The Cook-Chill Process - Research
THE COOK-CHILL PROCESS - RESEARCH
Cook-chill foods are food which have been half cooked and then chilled very quickly to be sold in the shops. Consumption of cook-chill foods from the manufactures should be within 5 days maximum.
* Storage temp: To avoid danger zone (5'c-63'c) store at 3.4'c cooked at 70'c or above.
* Advantages:
Excellent flavour (similar to home made)
Excellent colour )
Excellent texture ) from cooking - chilled for 90 minutes
Retains nutrients )
There are 2 types of chilling:
Blast: The plates are very cold so the temperature goes down in 90
minutes.
Or
Spiral
ADDITIVES
Reasons for using additives:
The uses of additives in food is controlled by the government department including The Food Advisory Committee (FAC) The Ministry of Agricuture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) and The Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in food, consumer products and the environment (COT). There are many specific regulations controlling additives used, including for example, the preservatives in food regulation (1974), the sweetners in food regulation (1984), the general principles which decide whether or not an additive can be permitted.
Approximately 6000 food additives (mainly flavourings) are used by the food manufacturing industry in the UK, amounting to about 200,000 tonnes of additives per year. More than three quarters of the food eaten in the UK has been processed, and most foods have additives in them.
Food manufacturers use additives for a variety of reasons, for example:
* To preserve foods and give them a prolonged shelf-life.
* To improve the keeping qualities of food during processing, transport, distribution and retailing.
* To produce food with uniform characteristics (shape, colour, flavour, texture and aroma) in a large-scale production.
* To produce a food with characteristics that meet consumers expectations and associations, e.g. a certain colour to match a flavour, such as green for mint flavour.
* To restore the original appearance of a food which may have been lost during processing, e.g. adding colour.
* To enhance (improve) certain characteristics of a food, e.g. flavour.
ADDITIVES cont...
* To produce a variety of different products from the same basic ingredients by adding different additives, e.g. instant noodles meals with different flavours.
* To produce convenience food for consumers whose life-style demands quick and easy meal preparation.
Safety:
Food additives should be safe for consumers to eat.
Quantity:
Additives should be used in the minimum amount for them to do their job.
Labelling:
Additives must be declared on the list of ingredients on a food label in decending order of the amount used and by name or 'E' number, except for flavourings.
MEAT AND POULTRY
Lean meat is muscle from a dead animal. When alive, animals move about due to muscles which are attached to the bones of the skeleton by tendons.
Muscles are made up of cells shaped like long fibres. Muscle fibres are grouped into bundles. The bundles are wrapped in connective tissue. Groups of bundles are also wrapped into connective tissue, to make a whole muscle. Muscles are attached to bones by tendons.
Texture:
Tender meat has small muscle fibres and comes from younger animals. It comes from muscles that do little work, e.g. loin, rump and the top of the leg. Callogen is converted to soluble gelatine when heated with moisture during the cooking process. This make the connective tissue much less tough, therefore the meat becomes tender.
Tough meat has large, long muscle fibres and comes from older animals. It comes from the muscles that do most of the work, e.g. skin and wrack.
Flavour:
The flavour of the meat is determined by a combination of factors:
* The breed of animal and its diet.
* The fat in and around the joint.
* The formation of extractives (substance dissolved in water inside the muscle fibres, which give meat their characteristic flavour) which are squeezed out of the meat as it cools.
The chosen cooking method.
MEAT AND POULTRY cont...
Nutrients:
The main nutrients in meat are: iron; phosphorus; thiamin; riboflavin; acid and water.
Sausages:
To manufacture uncooked sausages, which will need to be cooked throughout by the consumer, the meat and fat are chopped or minced.
Cured Meat:
Many years ago, meat was salted to preserve it. The process of curing was developed and has mostly replaced the salting.
Pies and Pasties:
These usually contain a mixture of cooked lean meat, fat, flavouring (e.g. herbs and spices) vegetables or other starchy fillers and sometimes a stock (a well flavoured liguid made from meat or poultry or vegetables by simmering them in water to extract the flavour).
Burgers:
Burgers are made from finely chopped and shaped mixture of meat or poultry (e.g. beef, lamb, pork, turkey) cereal, fat and flavourings.
