Cook-Chill
-- Foodservice Equipment & Supplies, 9/1/2008 12:00:00 AM
Types: Cook-chill equipment includes cook tanks, stand-alone refrigeration units, blast chillers and large-batch production systems that utilize jacketed kettles, bagging and pumping stations, and tumble chillers. Tanks and kettles cook products, which are typically transferred into plastic bags through use of mobile pumping stations. Staff place filled bags into tumble chillers that rapidly cool products to safe holding temperatures by immersing them in cold water. Another method of rapidly bringing cooked products to safe holding temperatures is by loading them into shallow pans and placing them in a blast chiller.Capacities/Footprints: Compact-model blast chiller/freezers are designed to improve efficiency and food safety in smaller foodservice operations. Features include enclosed, air-cooled condensers and removable, adjustable shelving that accepts standard steam table pans and grids. Small stand-alone quick-chill units are available starting with a three-tray (12” x 20”) capacity configuration, while large batch-cooking kettles can produce up to 400 gals. of product.Energy Source(s): Electro-mechanical equipment generally requires at least 230V. Kettles may be gas-heated.Standard Features: Touch-pad controls generally come with simple, easy-to-understand digital displays, automatic holding modes, and list temperatures in °F. or °C. Self-contained evaporation eliminates the need for drains or attachments. De-icing features remove ice from evaporators quickly, while self-diagnostic systems identify service requirements. Self-closing doors with magnetic seals open beyond 90° for more convenient loading and unloading. Blast chillers with two independent cooling compartments give staff more flexibility when preparing cook-chill menus and they provide greater energy efficiency, as smaller amounts of food can be chilled in a single compartment without cooling an entire unit. Multi-functional cook-chill kettles that feature integral cooling systems allow cook-chill operations to use just one piece of equipment. Microprocessor cycle controls and continuous digital readouts of internal equipment temperatures and/or probes providing internal temperatures of food products being processed are standard features on most cook-chill equipment. One manufacturer offers one-button control in a machine that automatically prints out HACCP documentation and chills by time, temperature or product.New Features/Technology/Options: Recent advances in cook-chill technology offer cost-savings while delivering the taste and quality of freshly cooked food. One maker produces a kettle with a retractable agitator to allow for a pinned shaft. The design improves the flavor and texture of cooked foods by providing better agitation of foods. The redesigned agitator also helps facilitate cleaning of the kettle. Additionally, a lightweight, air-operated drop-down valve is now on the market and promises greater ease of use. The new valve is reportedly half the weight of some traditional valves and functions in concert with a spring-tensioned clamp for easier installation. Replacement parts are said to be a fraction of the cost of traditional designs. A tumbler chiller available in 100-, 200- and 300-gal. capacities allows operators to upgrade production as menus change without having to purchase another unit. Some blast chillers can reduce chilling time by extracting heat from cooked food as opposed to blowing cold air, using less energy to achieve the same goal. Increasingly, combi ovens are being teamed with blast chillers to produce foods with less labor and energy than traditionally required and allowing the preservation of fresh foods to be safely cooled for future service while locking in moisture, vitamins and nutrients.Key Kitchen Applications: Cook-chill equipment rapidly cools cooked food for safe holding in cold storage over extended time periods. The equipment prepares, packages and safely chills hundreds of meals for cold storage vs. cook-serve systems, which reduce labor costs and production times. Operators can select cook-chill production methods to meet their needs. When used correctly, the equipment helps retain food quality and extend products’ shelf-life. Food is cooked and chilled for future use rather than buying products with a three- or four-day refrigerated shelf life. Central kitchen-based cook-chill preparation allows better control over raw ingredients’ quality and easier monitoring of proper ingredient handling procedures. Large-batch kettle cooking helps to ensure consistency and can reduce recipe errors. The reduction of food waste and more efficient use of labor are two of cook-chill equipment’s most important selling points.Purchasing Guidelines: Since cook-chill systems allow for longer storage of foods in contrast to cooking menu items and holding pre-portioned amounts in a standard refrigerator or freezer, foodservice staff can produce items in larger batches for multiple service points or customer groups. This reduces the number of batches that need to be prepared during any given period, which, in turn, reduces labor requirements. Additionally, operators should understand that this saved labor can be used to create new menu or FOH service programs and, thereby, generate more revenues. Some manufacturers offer test-kitchen facilities for use by prospective purchasers and that can help them make informed buying decisions. Blast chillers are not included among Energy Star categories presently and use more energy by virtue of their larger systems and multiple fans to chill correctly. However, the dual systems used by some manufacturers have the added benefit of reducing overall energy usage by eliminating short-cycling.Maintenance Requirements: Staff must thoroughly clean and sanitize kettles after every production cycle. Operators should look for stainless-steel construction and high-quality equipment designed with as few seams, tight corners and crevasses as possible, as these units will facilitate easy cleaning and thorough sanitation. Pumps and compressors require professional maintenance. Some manufacturers recommend cleaning blast freezers every three months to once a year with a stiff bristle brush after removing the evaporator coil, and brushing or vaccuming the condenser coil monthly or at least quarterly to improve operating efficiency. Recent improvements in the maintenance area include self-diagnostics on the controls and alerts for cleaning condensing units.Food Safety & Sanitation Essentials: Cook-chill production equipment can facilitate HACCP programs in all kinds of foodservice facilities. Improper food cooling has been cited countless times as the No. 1 cause of foodborne illness. In terms of cook-chill equipment, the key to safe, extended storage of foods is very rapid cooling, which takes cooked products through the bacterial growth danger zone of 140°F. to 41°F. Chilling and holding equipment can cool food products from production temperatures down to 40°F. and below, typically in 90 minutes to two hours, which is essential to the safe storage of food products.
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