is, before and after the timing at which the cooking tank 10 reaches the target temperature and the timing at which the inside of the cooking tank 10 reaches the target pressure are not particularly limited, either timing may be earlier or at the same time.

  In the said embodiment, in order to keep the pressure in the cooking tank 10 constant, pressure adjustment by pressure reduction or air introduction may be performed. Moreover, it is not restricted to the case where the pressure in the cooking tank 10 is kept constant after reaching the saturated vapor pressure P1, and the pressure in the cooking tank 10 may be adjusted even after the heating cooking step is started.

  In the said embodiment, although one cooking temperature T1 was set and heat cooking by which this was maintained was demonstrated, it is not restricted to this. A plurality of cooking temperatures may be set, and cooking may be performed in which each cooking temperature is maintained in stages. In this case, the pressure in the cooking tank 10 is adjusted so as to be the saturated vapor pressure at each cooking temperature.

(Embodiment 2)
Next, a second embodiment which is another embodiment of the present invention will be described. The cooker 2 according to the second embodiment basically has the same configuration as the cooker 1 according to the first embodiment. However, the cooking device 2 according to the second embodiment is different from the cooking device 1 according to the first embodiment in the configuration of the cooking tank 10.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the cooker 2 according to the second embodiment includes a sealable cooking tank 10 in which the ingredients 90 and the cooking liquid 91 are accommodated, similarly to the cooker 1 according to the first embodiment. . Here, the cooking device 2 includes a porous plate 92 disposed at a predetermined height from the bottom 14 in the cooking tank 10. A support portion 11 </ b> B that supports the end portion of the porous plate 92 is provided on the inner wall surface of the cooking tank 10.

  The food material 90 is installed side by side on the porous plate 92. As shown in FIG. 4, the cooking liquid 91 is stored so that the liquid level is located below the porous plate 92.

  In the cooking device 2, the cooking liquid 91 (water) is evaporated by raising the temperature of the cooking tank 10 by the temperature raising means 20, and the cooking of the food 90 can be performed by the steam (broken arrows in the figure). Here, the foodstuff 90 can be heated with saturated steam by maintaining the cooking tank 10 at the cooking temperature T1 in a state where the inside of the cooking tank 10 is reduced to the saturated steam pressure P1 as in the first embodiment. Therefore, the temperature distribution in the cooking tank 10 becomes uniform, and the heating unevenness of the food 90 can be further reduced.

<Modification>
In the said embodiment, what is necessary is just to be able to cook by applying steam to the foodstuff 90, and it is not limited to the case where the porous board 92 and the support part 11B are provided. For example, a food support section (pedestal) having a support plate (not limited to a porous plate) located at a predetermined height from the bottom 14 of the cooking tank 10 and legs extending downward from the support plate is a cooking tank. 10 on the bottom part 14 and the foodstuff 90 may be arrange | positioned on the said support plate. And the cooking liquid 91 may be accommodated in the cooking tank 10 so that a liquid level may be located below the said support plate. In this case, steam cooking can be performed by arranging the food 90 at a predetermined height from the bottom portion 14 without providing the support portion 11B on the inner wall surface of the cooking tank 10 as in the above embodiment.

  In the said embodiment (or modification), it is not limited to the case where steam cooking is performed with the cooking appliance 2 of the structure shown in FIG. 4, and cooking such as cooking or cooking may be performed as in the above-described first embodiment. . In this case, the cooking liquid 91 is accommodated in the cooking tank 10 so that the liquid level is located above the porous plate 92 (or the support plate) (so that the food 90 is immersed in the cooking liquid 91). . Thus, cooking such as boiled or stewed is not limited to the case where the ingredients 90 are arranged on the bottom 14 of the cooking tank 10 as in the first embodiment (FIG. 1), but the bottom as shown in FIG. The food material 90 may be disposed on a porous plate 92 (or a support plate) located at a predetermined height from 14.

(Experimental example)
An experiment was conducted to measure each temperature change of the ingredients, the seasoning liquid and the cooking tank when the ingredients and the seasoning liquid were put in the cooking tank and heated. As an ingredient, chicken breast meat was used. In the state where the inside of the cooking tank was depressurized from atmospheric pressure (about 101 kPa), the ingredients and the seasoning liquid were heated by raising the temperature of the cooking tank. Temperature measurement was performed using the thermometer about foodstuffs (center part and surface), seasoning liquid, and the outer surface of a cooking tank. The temperature measurement was started when the food was immersed in the seasoning liquid. As a comparative example, temperature measurement was also performed when heated under atmospheric pressure.