Pasties:
SAUCES
Tomato based: pasta sauce
Flour based: white sauce / cheese sauce
Purpose:
* Flavouring
* Colour
* Moisture
* Improve nutritional value
* Appearance
* As a binding agent
Usually eaten hot.
RECIPE ENGINEERING
Why?
* To make a difference.
* To meet specific needs.
* To relaunch a product (up market).
* Improve flavour.
* To change shape/size/texture/price.
How?
Research questionaire for target market -
* Existing product
* Shop survey
* Product analysis
* Secondary analysis
* Prototype
* Development
* Evaluation
* Final design
* Large scale production
Cross-contamination
Contamination from uncooked to cooked food from dirty utensils and dirty hands:
* Use separate equipment and utensils.
* Wash hands.
* All meat utensils are colour coded in Red.
Cross-contamination cont...
* Uncooked meat should always be put at the bottom of the fridge to stop any salmonella.
* Always store meat in a container.
* Always defrost meat completely before cooking.
* Any cooked meat should be stored below 5'c.
* Hot food should be served at a temperature of 60'c.
* Defrosted food, both cooked and uncooked, must never be refrozen.
Chicken
* Chicken must be defrosted completely before cooking.
* In the meat industry a special thermometer called a probe is used to ensure that meat or chicken is defrosted completely right up to the middle part of the meat.
MEAT ALTERNATIVES
A variety of meat replacement products are now available.
Meat alternatives can be used when designing products for vegetarians.
Varieties of beans, peas, lentils and tofu can supply sufficient protein in main dishes.
Tofu:
* Made by curdling soya milk with calcium substance.
* The firm curd is called tofu.
* Needs to be eaten fresh.
* Tofu can be made into burgers, sauces and ready meals.
* Silken tofu is like a thick cream.
TVP
* Made from soya bean flour with the fat removed.
* Flour is mixed to a dough with water and then forced through a small hole under pressure and at a high temperature.
* TVP has a meat-like texture and can be made into burgers, burger mixtures, sausages and ready made meals.
MEAT ALTERNATIVES cont...
Quorn
* Mushroom is the origin and it is grown under controlled conditions.
* Mixed with vegetable based flavourings.
* Quorn does not contain soya.
* Quorn can be sliced, diced or cut into chunks and made into meats such as curries, pies and stir-fries.
FOOD PRESERVATION
* Bacteria, yeasts and moulds cause changes in food which can be harmful.
* Micro-organisms need moisure, warmth and food to multiply.
* If these conditions are removed food is preserved for a long time.
* Food is preserved in many ways so it keeps longer.
* Salt is used to salt meat and fish.
* Sugar is used to preserve fruits and jams and jelly.
* Sodium nitrate is used to make bacon from pork.
* Vinegar is used to preserve vegetables to make pickles or chutneys.
* Alchohol is used from fruits, e.g. peaches in brandy.
* Smoking is a way of preserving fish and meat, e.g. smoked salmon.
* Spices are used to preserve meat, e.g. salami.
Freeze Drying (FD)
* Food is frozen and dried under vacuum.
* The ice changes to water vapour without passing through the liquid stage.
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* Sugar is used to preserve fruits and jams and jelly.
* Sodium nitrate is used to make bacon from pork.
* Vinegar is used to preserve vegetables to make pickles or chutneys.
* Alchohol is used from fruits, e.g. peaches in brandy.
* Smoking is a way of preserving fish and meat, e.g. smoked salmon.
* Spices are used to preserve meat, e.g. salami.
Freeze Drying (FD)
* Food is frozen and dried under vacuum.
* The ice changes to water vapour without passing through the liquid stage.
* This process preserves the flavour and colour of the food and is used for soups and instant coffee granuals.
FOOD PRESERVATION cont...
Freeze Drying cont...
* Dried foods have higher energy value due to the loss of water.
* Vitamin C is lost during drying.
* If food is kept chilled, micro-organisms do not multiply as quickly as at room temperature.
* Chilled food must be kept below 5'C.
* Many chilled products are sold in the chiller cabinet at the supermarket.
* Many chilled products are ready made meals.
Freezing
Food can be stored for a long time by freezing it.
COOKING METHODS
* Heat is a form of energy and is used for cooking food.
