Abstract:
An apparatus for cooking poultry consists of a shallow pan, and a lid which covers the pan and which is provided with a centrally located opening. The lid supports an upwardly extending, hollow, perforated poultry-supporting tower on its upper surface. The detachable tower is mounted over the centrally located opening such that steam generated within the pan during cooking rises up into the tower, escapes through the perforations thereby infusing the poultry. The lid is also provided with at least one drain hole so that the drippings from the cooking poultry can be trapped within the pan, and re-infused into the poultry. The tower is detachable from the lid, and is interchangeable with alternative towers of differing lengths and circumferences to accommodate various sizes of poultry.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Many devices exist for use in grilling, roasting, and/or smoking poultry. These devices can be elaborate, as typified by motorized rotisseries that employ doneness probes, and can also be extremely simple. A popular and very simple method of preparing poultry on a grill is commonly known as “beer can chicken” where an open can of beer is placed on a hot grill, and the chicken is placed on the beer can such that the beer can is inserted into the hollow body cavity of the chicken and the chicken is maintained in an upright position. The heat from the grill causes the beer in the can to steam and boil, marinating the interior of the chicken and providing a cooked chicken that is flavorful and moist. 
     Though simple and effective, there are many drawbacks to cooking poultry over a beer can. For example, the beer can-and-chicken combination is unstable. When a beer can-and-chicken combination topples, the chicken can become soiled or contaminated, and the spilled beer may extinguish the fire within the grill. Secondly, a beer can comes in only one size so that this cooking method will not work will small poultry such as Cornish hens, or with very large poultry such as turkeys. Thirdly, the exterior surface of a beer can has coatings including paint and other finishes which may be toxic when heated. Finally, the chicken (or other poultry product) is not protected from the heat source in any way so that the drippings from the chicken fall directly onto the heat source, causing localized flame-ups which can burn the outside of the chicken. 
     A need exists for a simple device which will allow cooking of raw, eviscerated poultry by grilling, roasting, and/or smoking while providing stability during the cooking process, allowing steam or juices to be infused into the internal cavity of the poultry, and protecting the exterior of the poultry from. intense heat and flames during the cooking process. The device will adjust in size to allow cooking of a variety of sizes of poultry, and will collect the juices of the cooking poultry for re-infusion into the cooking bird. 
     A wide variety of devices are shown in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 6,125,739 that issued to Jernigan on Oct. 3, 2000 shows a device for supporting and steaming fowl consisting of a hollow, perforated, frustoconical insert mounted to a circular base, where the insert is filled with liquid for steaming the interior of the fowl during cooking. U.S. Pat. No. 6,119,585 that issued to Guidry on Sep. 19, 2000 discloses a cooking apparatus suitable for grilling whole chickens on a grill, the apparatus comprising a vertically oriented cylinder mounted to a base plate. The chicken resides upon the cylinder when the base plate is resting on a grill. The use of a flavored liquid within the cylinder to enhance the taste of the chicken is described, as is the use of perforations in the base to allow drippings from the cooked food to reach the heat source. However, these patents do not disclose a means for collection of juices from the cooking fowl, and do not provide a means to compensate for various sized poultry. The U.S. Pat. No. 532,729 to Glassmeyer that issued on Jan. 15, 1895 discloses a cooking apparatus having an automatic baster including a cooking pan and rack. The U.S. Pat. No. 495,821 that issued to Martin on Apr. 18, 1893 discloses a dripping pan with a perforated top member. However, these patents do not disclose a perforated tower on which to mount poultry during cooking and which will allow internal infusion of the poultry with steam and juices during cooking. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An innovative apparatus for cooking poultry is described herein that will allow cooking of raw, eviscerated poultry by grilling, roasting, and/or smoking, both in a conventional oven and using an outdoor cooker such a grill or smoker. The innovative apparatus will provide stability during cooking, allow flavored or unflavored steam and poultry juices to be infused into the internal cavity of the poultry, and protect the exterior of the poultry from direct heat and flames during the cooking process. The apparatus will adjust in size to allow cooking of a variety of sizes of poultry, and will collect the juices of the cooking poultry for re-infusion into the cooking bird. 
     The apparatus consists of a shallow pan and a lid that covers the pan. The lid contains a centrally located opening. The lid supports an upwardly extending, hollow, perforated poultry-supporting tower on its upper surface. The tower is mounted over the centrally located opening such that steam generated within the pan during cooking rises up into the tower, escapes through the perforations thereby infusing the poultry. The lid is also provided with at least one drain hole so that the drippings from the cooking poultry can be trapped within the pan, and re-infused into the poultry. This feature also promotes a cleaner grill, cooker, or oven since the drippings are captured within the apparatus. 
     The tower is detachable from the lid, and is interchangeable with alternative towers of differing lengths having different circumferences. Thus, a relatively short tower, that may have a small circumference is detachably affixed to the lid for use in cooking small poultry such as Cornish hens, and can be replaced with a mid-length tower having a medium circumference for use in cooking medium sized poultry such as chicken or duck, and can be replaced with a long tower having a large circumference for use in cooking large poultry such as turkey or geese. 
