Abstract:
A roasting apparatus for cooking meat in an oven includes a rod, a pair of hooks and a frame. The rod extends between opposite ends along a longitudinal axis. The pair of hooks are coupled to said rod and spaced apart to retain the meat therebetween on the rod. The frame has a pair of spaced apart and generally upright end walls for supporting respective ends of the rod. The end walls are pivotally coupled to a bottom wall for movement between a collapsed position and an upright use position. A pair of side walls is hookingly engageable with the side walls to maintain the side walls in the use position.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/658,685, which was filed on Mar. 4, 2005 and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The invention relates to a roasting apparatus for roasting meat in an oven. More particularly, the invention relates to a roasting apparatus that is collapsible to facilitate storage when not in use.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Typically, whole turkeys are cooked in ovens with the breast side facing upwardly in a cooking pan, which provides a stable position for the turkey while cooking and maintains the proper carving position. This, however, results in dry or otherwise overcooked breast meat. From time to time people attempt to roast the turkey so that the breast side faces downwardly during the cooking cycle. This allows juices from the darker thigh meat to trickle to the breast area during cooking, resulting in moist breast meat. Cooking a turkey breast side down also allows for it to be cooked to the right temperature. The proper cooked temperature for the breast meat is 10 degrees less that that of the legs and thighs. Considering that a normal roasting oven is 10 degrees hotter near the top of the oven, a turkey cooked with the breast near the top of the oven will be 20 degrees over cooked. A turkey cooked with the breast positioned in the lower part of the oven will be cooked to a proper degree of doneness.  
         [0006]     Cooking the turkey with the breast side down can, however, create problems. In order to carve the turkey, it must be flipped back to breast side up. This is very difficult to do and poses dangers from being burned in the process. Thus, it remains desirable to provide a roasting apparatus that supports the turkey while roasting with the breast side down and that facilitates rotation of the turkey during the cooking cycle, while minimizing the risk of burning oneself.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     According to one aspect of the invention, a roasting apparatus is provided for cooking meat in an oven. The roasting apparatus includes a rod, a pair of hooks and a frame. The rod extends between opposite ends along a longitudinal axis. The pair of hooks are coupled to said rod and spaced apart to retain the meat therebetween on the rod. The frame has a pair of spaced apart and generally upright end walls for supporting respective ends of the rod.  
         [0008]     According to another aspect of the invention, a method is provided for roasting a bird in an oven. The method includes the steps of: providing a roasting apparatus having a rod and a frame adapted to support and maintain the rod in one of a plurality of rotated positions; securing the bird on the rod utilizing hooks slidably supported on the rod; placing the rod along a top edge of a support frame such that the breast side of the bird is facing downwardly; heating the oven to approximately 325° F.; partially cooking the bird; lifting, rotating and returning the rod along the top edge of the support frame so that the breast side of the bird is facing upwardly; and cooking the bird until the temperature in the breast meat registers between 160-165° F. and the leg meat registers between 165-170° F.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     Advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a roasting apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention, as shown in an oven;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the roasting apparatus in a use position; and  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the roasting apparatus in a storage position. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013]     The present invention provides a roasting apparatus for cooking meat within an oven. The roasting apparatus allows meat to be supported above a surface in the oven so that all outer surfaces of the meat are open to the oven environment and supports the meat in a desired position. The roasting apparatus is collapsible to facilitate storage when not in use.  
         [0014]     Referring to  FIGS. 1-5 , a roasting apparatus is generally indicated at  10 . The roasting apparatus  10  includes a support frame  20 . The support frame  20  includes a bottom or base wall  22 , a pair of side walls  24 ,  26  and a pair of end walls  28 ,  30 , which are arranged to form a rectangular box having an open top. More specifically, the base wall  22  is rectangular and defines the bottom of the rectangular box. The base wall  22  includes opposite sides  32 ,  34  forming the length of the base wall  22 . The base wall  22  includes opposite ends  36 ,  38  forming the width of the base wall  22 . The side walls  24 ,  26  extend orthogonally from the opposite sides  32 ,  34  of the base wall  22 . The end walls  28 ,  30  extend orthogonally from the opposite ends  36 ,  38  of the base wall  22 . Each end wall  28 ,  30  includes a top edge  40 ,  42 . An upwardly extending notch  44 ,  46  is formed in the top edge  40 ,  42  of each end wall  28 ,  30 .  
         [0015]     The roasting apparatus  10  includes a rod  50 . The rod  50  is of sufficient length to be supported on the top edges  40 ,  42  of the end walls  28 ,  30 . The rod  50  may be seated in the notches  44 ,  46  to prevent the rod  50  from sliding along the top edges  40 ,  42  of the end walls  28 ,  30 . The rod  50  has a cross sectional having at least has one flat edge, wherein the cross section is defined in a plane substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the rod  50 . As shown in the figures, the rod  50  has a square cross sectional shape. One of the notches  46  has a shape corresponding to the cross sectional shape of the rod  50  to prevent rotation of the rod  50  while seated in the notch  44 . The rod  50  has a groove  57  seated in the other notch  44  to axially constrain the rod  50  relative to the support frame  20 .  