* Heat energy can be transferred from one point to another, this is an underlined principle in the cooking of food - heat must pass from the cooker to cook the food at a suitable rate.
* Heat can be transferred in three ways by: 1) Conduction
2) Convection
3) Radiation
) Conduction
If a metal spoon is placed in boiling water its handle quickly becomes hot, this is because heat moves from one molecule to the other rapidly. Heat is conducted at varying rates through different substances.
Good conductors of heat conduct heat rapidly and efficiently, e.g. silver, copper, brass, aliminium and iron.
Poor conductors of heat conduct heat slowly and ineffeciently, e.g. glass, plastic, wood, cotton, cloth and wool.
Some food, for example meats, are poor conductors of heat and require a long time to cook. Metal skewers placed in a joint or bones help to conduct the heat. Heat is mainly transferred by conduction in foods cooked by frying, stewing and boiling.
2) Convection
Liquids and gasses are poor conductors of heat but heat can be transferred rapidly through them by convection.
COOKING METHODS cont...
2) Convection cont.
Heat energy is actually transferred by the movement of the gas or liquid molecules. As they are heated, the molecules in a liquid or gas expand and rise, thus allowing molecules from the colder and heavier part of the liquid or gas to fall and be heated in turn.
Several cooking methods rely partly on convection for the transfer of heat. In baking and roasting movement of air molecules in the oven sets up convection currents.
In boiling and steaming movement of liquid sets up the convection current. Semi-liquid and solid mixtures, e.g. sauces, have slow convection currents because they are less fluid. If they are not stirred whilst heating, they burn at the base of the pan as the heat is not carried away fast enough.
In most conventional gas/electric ovens, convection currents are set up from the heat source. This means that the shelves in the oven required slightly different cooking times, e.g. top shelf is hotter than middle shelf. Some electric ovens are fan assisted, this means they have a fan at the back which circulates the hot air evenly.
3) Radiation
In conduction, and convection, heat energy is transferred from one place to another through a medium, which may be a gas, liquid or solid. In radiation heat energy can pass from one point to another without the aid of a medium and passes through space or a vacuum. Heat rays are called infra-red rays, and when they come into contact with an object, some of them are absorbed and are felt as heat, whilst others are reflected. The space between the object and the source of the heat waves is not heated. Dull surfaces heat waves well whereas white shiny surfaces reflect and do not heat them well.
COOKING METHODS cont...
3) Radiation cont.
Examples of Radiation in Food Preparation
* Grilling relies partly on radiation to heat the food.
* Roasting food on a spit which relies partly on radiation.
* Infra-red grills have electrically heated wire elements enclosed in a silicon tube for protection. Food is grilled efficiently and rapidly by this method.
* In micro-wave ovens food can be cooked by micro-waves which are a form of energy which is quicker than radiation.
Reasons for reducing fat intake:
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- High collesteral level and obesity
Modifying Recipes To Make Them Healthier
Recipes can be modified to make them healthier by reducing fat; sugar; salt; artificial colouring and flavourings.
RICE
Rice is the staple food in the diet of many people in the East. It is becoming more popular in this country as it is economical, easy to prepare and cook and keeps well.
It is the staple of over a third of the worlds population, it is a good source of energy and contains a small amount of protein. It is available in a range of shapes and sizes and in a number of forms. Ninety percent of the world's rice is grown and eaten in Asia. The UK imports rice from the USA, Italy, China and Australia.
For cooking, there are three main types of rice, long, medium and short grain rice. Long grain rice such as Patna rice and Basmati stays fluffy and separate when cooked, so it is best for savoury dishes. Medium and short grain, e.g. Caralina rice, becomes softer and stickier when cooked, so are best for rice puddings. Brown rice is the whole grain of rice with only the husk removed. White rice has had the bran and germ removed during milling and polishing, because of this it is less nutritious than brown rice, having fewer B vitamins, minerals and proteins and less NSP (non starch polysaturates - dietry fibres). Brown rice takes longer to cook than white rice, about 40 minutes instead of 11 minutes. It has a nutty flavour and a more chewy texture.
Cooking Rice
Rice is usually cooked in boiling water so that the starch absorbs the water. The grain swells and the starch begins to gelatinise.
