A searing new category

Value-adding to meat products is a major trend, and pre-packaged fully cooked product primals – or large meat cuts – are a growing category, says processing equipment company Heat and Control.

“As the ready-to-eat (RTE )industry continues to grow, consumers will be constantly looking for new and high quality products. An important part of RTE meal production is in the finish of the product,” the company says.

“Consumers would like the products they purchase from the supermarket to have the same grilled finish and visual enhancement as something they would cook at home.”

Branding and searing machines apply parallel grill marks to one or two sides of meats, poultry, seafood and vegetables, and independent direct flame searing burners brown surfaces and add fresh-off-the-grill accents.

The application of char grill marks or a combination sear mark/grill finish to meat and poultry products gives processors a way to differentiate their product as one with a char-griller finish and flavour.

With this in mind, Heat and Control has launched a Rotary Brander or combined Searer/Rotary Brander that can apply a just-finished look to meat, poultry and seafood.

The gas-fired open flame brander continuously imparts grill marks on the top, bottom, or both sides of formed and natural products. Previously, sugar or caramel stripes were applied to products before cooking, which darkened into the appearance of grill marks. The Rotary Brander provides authentic grilling, according to Heat and Control.

Featuring a short footprint, Rotary Branders are available to mount on existing cookers and conveyors, or as portable, self-contained, conveyorised units. The variable speed branding wheel adjusts to accommodate different product thicknesses, and can be raised clear when branding is not required.