     In use, the appropriate tower for the poultry being cooked is secured to the lid and the raw, eviscerated poultry is placed on the apparatus such that the tower extends into the body cavity of the poultry and the poultry is supported in a vertical position. A preferred liquid is placed within the interior of the pan and the pan is covered with the lid. The apparatus is placed on a grill or in an oven or smoker. The heat source causes the poultry to cook from the exterior in the conventional manner with the result that drippings fall onto the lid where they drain into the pan. The heat source simultaneously causes the liquid within the pan, including the drippings, to convert to steam. The steam escapes from the interior of the pan through the perforations of the tower, thereby infusing steam into the body of the poultry from the inside. The liquid may be non-flavored and be used to provide moist, tender cooked meat. The liquid may also be flavored or seasoned, and may include beer or wine, or a marinade. Use of a flavored liquid imparts a desired flavor to the moist and tender cooked meat. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the poultry cooking apparatus, illustrating the pan covered by the lid, the tower mounted to an upper surface of the lid, the tower having perforations about its side walls and a closed upper end. 
     FIG. 2 is a top view of the poultry cooking apparatus, illustrating the central positioning of the tower on the lid, and drain holes between the tower and the periphery of the lid. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of cylindrically shaped interchangeable towers, illustrating a Cornish hen sized tower ( 3 A), a chicken sized tower ( 3 B), and a turkey sized tower ( 3 C). 
     FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of the poultry cooking apparatus in use, illustrating a poultry mounted on a cylindrical tower, the tower residing within the internal body cavity of the poultry such that when the liquid within the pan boils, steam infuses the body of the poultry. 
     FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of the poultry cooking apparatus where a second embodiment of the tower is employed, illustrating a tower in the shape of a frustum. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The innovative poultry cooking device  10  will now be described with respect to the figures. Poultry cooking device  10  has three components. They are a pan  20 , a removable lid  40 , and a tower  60  for supporting poultry  5  in a vertical orientation above pan  20  and lid  40 . 
     Pan  20  is has closed bottom  24  surrounded by side wall  22 . Pan  20  is shallow such that the height of side wall  22  is much less than the diameter of bottom  24 . In the preferred embodiment, pan  20  is generally cylindrical so that the peripheral edge  30  of bottom  24  is formed in the shape of a circle, with side wall  22  completely surrounding peripheral edge  30 . Side wall  22  extends upwardly from bottom  24  such that lower edge of side wall  22  is integral with bottom  24 . Side wall  22  may be normal to bottom  24  (FIG.  5 ), or may be angled slightly so that upper edge  26  of side wall  22  has a greater diameter than lower edge  28  of side wall  22  (FIGS.  1  and  4 ). It well within the scope of this invention, however, to form pan  20  with peripheral edge  30  of bottom  24  formed in a shape which includes, but is not limited to, a square or other polygonal shape. 
     Lid  40  is a generally flat plate having an upper surface  42  and a lower surface  44 . Lid  40  has a peripheral edge  48  having the same shape as peripheral edge  30  of bottom  24 . In use, peripheral edge  48  of lid  40  rests on upper edge  26  of side walls  22  such that lower surface  44  of lid  40  abuts and confronts side walls  22  and is removable therefrom. Peripheral edge  48  surrounds body portion  49  of lid  40 . Lid  40  has a central opening  46  that is centered within body portion  49 . 
     Flange or sleeve  52  surrounds central opening  46  and extends upwardly from upper face  42 . Flange  52  is sized and shaped to receive tower  60  therein. In the preferred embodiment, central opening  46  is circular in shape so that flange  52  forms a short ring about this opening. It is well within the scope of this invention to provide central opening in alternative shapes to accommodate the shape of the periphery of tower  60 . In the preferred embodiment, flange  52  is welded to lid  40 , but may be secured to lid  40  by any conventional means or may be formed integrally with lid  40 . 
     Flange  52  is provided with at least one, but preferably two, holes  57  through it. Holes  57  are located on opposing sides of flange  52  such they are horizontally aligned, and are sized and shaped to receive a pin  58  therein. Pin  58  is provided in a length that is greater than the diameter of flange  52  such that pin  58  can extend through both holes  57  simultaneously. 
     In the preferred embodiment, lid  40  is slightly convex such that peripheral edge  48  lies in a first plane, and body portion  49  lies in a second plane that lies below the first plane when lid  40  is resting on pan  20 . Peripheral edge  48  may either be flat such that it lies in the horizontal plane (FIG.  5 ), or it may be folded downward so as to form a groove  47  in which to receive the upper edge  26  of side wall  22  (FIG.  4 ). The convexity of lid  40  prevents drippings from the cooking poultry from running off lid  40  over peripheral edge  48 , and allows the drippings to be gathered in body portion  49 . Body portion  49  is provided with at least  1 , but preferably a plurality of small drain holes  50  which allow the drippings to be received within the internal space of pan  20 . Drain holes  50  are much smaller in diameter than central opening  46 , and provide the added benefit of allowing a small amount of steam to escape from body portion  49 , thereby adding moisture and flavor to the exterior surface of the cooking poultry  5 . 