If it is over cooked the starch will gelatinise completely. This causes the grains to stick together in a gooey mass.
When cooking rice allow about 75g for each person. Wash the rice with cold running water. Put into plenty of boiling salted water, bring back to the boil, then cook for 10/11 minutes, drain and serve.
PRODUCTION METHODS
- One-off method
- Batch production
- Continuous flow production
- Fully automated production
One-Off Method
Usually made to order, e.g. celebration cakes.
Advantages - unique design to cater to individual needs, not many caterers/staff required.
Disadvantages - expensive because it is usually hand-made.
Batch Production
Batch production is used to make products such as cakes, biscuits and breads. Products are made in batches when a specific amount is needed for distribution. If too many are made the product can be wasted. The production line can usually be adapted to make other types of cakes, e.g. can be made using using chocolate chips then the machinery will be thoroughly cleaned so that the next batch can be made using fruit.
Advantages - The company can make small orders and change the recipes each time. Machinery can be used for other products, if necessary the plant can be shut down if the company is not busy.
Disadvantages - Expensive to set-up machine. Must keep up-to-date with competitors. May need lots of skilled staff to produce product. Expensive to train and pay staff.
PRODUCTION METHODS cont...
Continuous Flow Production
Some products can be made 24-hours for seven days a week. The factory or plant stops for cleaning the machinery or work space, but the process of making the product can continue non-stop.
Fully Automated Production
KEEPING FOOD SAFE
In the food industry many problems can occur which may effect the final quality of the food being made. These problems may include contamination by foreign bodies, toxins, chemicals or micro organisms.
Foreign Bodies
The term foreign body refers to any item that should not be in the food, such as glass, metal or band aids. The manufacturing system must be able to check that these things have not entered the food. Procedures used include using cameras to take photographs of the food as it passes on the conveyer belt, X-ray inspection or metal detectors.
Toxins
Toxins are poisonous substances, for example, pesticides, petrol, etc. All of these toxins could enter the food chain during the growth of the crop or during transportation. Toxins may also be produced by pathogenic (disease causing) bacteria or moulds.
Chemicals
Chemicals may make food unsafe to eat or they may simply change the flavour of the food making it unpalatable, e.g. if a cleaning material was used on a work surface and contaminated the food. To minimise this risk the food product will usually undergo chemical analysis as part of the quality control process. This would prevent the contaminated food reaching the consumer. Sensory testing (tasting, smelling, etc.) is also a quick and effective way of detecting if food is contaminated by chemicals.
KEEPING FOOD SAFE cont...
Food Poisoning
All three micro-organisms may cause food spoilage, but only bacteria and mould cause food poisoning. The term 'food spoilage' describes food which is safe to eat but appears unpalitable, e.g. sour milk. It is only when pathogenic (harmful) micro-organisms develop in food products in an uncontrolled way that they cause problems for the consumer and the industry. The incidence of food poisoning has increased rapidly over the past few years. The majority of food poisoning cases are caused by bacteria or toxins produced by bacteria. This may occur in one of the following ways:-
- Live bacteria is swallowed and continues to multiply in the intestine, causing illness.
- Bacteria which cause toxins and are swallowed and the toxins are
producing toxins, which in turn cause illness.
- Bacteria cause toxins in food. The bacteria may be destroyed by
heating but the toxins remain and are swallowed, causing illness.
- Some bacteria do not grow on food but are transferred onto food from
one host to another.
Bacteria multiply rapidly. One bacteria can become one million bacteria in less than seven hours. As bacteria multiply so rapidly they may run very low on food. In such cases some bacteria produce spores which are able to survive in unfavourable conditions for a long time. As soon as the conditions become suitable for growth the spores become active. Spores are resistant to heat, low temperatures and chemicals designed to destroy bacteria.
KEEPING FOOD SAFE cont...
High Risk Foods
Foods which are more likely to pathogenine bacteria, which are known as high risk foods. These foods provide bacteria with the necessary conditions in which to grow easily. High risk foods tend to be high protein food. They are often foods which are eaten without any further cooking, e.g. cooked meat and poultry; dairy foods, such as milk and cream; sauces made with milk; eggs; cooked rice and pasta; shellfish and gravy's.
