Rational SelfCooking Center Instructions for use

low
overnight
roasting
medium
high
welldone
low
overnight
roasting
medium
high
welldone
Application Manual
Overnight cooking,
mixed loads, Sous-Vide

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Dear customer
RATIONAL SelfCooking Center®– the heart of your kitchen
The demands of your customers are rising constantly; maximum flexibility is expected whilst
also delivering the highest quality at the lowest price. The cooking of meat and poultry has
always required a high level of monitoring, years of experience, and ties up production equip-
ment for many hours.
With the SelfCooking Center®you can easily deal with these challenges. Discover on the fol-
lowing pages how you can,
- roast, braise and boil overnight at the touch of a button. Allowing you to utilise your
SelfCooking Center®24 hours a day.
- cook many different products at the same time in a mixed load.
- with Sous-Vide (Vacuum cooking) new possibilities are presented, and learn how to opti-
mise production processes and extend storage times.
On the following pages, our RATIONAL chefs have compiled a comprehensive list of practical
hints and tips, explaining how you can utilise your SelfCooking Center®even better.
You can also contact a RATIONAL chef directly by using our Chef&Line. We are more than
happy to answer any culinary questions you may have regarding the SelfCooking Center®.
Germany + 49 8191 327561 UK + 44 7743 389863
Your RATIONAL chefs wish you every success in discovering your SelfCooking Center®.

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Contents
1. Overnight cooking at a glance 6
1.1. The benefits of overnight cooking 6
1.2. The settings 6
1.3. Preheating and loading 6
1.4. The maturing 6
1.5. Maturing and holding 7
1. Overnight cooking at a glance 7
2. The process “overnight roasting” 8
2.1. The preparation 8
2.2. The settings 9
2.3. Mixed load “overnight” 12
3. The process “braising” 13
3.1. The preparation 13
3.2. The settings 13
3.3. Braising “overnight” 15
3.4. Mixed loads “overnight” 15
3.5. Automatic Finishing®15
4. The process “moist cooking” 16
4.1. The preparation 16
4.2. The settings 16
4.3. Moist cooking “overnight” 18
4. The process “moist cooking” 18
4.4. Mixed load “overnight” 19
4. The process “moist cooking” 19
5. The process poultry “poached poultry” 20
5.1. The preparation 20
5.2. The settings 20
5.3. Poached poultry “overnight” 21

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Contents
6. Sous-Vide-Cooking 22
6.1. Benefits of Sous-Vide-Cooking 22
6.2. The RATIONAL Sous-Vide-Option 22
6.3. The possible usages 23
6.4. The preparation 23
6.5. The settings 24
6.6. Loading 24
6.7. Application examples in the process “Moist cooking” 25
6.8. Application examples in the process “Steamed vegetables” 26
6.9. Application examples in the cooking mode “Steaming” 26
7. Mixed loads with the “continue”-Function 27
7.1. Mixed loads in the process “soft roasting” 27
7.2. Mixed loads in the process “moist cooking” 28
7.3. Mixed loads in the process “roasted poulty” 28
7.4. Mixed loads in the process “poached poultry” 28
8. Mixed loads with LevelControl®29
8.1. Mixed loads in the process “steamed vegetables” 29
8.2. Mixed loads in the process “grilled vegetables” 30
9. Mixed loads in the process “pastries with moisture” 31
10. Hygiene certificate 32
11. The HACCP-Documentation in SelfCooking Center®33
12. LevelControl®program 34
12.1. Create LevelControl®program 34
12.2. Start LevelControl®program 35
12.3. Working with up to 3 LevelControl®programs 35
13. Programming – SelfCooking Control®mode 36
14. Maximum loads GN 37

