Process for the preparation of restructured meat having a layered structure

A method consisting in breaking down a muscle into chunks, forming blocks in a mould (4) from said chunks whereof the surface has been first cooled, slicing the block in a slicing station (7) along a direction perpendicular to their length, to obtain superfine films, with a surface of the order of 5 to 500 cm2, a thickness not exceeding a few tenths of mm, restructuring the meat into one piece by assembling the superfine films in a vacuum forming device. This method enables to obtain products having a texture and sensory properties close to those of the natural product. Pieces of fresh meat are chilled (1) and compacted in a press (4) then cut (TC) into thin slices of 5 to 30 mm thickness, parallel to their main surface. They fall through an air lock into an extruder with two parallel helical screws. A method consisting in breaking down a muscle into chunks, forming blocks in a mould (4) from said chunks whereof the surface has been first cooled, slicing the block in a slicing station (7) along a direction perpendicular to their length, to obtain superfine films, with a surface of the order of 5 to 500 cm2, a thickness not exceeding a few tenths of mm, restructuring the meat into one piece by assembling the superfine films in a vacuum forming device. This method enables to obtain products having a texture and sensory properties close to those of the natural product. Pieces of fresh meat are chilled (1) and compacted in a press (4) then cut (TC) into thin slices of 5 to 30 mm thickness, parallel to their main surface. They fall through an air lock into an extruder with two parallel helical screws.