COOK-CHILL PRODUCTS MATTHEW LANGLEY
"Your company has been given the specification required for the design of a new cook-chill product:-
* Savoury dish based on a staple food.
* Should include a protein food.
* Include a sauce.
* Part of a range of healthy products.
Design two prototypes to show the client. Develop one of these products so it is suitable for marketing.
Design and make a marketable cook-chill product with a staple base food, a protein and a sauce. The product needs to be healthy, look apetising and be marketable, i.e. not too expensive. I intend to achieve this by trying out a range of different products using rice or potato or pasta as the staple base and different proteins such as poultry or fish or meat with a variety of different sauces to add flavour, colour and moisture.
From these different recipes I shall choose two prototypes to show the client and then go on to develop one of recipes so it is suitable for marketing.
QUESTIONNAIRE
For my Questionnaire I asked 10 people (mostly single or older people) the following 10 questions which I hope will help me understand why people do or do not buy cook-chill products, I also wish to learn what prompts people to buy one particular product over another. These were the questions I asked:
. Do you buy cook-chill products?
2. How often: once a week
more than once a week
more often
less often
3. When buying cook-chill products do you consider the price?
4. What prompts your choice?
5. What is your favourite cook-chill product?
6. Do you find that cook-chill products are particularly good when buying 'take-away' type products, e.g. indian, chinese etc.?
7. Do you find they are convenient for a quick lunch?
8. Would you buy cook-chill products for an evening meal for a larger family?
9. Do you find them satisfying?
0. Do you really think they are more convenient than cooking the meal
from scratch?
SHOP SURVEY
I have conducted a survey of ten different cook-chill products. I have chosen a variety of products using different staples and proteins. They all weigh approximately 450grams (approximately two small servings) and are priced between 99p - £3.00.
) Italian Tomato and Sausage Pasta Bake. 450g - £1.99
Pasta with herby tomato sauce and sausage
slices with Cheddar cheese.
2) Pork Fillet with Apple Mash. 450g - £3.99
Medallions of pork served in a mushroom;
vintage cider and double cream sauce.
Served with buttery potatoes and caramalised
apple mash.
3) Cantonese Sweet and Sour Chicken in
Crispy Batter. 300g - £2.99
Marinated chicken breast in a light batter
with a tangy sweet and sour sauce.
4) Cottage Pie. 300g - £0.99
Minced beef and onion in a rich gravy
topped with fresh mashed potato.
5) Italian Spaghetti Bolognese. 450g - £1.99
Pasta with rich bolognese ragu of mince
beef; tomatoes; red wine and bacon.
6) Chicken Tikka Biryani. 450g - £3.00
Tender mediterranean chicken pieces
blended with rice; tomatoes and yoghurt.
7) Braised Beef and Mashed Potato. 450g - £2.99
Tender pieces of braised beef in a beef
and onion and carrot gravy, served with
fresh mashed potato.
SHOP SURVEY cont...
8) Chunky Chilli 450g - £2.49
Savoury meat-free Quorn myco-protein
pieces with red kidney beans and chunky
red peppers in a spicy sauce with long
grain rice.
9) Fisherman's Pie 300g - £0.99
White fish in a buttery sauce topped
with fresh mashed potato.
0) Cantonese Chicken Chow Mein. 450g - £3.49
Marinated chicken breast pieces with
egg noodles; bean sprouts; carrots
and choi sum in Chinese sauce.
Preparation Sheet 2nd Practical
Pasta With Turkey Pieces in a Tomato Sauce
00g tagliatelle (green and white)
00g turkey pieces
tomato sauce with herbs and garlic
half a cup of sweetcorn
knob of butter
salt
small amount of oil
Method
Heat a small amount of oil and butter in a frying pan. Fry the turkey pieces over a low heat for about 15 minutes until brown.
Drain the fat from the turkey and add tomato sauce, herbs and garlic, adjust to taste. Simmer on a low heat.
Fill a large saucepan with water, bring to the boil and add salt. Add pasta and cook, uncovered, until just tender (about 5 minutes).
Add sweetcorn to the turkey and sauce and make sure it comes back to a simmer.
Drain the tagliatelle well. Place onto a warm dish. Pour the sauce and turkey over the top and serve immediately with warm crusty rolls and a green salad.
