Patent Publication Number: US-2003221565-A1

Title: Apparatus for cooking chickens, geese, ducks, turkeys, birds or other fowl in a vertical position

Description:
AREA OF TECHNOLOGY  
       [0001] This invention relates, generally, to cooking chicken, turkeys, or other fowl in a vertical position, and specifically, to methods and apparatus for forcing spicy steam into the body cavity of such fowl in the vertical position during the cooking process. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0002]FIG. 1 is an elevated, pictorial view of a fowl cooker according to the invention; and  
     [0003]FIG. 2 is an elevated, pictorial view of the cooker illustrated in FIG. 1, in which the cylinder of the cooker is residing within the body cavity of a chicken, and the base member of the cooker is resting upon a grill of a Bar-B-Que grill. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
     [0004] Referring now to FIG. 1, there is illustrated an elevated, pictorial view of the fowl cooker  10  having a stainless steel cylinder  12  and a stainless steel base member  14  which may be configured in various designs, shapes and sizes, but which preferably comprises a flat plate having a thickness of approximately {fraction (1/16)},″ a span of approximately four to six inches, and whose outer perimeter is a design of the State of Texas.  
     [0005] The cylinder  12  has a length in the range of 4-7 inches, preferably is 5-6 inches long, and more preferably is six inches long, and preferably has an external diameter of 2 inches. The thickness of the wall of the cylinder  12  may vary, but preferably is {fraction (1/16)}″ thick.  
     [0006] The stainless steel cylinder  12  is welded to the stainless steel base member  14 , which can be accomplished in one of two ways. Preferably, the lower, open end  16  of the cylinder  12  is welded directly to the stainless steel base member  14 .  
     [0007] It is very important that the weld connection be accomplished appropriately, to create a hermetic seal between the cylinder  12  and the base member  14 , to preclude any liquids placed within the cylinder  12  from leaking out.  
     [0008] Alternatively, if desired, the cylinder  12  may already have, at its own lower end, a circular, leak proof plate secured in place, prior to welding the cylinder  12  to the base plate  14 . A circular plate or plug can, for example, be forced into the lower end of the cylinder to create a hermetic seal and closure of a cylinder. The lower end plate of the cylinder can be secured in place in many ways, for example, through casting, forging, welding, or any other way well-known in connecting two stainless steel parts. Alternatively, the cylinder  12  can originate from a solid stainless, 2″ rod, into which a bore is drilled along its longitudinal axis  15 , stopping just short of the lower end of the cylinder  12 , to leave a bottom end plate which is {fraction (1/16)}″ to ¼″ thick, thus eliminating any substantial risk of liquid leaking out of the cylinder  12 . With each embodiment herein described, the longitudinal axis  15  of cylinder  12  is perpendicular to the base member  14 .  
     [0009] Whatever the case, as variously discussed above, the cylinder  12  is then welded to the base member  14 . The longitudinal axis of the cylinder  12  is oriented to be 90° from the plane of the base member  14 . Because the base member  14  will be placed upon a Bar-B-Que grill which is essentially horizontal, the cylinder  12  will be essentially vertical and the chicken or other fowl which is cooked upon cylinder  12  will be essentially vertical. The base member  14  may be of various other shapes, for example, any of the other States of the United States of America, or even the outline of the entire United States of America, or of the lower 48 States.  
     [0010] In use, the base plate  14  is positioned upon a Bar-B-Que grill  20 , illustrated in FIG. 2, and various fluids (beer, water, oil, etc.) are added into the top, open end  18  of the cylinder  12 , along with spices as desired. The cylinder  12  is then placed into the body cavity  22  of the chicken  24 , or other fowl, to allow the cooking to start. The cooking process can take place on an outdoor Bar-B-Que grill, or in an indoor baking and/or broiler oven. When using in an indoor oven, it is preferable to place the cooker  10  illustrated in FIG. 1 in a baking pan to catch the drippings. The cylinder  12  and the base member  14  will get very hot, so a cooking glove or mitt should be used to avoid burning one&#39;s hands. Liquids that are highly flammable such as liqueurs or other liquors, should not be used inside the cylinder  12  because of the danger of fire. As the liquid within the cylinder heats up in the cooking process, the steam from the liquid, with all of the spices therein, are forced into the body cavity of the fowl being cooked.  
     [0011] In but one example of the use of the cooker  10  to cook a chicken, one can add 1 tablespoon of minced onion, 1 teaspoon of Lawry&#39;s Seasoned Salt, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and ½ teaspoon of black pepper to 6 ounces of beer, and pour the mixture into the top, open end  18  of cylinder  12 . The outside of the chicken can be rubbed down with Tony Chachere&#39;s Original Seasoning. Lawry&#39;s Seasoned Salt is available from Lawry&#39;s Foods, Inc. of Monrovia, Calif. 91016. Tony Chachere&#39;s Original Seasoning is available from Tony Chachere&#39;s Creole Foods of Opelousas, Inc. of Opelousas, La. 70571-1639.  
     [0012] After the outside of the chicken  24  has been rubbed down, and the beer/spices mixture is poured into the cylinder  12 , the cylinder  12  is inserted into the body cavity  22  of the chicken  24  and the combined cooker/chicken  10 ,  24  is placed on the Bar-B-Que grill  20  as illustrated in FIG. 2