         [0016]     The roasting apparatus  10  includes a prong  60 . The prong  60  includes a collar  62 . The collar  62  includes a pair of angled walls  63  extending from opposite ends of a center wall  61 . The angled walls  63  include aligned center apertures  64  for slidably receiving the rod  50  therethrough. A plurality of L-shaped hooks or arms  65  extend outwardly from the collar  62  for insertion into the meat to be cooked. A threaded bore  66  is formed in the center wall  61  of the collar  62 . The threaded bore  66  is transverse with respect to the center aperture. A thumb or set screw  68  is threadingly engaged with the threaded bore  66 . The thumb screw  68  can be tightened so that an end of the thumb screw  68  frictionally engages the rod  50  to maintain the position of the collar  62  relative to the rod  50 .  
         [0017]     The walls  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30  of the support frame  20  are formed by welding steel rod members together. Specifically, each wall  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30  includes parallel upper and lower members extending between parallel side members. The upper member  70 ,  72  of each end wall  28 ,  30  is formed from a strip of steel. The strips of steel provide a rigid support for the rod  50 .  
         [0018]     The walls  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30  are pivotally coupled to the base wall  22  so as to be collapsible over the base wall  22  to facilitate storage of the support frame  20 . Hooks  80 ,  81  are formed at the upper corners of each wall  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30 , allowing the walls  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30  to be locked in an upright support position with respect to the base wall  22 .  
         [0019]     In use, the rod  50  is inserted through a food item to be cooked, such as a whole turkey or chicken. Opposite ends of the rod  50  are inserted through the center bores  64  of respective prongs  60 . The arms  65  are pointed inwardly toward the food. The prongs  60  are pressed toward the food item so that the arms  65  extend into the food item. The thumb screw  68  is tightened until the end of the thumb screw  68  engages the rod  50 , thereby locking the positions of the prongs  60  relative to the rod  50 . The rod  50  is placed onto the top edges  40 ,  42 . Specifically, the rod  50  is seated in the notches  44 ,  46  to prevent sliding of the rod  50  along the top edges  40 ,  42  of the end walls  28 ,  30 . The groove  57  of the rod  50  is seated in the notch  46  to constrain the rod  50  axially relative to the support frame  20 . The entire roasting apparatus  10 , with the food item supported thereon, is inserted into an oven for cooking of the food item. The corresponding non-circular shapes of the rod  50  and notches  44 ,  46  prevents rotation of the rod  50 , which allows the food item to be cooked in a fixed position. Optionally, heat-shielding grips  90  may be utilized to allow rotation of the rod  50  during the cooking cycle to prevent one from burning one&#39;s hands on the heated rod  50 . Optionally, a roasting pan may be seated on the base wall  22  and positioned between the walls  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30  for catching juices from the food item. The entire roasting apparatus  10 , with the food item supported thereon and with the roasting pan supported on the frame  20 , may then be inserted into the oven for cooking of the food item.  
         [0020]     The invention also provides a method of roasting a food item utilizing the inventive roasting apparatus  10 . Illustratively, the method is now described for cooking a whole turkey of any size. First, an oven is pre-heated to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. The rod  50  is inserted through the main cavity of the turkey. Opposite ends of the rod  50  are inserted through the center bores  64  of respective prongs  60 . The arms  65  are pointed inwardly toward the turkey. The prongs  60  are pressed toward each other so that the arms  65  extend into the turkey. The thumb screw  68  of each prong  60  is tightened until the end of the thumb screw  68  engages the rod  50 , thereby locking the positions of the prongs  60  and turkey relative to the rod  50 . The rod  50  is placed onto the top edges  40 ,  42 . Specifically, the rod  50  is seated in the notches  44 ,  46  to prevent sliding of the rod  50  along the top edges  40 ,  42  of the end walls  28 ,  30 . The groove  57  of the rod  50  is seated in the notch  46  to constrain the turkey and the rod  50  axially relative to the support frame  20 . The entire roasting apparatus  10 , with the turkey supported thereon, is inserted into the pre-heated oven. The turkey is positioned with the breast side down. The corresponding non-circular shapes of the rod  50  and notches  44 ,  46  prevent rotation of the rod  50 , which maintains the turkey with the breast side down.  
         [0021]     Depending on the size of the turkey, the total cooking will vary. Once 75% of the cooking time is completed, rod  50  is lifted from the notches  44 ,  46  and rotated so that the turkey is positioned with the breast side up. The rod  50  is placed on the notches  44 ,  46  to maintain the turkey in the position with one side up. The turkey is cooked for 25% of the cooking time with the breast side up or until a meat thermometer inserted into the breast area registers 160-165 degrees Fahrenheit and the leg/thigh area registers approximately 170 degrees. The turkey is removed from the oven and allowed to rest for 30 minutes before carving. Excess fat and drippings may be discarded or utilized for basting or gravy. It should be appreciated that at anytime before, during or after the above cooking process, the turkey may be seasoned, stuffed, basted as desired.  
         [0022]     The invention has been described in an illustrative manner. It is, therefore, to be understood that the terminology used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Thus, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.