Menu
Menu
COOK AND HOLD PROCESSES
Blanching
Blanching is a cooking process in which food (commonly vegetables or fruits) is scalded in boiling water, removed after a specific brief interval, and then shocked (by plunging into iced water or placing it under cold running water) to stop the cooking process. This process helps to reduce food quality loss over time. Use this method before freezing, drying, or canning—heating vegetables or fruits to inactivate enzymes, modify texture, remove the peel, and wilt tissue. The process also preserves color, flavor, and nutritional value. There are three stages: preheating, blanching, and cooling. A common way to blanch is steam. Other benefits include removing pesticide residue and decreasing microbial load. Drawbacks to the blanching process can include the leaching of water-soluble and heat-sensitive nutrients.
CVap technology is engineered around heated vapor. Accomplish any “wet” process (and accomplish it better) in a CVap oven. Placing fruits and vegetables in a preheated CVap oven unquestionably delivers the same thermal load to foods as a commercial steamer or boiling kettle. Because 350°F is CVap’s max temperature, there is less likelihood of nutrients cooking off or getting diluting. It’s a more gentle steaming process. Therefore, blanching in a CVap oven delivers better nutrients, improved color, and decreased bacterial load. Because of this, blanching is ideal for getting food ready for preparation at a later date.
Cvap’s maximum temp for blanching is 200°F at 100% relative humidity (EVAP 200 = Air 200)…it’s like walking into a 200°F sauna with the air completely saturated with hot water vapor.
Depending on the model, users can blanch up to 28 trays of food simultaneously, in a single small footprint. It’s blanching on a large scale.
From the Blog
Roasting and Blanching Vegetables
Nutritionists have long preached it – we need more vegetables in our diets. We wanted to test how CVap ovens would perform when roasting or vapor blanching a range of vegetables. The tests were conducted in two types of ovens, CVap Retherm Ovens and CVap Cook and Hold Ovens.
Roast Settings: 200°F/350°F in both ovens | Vapor Blanche Settings: 200°F/200°F in both ovens
The goal for both cooking methods was to get the vegetables to 90-95% cooked, just shy of al dente. This would make them ideal for a quick reheat, or to be added as a component in a dish with further processing.
