Jay Mark Blog | Foodservice Equipment News & Trends

Steam Injection for Protein Cooking

Written by The Jay Mark Group | Feb 20, 2023 4:30:00 PM

While there are plenty of ways to cook vegetables. One of the most popular options is to use steam for cooking. Steamed vegetables are often the first example to come to mind when someone thinks about this cooking method. However, steaming can also be used to cook proteins.

This method can be overlooked, but it is becoming more popular. So what is steam injection and how is it used to prepare proteins?

What Is Steam Injection Cooking?

Steam injection cooking refers to the process of taking steam and pumping it directly into the protein source. Just as some people might use a pump to insert liquid into protein, such as chicken or turkey, the same can be done with steam. With direct steam injection, the goal is to make the cooking process a bit more efficient, allowing meals to be prepared more quickly while also retaining flavor. Steam cooking also does not cause the protein to shrink during the process, meaning that there is still a full portion of meat when the recipe is finished.

3 Benefits of Steam Cooking Protein

While this is new to a lot of people, there are several significant benefits of steam cooking protein. For example, steam cooking protein means that the protein will retain its moisture. A lot of people get very frustrated and upset when the meat gets dried out, but with the steam cooking process, this is no longer a concern.

Furthermore, steam cooking protein can also increase the product yield. There are numerous other cooking methods that might reduce the amount of meat that is left at the end of the process, but with steam cooking protein, this is not an issue. Steam injection allows the cook or chef to maximize the protein yield at the end of the cooking process. Even with long-period cooking, there is no shrinkage.

Finally, one of the top benefits of steam cooking protein is that it is healthier. Steam cooking, when compared to boiling and other cooking techniques, is not going to remove any important vitamins or minerals from the food. All of the nutrients are left intact. In addition, steaming the protein can reduce the fat in the food, making protein even healthier.

How The Blodgett Hydrovection Can Help

 

To truly get the most out of the cooking process, it is critical to use the right oven. The Blodgett Hydrovection oven has become one of the top options in the industry, as it is the only split-door, continuously humidified oven available today. It has a relatively small footprint, meaning that it can fit just about anywhere. It saves space in the kitchen and can handle baking, roasting, poaching, and numerous other cooking methods. It can easily fit a five-sheet pan, and it can handle a wide variety of cooking needs.

Take Control On A Larger Scale With Blodgett Combi

Anyone who is interested in a slightly larger oven that can handle the same recipes should go with the Blodgett Combi oven. This oven provides significantly more control and has a much larger capacity yield when compared to the Hydrovection oven. With additional customizable features, users have an extra degree of control. It also comes with a variety of automation features, including automated cleaning.

Humidity control is critical when cooking protein, particularly when trying to steam it. The Blodgett Combi oven provides 10 percent increments for the top humidity control, and it can divide cooking stages to change the amount of steam in the oven as the process unfolds. For example, some users want to add extra steam at the end for a crisp outer edge. It is easy for staff members to understand, featuring a short learning curve. Consider the Blodgett Combi oven for industrial cooking needs.

Interested in steam injection but not sure if it's right for your restaurant, school, or healthcare facility? Take our quiz to find out!