This was a very easy dish to prepare. It only took me about 20 minutes to make. The colour was good because I used two colour tagliatelle (green and white) and the sauce was a rich red which made the whole meal look appetising. The flavour was very good, the turkey which could have been bland was given extra flavour by using the tomato sauce, the pasta, which I left plain helped balance the flavours. The texture was 'light', the pasta was not too soft and the turkey was tender without being too chewy. I felt the overall appearance of this meal was good. I wouldn't change anything on the recipe because everyone who tried it said it was delicious.
COOK-CHILL RECIPES
Preparation Sheet 1st Practical
Cottage Pie with Onion Gravy
225g minced beef
cup of mixed peas/sweetcorn
50g mushrooms
onion gravy mix
200g (about four medium sized) new potatoes
salt
small amount of oil
Method
Heat oven to 220oC/425oF/gas 7
Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the mince and brown on all sides.
Make up the gravy mix with approx. 3/4 pint of boiling water.
Drain off any excess fat from the mince and add the gravy mix, stir, put a lid on the pan and leave to cook over a low heat for about 30 minutes.
While the mince in cooking, scrape the potatoes and wash well.
Fill a saucepan with water, bring to the boil, add salt.
Wipe and slice the mushrooms.
Slice the potatoes into approx. 1cm slices and drop into the boiling water. Bring back to the boil and allow to cook for about 5 minutes. Drain.
Mix the mushrooms, peas and sweetcorn with the mince and then put into an ovenproof dish. Arrange the slices of potato over the top. Dab all over with butter.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until the top is nicely browned and serve with a selection of vegetables.
Preparation Sheet 1st Practical cont...
Cottage Pie with Onion Gravy
This practical was a bit fiddly. It took time because I had to peel potatoes and par cook them before slicing them. Also it took quite a long time for the mince to cook. It would have been difficult to have done anything wrong with this practical as it was quite straightforward, just cooked mince with potatoe on the top. Although the overall appearance was O.K., it was really just browned potato. The flavour was rich and meaty, but the texture was a bit soft. I shared this meal with some friends and they said it was nice. I'm not sure how this recipe could be changed as it is a traditional meal, although I suppose I could have used old potatoes and mashed them instead of slicing them.
Preparation Sheet 3rd Practical
Fish in Tomato Sauce with Rice
00g white fish
light tomato sauce with herbs
50g butter
00g long grain rice
Put rice into a pan of boiling, salted water, bring back to the boil and simmer until tender (about 15 minutes).
Meanwhile heat the butter in a frying pan. Break the fish into chunks and gently cook through. Add the sauce, adjust seasoning, and simmer until the sauce is heated through.
Drain the rice, add a small amount of butter and stir through. Arrange on a warm serving dish. Pour the fish and sauce over the top and serve. Serve with warm crusty bread.
This practical was also very easy, but the fish broke up too much when I put it into the sauce. The colour was O.K. but only because of the red sauce which stopped it looking too white. The flavour was insipid, the fish flavour was lost in the tomato sauce which was then diluted down by the rice. The texture was horrible. I felt this was a very unsuccessful meal. It could have been improved by using a better quality, chunkier fish. I think perhaps it would have also been improved by topping it with a cheesy potato, more like a fish pie, and not using rice at all. I didn't share this meal with anyone because it did not look particularly appetising.
Preparation Sheet 4th Practical
Minced Beef Pie
450g minced beef
gravy mix
50g mushrooms
large carrot
400g packet of shortcrust pastry
egg for glazing
oil
Heat the oven to 180oC/350oF/gas mark 4
Heat a small amount of oil in a large frying pan. Add mince and brown on all sides.
Meanwhile slice the mushrooms and dice the carrot. Make up approximately 3/4 pint of gravy.
Drain off any excess fat from the mince, add the gravy, mushrooms and diced carrot. Bring to the boil slowly, put lid on pan and simmer on a low heat for about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, roll out the pastry onto a floured board. Cut slightly larger than the size of the ovenproof dish you are going to use.