  FIG. 5 shows the time variation of the temperature of each of the food (center and surface), seasoning liquid, and the outer surface of the cooking tank. In the graph of FIG. 5, the horizontal axis indicates elapsed time (minutes), and the vertical axis indicates temperature (° C.). Moreover, in the graph of FIG. 5, (A) shows the temperature change of the outer surface of a cooking tank under pressure reduction, (B) shows the temperature change of the foodstuff surface under pressure reduction, (C) is under pressure reduction. The temperature change at the center of the food is shown, and (D) shows the temperature change of the seasoning liquid under reduced pressure. Moreover, in the graph of FIG. 5, (a) shows the temperature change of the outer surface of a cooking tank under atmospheric pressure, (b) shows the temperature change of the seasoning liquid under atmospheric pressure, (c) is atmospheric pressure. The temperature change of the foodstuff center at the bottom is shown, and (d) shows the temperature change of the foodstuff surface under atmospheric pressure.

  Table 1 shows the time until the temperature at the center of the food reaches the target temperature, the total cooking time, the maximum value and the minimum value of the difference between the center temperature of the food and the surface temperature for each of the reduced pressure and the atmospheric pressure. And average values are shown respectively.

  As is apparent from FIG. 5, the food temperature (B, C) under reduced pressure is longer than the food temperature (c, d) under atmospheric pressure until it reaches the target set temperature. It was short. Specifically, as shown in Table 1, the time until the central temperature of the food reaches the target temperature was 34 minutes under atmospheric pressure, but 6 minutes under reduced pressure. Moreover, the difference (all the maximum value, minimum value, and average value) between the center temperature and the surface temperature of the foodstuff became smaller under reduced pressure than under atmospheric pressure.

  It should be thought that embodiment disclosed this time is an illustration and restrictive at no points. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

  1, 2 Cooker, 10 Cooking tank, 20 Temperature raising means, 30 Pressure reducing means, 34 Pressure reducing pump, 50 Temperature detection part, 60 Control part, 70 Input part, 90 Foodstuff, 91 Cooking liquid, P1 Saturated vapor pressure, T1 cooking Temperature, t1 cooking time

Claims (8)

A sealable cooking tank in which ingredients and cooking liquid are stored;
A temperature raising means for raising the temperature of the cooking tank;
Decompression means for decompressing the inside of the cooking tank;
A controller for controlling the temperature raising means and the pressure reducing means,
The controller controls the temperature raising means while controlling the pressure-reducing means so that the inside of the cooking tank is depressurized to a saturated steam pressure at a predetermined cooking temperature, thereby raising the temperature of the cooking tank. The decompression means is controlled so as to stop the decompression in the cooking tank before the cooking temperature reaches the cooking temperature, the decompression in the cooking tank is stopped, and the cooking tank is decompressed to the saturated vapor pressure. A cooker for controlling the temperature raising means so that the cooking tank is maintained at the cooking temperature while maintaining the state. A temperature detector for detecting the outer surface temperature of the cooking tank;
Wherein, said detected by the temperature detection unit temperature controls the Atsushi Nobori means so as to maintain the cooking temperature, cooking device according to claim 1. The decompression means is controlled by the control unit, and has a decompression pump that decompresses the cooking tank by sucking air in the cooking tank,
The controller stops the operation of the decompression pump after the cooking tank is depressurized to the saturated vapor pressure, and controls the temperature raising means so that the cooking tank reaches the cooking temperature after the stop. The cooking device according to claim 1 or 2 . The cooker of any one of Claims 1-3 further provided with the input part which can input the setting value of the cooking temperature and cooking time of the said foodstuff. A cooking method of cooking by heating in a sealable cooking tank in which ingredients and cooking liquid are stored,
Setting the cooking temperature of the ingredients;
Cooking the ingredients at the cooking temperature, and
In the heating and cooking step, the cooking tank is heated while the cooking tank is depressurized to the saturated vapor pressure of the cooking temperature, and the pressure in the cooking tank is reduced before the cooking tank reaches the cooking temperature. After stopping, the cooking tank is maintained at the cooking temperature while the decompression in the cooking tank is stopped and the cooking tank is maintained in a state where the cooking tank is decompressed to the saturated vapor pressure of the cooking temperature. . The cooking method according to claim 5 , wherein an outer surface temperature of the cooking tank is maintained at the cooking temperature in the heating cooking step. In the cooking step,
The inside of the cooking tank is decompressed by sucking the air in the cooking tank by a decompression pump,
The cooking method according to claim 5 or 6 , wherein the operation of the decompression pump is stopped after the inside of the cooking tank is reduced to the saturated vapor pressure, and the cooking tank reaches the cooking temperature after the stop. The cooking method according to any one of claims 5 to 7 , further comprising a step of setting a cooking time of the food before the step of cooking by heating.

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