Cook-Chill Kettles

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Cook chill kettles made their main entry into the food service industry in the early 1970's.  Unfortunately  the technology necessary to successfully create a reliable & easy cook chill system did not come out for many years later, after the concept of cook-chill was already stained as unreliable, complex, and expensive to purchase as well as maintain.  So much so that cook-chill's rise into the industry was as quick as its fall.  PerMix changes all that, creating an innovative, performance-driven solution that is reliable & easy to use, making training how to use a breeze.

When we discuss cook-chill kettles, one of the largest topics we face is where to chill.  Do we cook & chill in the kettle?  Do we cook in the kettle, discharge, and cool in a separate kettle?  Do we cook, fill, and chill in the packaging?  The fact is, this topic all depends on your production rates needed as well as space & staffing.  All the ways listed are good ways to produce a cook chill product and all of them can meet SQF & HACCP protocols.  Here at PerMix we have the knowledge to guide you in your choice and make sure it will fit the needs of today and the demands of tomorrow.

Another puzzling question is the choice of cook-chill kettles, vertical or horizontal.  The answer to this is a little easier than that of where to chill.  When we discuss vertical or horizontal cook-chill kettles we simply need to ask what are we cooking.  If we are cooking liquids with particulates, such as soups, sauces, gravies, or other, we would be using a vertical kettle.  Vertical kettles are designed for liquids, liquids/powders, & liquids with particulates.  The vertical kettle is very versatile and can accommodate a batch range that is from 25% of its total capacity to 100% of its capacity.  In addition, there are over 12 different type of agitation styles & types, making it very diverse.

The horizontal cook-chill kettle is designed more for solids and semi-solids in pastes and heavy liquids.  The horizontal mixer mixes in a way that "flips & folds" the product like a spatula.  This is perfect for taking solids and browning, searing, & cooking them, then mixing them into liquids & pastes.  The drawback to horizontal kettles is they need to be filled up to at least an 80% capacity of its total volume.  The reason for this is the "flip & fold" technology.  In order for the particles/solids to remain on the paddles as the rotate, the use the resistance weight if the liquid to hold them on the paddles.  If not filled to almost capacity the product will slide off and will not get mixed efficiently.

With over 12 different styles & types of agitation available, choosing the best agitation can be tough, especially if you are making multiple products with various recipes.  Each type of agitation has its advantages & disadvantages and can be good for one product and not another.  This may cause the need for multiple types of kettles to accommodate your needs.  From single, dual, double, or triple agitation types, we have them all.

To scrape or not to scrape, that Is the question?  When we have products that have fat, proteins, sugars, or starches, we will need to have scraped surface in the main agitation.  These products have properties that will allow them to stick to the side of the kettle and burn.  So, by creating a main agitation that has PTFE scraper blades, these products are always scraped & cleaned off the sides as the agitation turns.  This limits the product time it touches the sidewalls, stopping them from burning or sticking to the side walls during the cooking process.  These scrapers can also be made from other materials, including even a stainless steel scraper for products that are abrasive such as sugars.