Using a slotted spoon add the mince to the ovenproof dish adding enough gravy to keep the meat moist, but not too sloppy. Place the pastry over the top. Moisten the edge of the dish, cut off a strip of pastry and place around the edge of the dish, moisten the strip and cover with the remaining pastry. Make a hole in the centre of the pastry to allow steam to escape. Decorate with leaves made from pastry scraps, brush all over with beaten egg.
Set pie dish on a baking sheet and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden brown.
Serve with a selection of vegetables.
Preparation Sheet 4th Practical
Minced Beef Pie cont...
As I used Ready-Made Pastry, this practical was quite straightforward. Most of the time was spent in cooking time. I eggwashed the pastry and this made the pie look very nice. By adding mushrooms and carrots to the beef the filling looked appetisingand stopped the meat filling being too solid. The flavour was good, as was the texture, with soft meat and a crispy pastry top. All of this practical went well, I was pleased with the finished dish and would not have changed anything. I shared the pie with my family and the general opinion was - great!
Preparation Sheet 5th Practical
Chicken Pieces in a Tomato, Mushroom and Garlic Sauce with Tagliatelle
00g tagliatelle (green and white)
2 chicken thighs
tomato sauce with added mushrooms and garlic
cup of mixed sweetcorn/peas
oil
butter
salt
Remove the skin from the chicken. Heat a small amount of the oil and butter in a frying pan. Add the chicken pieces and fry until brown.
Drain off any excess fat and add the sauce, adjusting the seasoning to taste.
Cover the pan and simmer for about 20 minutes until cooked through. Add the peas and sweetcorn.
Meanwhile bring to the boil a large saucepan of salted water. When the chicken is cooked through thoroughly cook the tagliatelle until softened (about 5 minutes).
Drain the pasta well and arrange on a warm serving dish. Place the chicken pieces on top and pour sauce over.
Serve with warm crusty garlic bread and a crisp salad.
This practical was also a simple recipe to follow. I used pieces of chicken which needed skinning and that obviously took a bit longer to prepare and cook. This dish had a nice tomatoey/garlicky flavour and the chicken was nice and juicy. The colour was good because the chicken had been nicely browned and the sauce and pasta added more colour. I would not change anything for this meal. I did not share this meal because it was only a single serving but it was delicious.
QUESTIONNAIRE - Results
. Do you buy cook-chill products?
Of the ten people we asked only seven people bought cook-chill products, the remaining three didn't buy them because either they didn't like them or they were too expensive.
2. How often?: three people said once a week
two people said less often
two people said more than once a week
3. When buying cook-chill products do you consider the price?
Five people said no, they didn't consider the price because when they bought them it was for convenience, the other two people said yes.
4. What prompts your choice?
All of the people that bought them said it was for various reasons, i.e. because they looked good, it was something they 'fancied' or because the packaging made the product look apetising.
5. What is your favourite cook-chill product?
Three people said curry, two said 'something foreign' and two people said they didn't have a particular favourite.
6. Do you find that cook-chill products are particularly good when buying 'take-away' type products, e.g. indian, chinese, etc.
Six of those asked said yes, they liked the 'take-away' products, the other person 'didn't like foreign food'.
QUESTIONNAIRE - Results cont...
7. Do you find cook-chill products are convenient for a quick lunch?
All of those asked said yes, although only occasionally as they work out quite expensive.
8. Would you buy cook-chill products for an evening meal for a larger family.
They all said no, but three people said they might if it was an emergency.
9. Do you find them satisfying?
Of the seven people who had answered yes to buying them, four said they were O.K. for a light meal, two said no, they would probably have bread or rolls to bulk them up, one person said they would probably need a large portion or two smaller ones.
0. Do you really think they are more convenient than cooking a meal
from scratch?
Six people said yes, of course, but one person said that it is just as easy to make a quick pasta meal from scratch.
ANALYSIS OF RESEARCH
From my Questionnaire I learnt that cook-chill products were a convenience food. They were bought by people who were in a hurry and who didn't mind the cost, assuming they were not going to buy them every day.
The most popular products were the foreign 'take-away' products, this was because ordering a 'take-away' from a shop was expensive and it was actually more economical to buy one from a supermarket and heat it up when you get home. When I did the Shop Survey I chose products of a similar weight and price range but the supermarkets do sell large carrier bag packages containing a variety of different meals, i.e. an Indian Take-Away (which had a meat curry, a vegetable curry, rice and a naan or popadom) for either one person or two-four people. These were also available in 'Chinese Take-Away' selections. They worked out quite economical.
