Increase Yields and Reduced Product Shrinkage with Thermodyne
Utilizing Thermodyne slow cook and hold ovens guarantees users a host of benefits, including consistent results, reliable holding temperatures, and reduced product waste. Our innovative Fluid Shelf® Technology empowers customers to slow cook and hold premium cuts of meat for extended durations. By creating a cooking environment with a uniform temperature, devoid of drastic spikes, drops, or fluctuations, products can be cooked at lower temperatures. This precision in cooking and holding temperatures offered by Thermodyne significantly reduces shrinkage, resulting in greater yields and maximizing the value of your ingredients.
Competitor Equipment Can Cause Up to 25% Shrinkage, While Thermodyne Can Reduce this Amount to 4%.
Given that portion cost plays a pivotal role in determining the profitability of a foodservice establishment, it is essential to prioritize yield amounts and minimize product shrinkage percentages. It is worth noting that high-heat cooking techniques like roasting and convection ovens can lead to increased product shrinkage, consequently reducing overall yield percentages.
So what are product shrinkage and yield percentages?
Meat and poultry shrinkage refers to the loss of juice expelled during the cooking process. When these products are cooked at or above 160°F, they release juice, resulting in a reduction in portion weight and overall food yield. The extent of shrinkage varies depending on factors such as the type of meat, cut, and cooking method employed. In general, cooked meat and poultry can experience up to a 25% shrinkage rate.
Cooking yields, on the other hand, describe the changes in weight of the meat or poultry after cooking, primarily due to moisture loss. These changes can be attributed to factors such as moisture evaporation, water absorption, and fat loss. The actual yield percentage reflects the difference between the initial weight of the food and its weight after cooking, accounting for these moisture and fat losses during the cooking process.
USDA Table of Cooking Yields for Meat and Poultry
The equation for calculating cooking yield is: Yield (%) = 100 x (Wch / Wcr)
The cooked sample’s raw weight (Wcr) is recorded before cooking. The cooked sample’s hot cooked weight (Wch) is recorded after the sample has been cooked (while sample is hot, after a very brief specified resting time) using the specified cooking method.
· Wcr = Weight of raw sample to be cooked
· Wch = Weight of cooked sample while hot
Yield greatly improves with high volumes of food suspended at serving temperature without any drying, shrinkage or quality issues. Customers using Thermodyne’s patented Fluid Shelf® Technology to slow cook and hold products will never be forced above the set temperature, which means yields as high as 96%. The meat can then be held at a finished temperature for up to 24 hours with no product loss.
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