     Tower  60  is an elongate hollow member having a closed first or upper end  62 , an open second or lower end  64 , and a mid portion  66  extending between upper end  62  and lower end  64 . Upper end  62  is closed so that steam rising within tower  60  is directed horizontally toward the interior of the poultry, rather than escaping upwardly to no effect. Lower end  64  is open, and in use resides over the central opening  46  of lid  40 , allowing steam to rise into the mid portion  66  of tower  60 . Tower  60  has an inner surface  70 , and an outer surface  72  which is opposed to inner surface  70  and which confronts the interior surfaces of poultry  5 . 
     The outer diameter of tower  60  is sized to be received within flange  52  such that outer surface  72  of tower  60  confronts and abuts the inner surface  54  of flange  52 . Mid portion  66  adjacent to second end  64  is provided with at least one, but preferably two, holes  74  therethrough. Holes  74  are located on opposing sides of tower  60  such they are horizontally aligned, and are sized and shaped to receive pin  58  therein. 
     Tower  60  is secured to flange  52  by alignment of flange holes  57  with tower holes  74 , and simultaneous placement of pin  58  within each respective hole pair  57 ,  74 . Pin  58  provides a means of releasably securing tower  60  to flange  52  so that in use tower  60  may be removed from lid  40  to be interchanged with a shorter tower  60 ′ or longer tower  60 ″ as appropriate for the size of poultry to be cooked. 
     Mid portion  66  of tower  60  is provided with a plurality of holes  68  therethrough. The holes  68  provide a means whereby steam  8  generated from liquid  7  within pan  20  may flow outward from the hollow interior of tower  60  and into the interior cavity of poultry  5 . The holes  68  may be randomly positioned on mid portion  66 , or placed thereon in a regular pattern so long as they provide sufficient steam flow in all portions of tower  60 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, tower  60  is cylindrical in shape (FIGS.  1 - 4 ). It is well within the scope of this invention, however, to form tower  60  in alternative elongate hollow shapes. FIG. 5 illustrates the second embodiment tower  600  formed in the shape of a frustum. 
     Tower  600  is provided with member having a closed first or upper end  620 , an open second or lower end  640 , and a mid portion  660  extending between upper end  620  and lower end  640 . Upper end  620  of second embodiment tower  600  is of smaller diameter than lower end  640 , providing a frustoconical shape that may more closely approximate the shape of the interior cavity of poultry  5 . As in the preferred embodiment, upper end  620  is closed so that steam rising within tower  600  is directed horizontally toward the interior of the poultry, rather than escaping upwardly to no effect. Lower end  640  is open, and in use resides over the central opening  46  of lid  40 , allowing steam to rise into the mid portion  660  of tower  600 . Tower  600  has an inner surface  700 , and an outer surface  720  which is opposed to inner surface  700  and which confronts the interior surfaces of poultry  5 . 
     The outer diameter of tower  600  is sized to be received within flange  52  such that outer surface  720  of tower  600  confronts and abuts the inner surface  54  of flange  52 . Mid portion  660  adjacent to second end  640  is provided with at least one, but preferably two, holes  740 . The holes  740  are located on opposing sides of tower  600  such they are horizontally aligned, and are sized and shaped to receive pin  58  therein. 
     Tower  600  is secured to flange  52  by alignment of flange holes  57  with tower holes  740 , and simultaneous placement of pin  58  within each respective hole pair  57 ,  740 . Pin  58  provides a means of releasably securing tower  600  to flange  52  so that in use tower  600  may be removed from lid  40  to be interchanged with a shorter tower  600 ′ (not shown) or longer tower  600 ″ (not shown) as appropriate for the size of poultry to be cooked. 
     Mid portion  660  of tower  600  is provided with a plurality of holes  680 . Holes  680  provide a means whereby steam  8  may flow outward from the hollow interior of tower  600  and into the interior cavity of poultry  5 . Holes  680  may be randomly positioned on mid portion  660 , or placed thereon in a regular pattern so long as they provide sufficient steam flow in all portions of tower  600 . 
     In the preferred embodiment pan  60  and lid  40  are provided having diameters in the range of 9 to 12 inches, where a 9 inch diameter poultry cooking device  10  is suitable for cooking a chicken, and a 12 inch diameter poultry cooking device is suitable for cooking a turkey. Side walls  22  of pan  60  have an approximate height of  2  inches, and flange  52  has an approximate height of 1 inch. Tower  60  has an approximate outer diameter of 1 inch. The preferred length of tower  60  is approximately 8 inches, and may be provided in various lengths in the range of 5 to 12 inches to accommodate various poultry types and sizes. 
     Poultry cooking device  10  is preferably formed of a metal, preferably aluminum, because of its excellent heat transfer properties and tolerance of high temperatures. However, it is within the scope of this invention to use alternative materials that would be adequate for the purposes described, or to modify the metal by providing non-stick coatings or other improvements while maintaining the spirit of the inventive concept. 
     While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise than as herein specifically illustrated and described, and that certain changes in the form and arrangements of parts and the specific manner of practicing the invention may be made within the underlying idea or principles of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.