The packaging was very important, if a product looks apetising on the box it is much more likely to be sold. The 'economy' range of products sold by supermarkets could not be used on cook-chill products because it wouldn't 'sell' the contents.
They were obviously convenient for a quick lunch but of course this was only an option for those people who had access to a micro-wave or a conventional oven and for people working this wasn't usually an option and they said they would more than likely opt for a sandwich or ready made salad. The more elderly people I asked were more likely to buy one as a 'treat' because they 'fancied' it or because they would normally only have a light lunch and then have 'tea'.
They really didn't work out as an economical option for those people with large families. The portions were too small and to buy enough to feed more than two or three people would be far too expensive. It was obvious that although the package stated the meal was for 'one-two' people, the portions were in fact quite small and a meal for two was probably enough for one person. This of course made the product uneconomical.
ANALYSIS OF RESEARCH cont...
I felt that the main plus point of cook-chill products was the convenience. Most of the meals could be easily cooked from scratch but would take much more time. The meat in the products, although usually only a small part of the overall meal, was already prepared and cooked so just required re-heating, the sauce and staple probable didn't save any time than cooking from scratch. The more complicated meals obviously saved preparation time and washing-up!
SPECIFICATION
My target market is going to be single people, who would like to buy a quick, tasty, economical meal that can be re-heated in minutes.
I am going to produce a pasta based meal with chicken pieces cooked in a rich tomato and garlic sauce. I will recommend that the product is eaten with garlic bread.
I will aim to produce a meal that is sufficient for one person, probably approximately 350g and not costing more than £2.
I aim to use enough pasta to give the meal 'bulk' and add enough sauce so that the meal is not dry or tasteless. I would aim to make the product look appetising by using two colour tagliatelle, chicken and a rich red sauce to add colour so the meal does not look bland.
DESIGN IDEAS
. Crispy chicken with button mushrooms in a mushroom sauce served with vegeroni pasta spirals.
2. Cumberland spicy sausage pieces in an onion gravy served with crispy sliced potatoes topped with melted cheddar cheese.
3. Minced beef and carrots in a rich onion gravy topped with herby mashed potato.
4. Pieces of barbequed turkey strips in a barbeque sauce served with plain rice.
5. Grilled chicken pieces with sweetcorn and tender green peas in a tomato sauce served on a bed of tagliatelle.
6. Pieces of white fish, grilled and flaked and tossed in a light tomato and herb sauce served with fusilli.
7. Strips of turkey meat and sliced button mushrooms sauteed with a rich tomato and garlic sauce and served with paglia e fieno (green and white tagliatelle).
8. Creamed mushrooms, sweetcorn, green and red peppars with slices of pastrami in a creamy chicken sauce served with spicy rice.
9. Breast of chicken with roast potatoes, peas, sweetcorn, sage and onion stuffing and gravy.
0. Medium beef curry with spicy diced vegetables served on a bed of saffron rice.
CONCLUSION
The new cook-chill product I have designed fulfils the original specification in that it is a savoury dish which is based on a staple food (pasta), it includes a protein food (pieces of lean turkey meat) and a sauce (
(tomato sauce with herbs and garlic).
This cook-chill product satisfies all the needs of the consumer because it is easily re-heated, because the pieces of turkey meat do not take long to heat through (as the chicken pieces would have). The turkey would then heat through at the same rate as the rest of the food, so the customer does not need to re-heat the components of the meal separately, just all in one.
It is a particularly healthy product, the turkey is lean and fat free. The pasta is a healthy carbohydrate, which is also fat free and the sauce is just tomatoes with herbs and garlic - so no added colourings or flavourings.
It was a particularly tasty meal - and even after re-heating it had lost none of its flavour.
As my product is aimed at single people, it will be a large enough portion to satisfy one person (approx. 350g). It is quick to re-heat (about 5 minutes in the micro-wave) and has a low calorie count.
It would be suitable for a lunch, or with a side salad and some garlic bread would be substantial enough for an evening meal.
This product would not need to cost more than £2.00.