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1. Overnight cooking at a glance
1.1. The benefits of overnight cooking
- No need to monitor or control
- Exceptionally tender and juicy meat
- Capacity gain, through 24 hour usage
- Reduction in shrinkage and greater yield
- Energy savings by using off peak electricity
- Greater flexibility by cooking different products with different sizes in a single mixed load
- Exceptional quality of stock for sauces
- Safe and hygienic at the touch of a button
1.2. The settings
- The possibility to cook overnight is available in the processes overnight roasting, braising,
moist cooking and poached poultry.
- Recommended core temperatures and examples of mixed loads can be found in the descrip-
tions of the individual cooking processes.
- With poultry always select a hygienic core temperature of min. 72 °C.
1.3. Preheating and loading
- After the automatic “preheating” phase the SelfCooking Center® will notify you to ”load”.
For hygiene reasons the core probe should be inside the cooking cabinet during preheating,
the food should be well chilled before loading.
- With products of various sizes, place the core temperature probe in the smallest product, a
sufficient maturing and holding phase is then required to achieve the desired core tempera-
ture in all of the products (per kg. 1,5-2 hours)
- With very large joints, where the core temperature probe can not reach the centre, the
SelfCooking Center® will automatically calculate the necessary cooking time.
1.4. The maturing
- The slow “maturing” at low temperatures reduces shrinkage, therefore your products stay
exceptionally juicy and tender.
- Through the gentle cooking process, products with filling retain their shape and are therefore
easier to cut or carve. This helps you achieve maximal yield.

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1. Overnight cooking at a glance
1.5. Maturing and holding
- Upon reaching the desired core temperature the cooking process will finish and automatically
advance into a “maturing and holding” phase. The products will then be held at the desired
core temperature for up to 24 hours and ”over cooking” will be prevented.
- Through the quicker maturing, even young meat will be perfectly aged and deliver an
exceptionally tender result. This enables you to buy cheaper produce, and reduce costs even
further.
- To prevent, well aged meat, smaller products and game becoming too soft. They should not
be left in ”maturing and holding” for extended periods.
- To achieve minimal shrinkage we recommend a short “maturing and holding” phase.
Should a power failure occur in the night, the SelfCooking Center®will advance, after
15 minutes into ”stand by mode”. You can then finish cooking your products on the
following morning.
If the power failure is 15 minutes or less. Your products will be cooked as normal.
The RATIONAL overnight cooking is both hygienic and safe. The official judgement from
the institute of hygiene and technology for food can be found on the page 32.

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2. The process “overnight roasting”
The process “overnight roasting” is suitable for all large meat and poultry products.
The products are seared and gently cooked at the touch of a button.
The meat will be exceptionally juicy and tender. There is also an extra colouration step for
roasts with crackling.
Pic: Graphic showing the overnight cooking sequence.
2.1. The preparation
- Place the well seasoned and lightly oiled roast in a granite enamelled container, or simply lay
it on a stainless steel grid. A deep container can be placed under the grid to catch any juices,
which can then be used as the basis for an excellent stock.
- Steam large roasts with rind for 10 minutes before roasting. This allows the rind to be cut
and salted easier. With thin roasts such as pork belly, place a raw potato under the joint to
prevent any indentations and assist the juices to run underneath. This also helps provide a
light crispy crackling.
Seasoned roast beef Steamed and cut pork belly Seasoned veal shank
0°C
12 0°C
16 0°C
Temperature range
0
72 °C
10 min to 24 h
Temperature
Progressive
cooling
Searing
phase
Meaturing phase Holding phase
(CTis = CTset)
200 °C
Preheat
phase
�
50 °C
100 °C
150 °C
0hCooking Time
�
Cabinet
temperature
Delta-T temperature
Core
temperature

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2. The process “overnight roasting”
Tip: Making a sauce
Place some bones and vegetables mixed with a little oil and tomato puree into a granite enam-
elled container (60mm) and load this together with the joint. After the searing phase, deglaze
with stock. This way you create a perfect basis for a rich sauce. Vegetables that brown quickly,
such as leek or celery should be added later.
2.2. The settings
2.2.1. The automatic searing
- The intensity of the searing is chosen by selecting the
colouration level from low to high. A lighter colouration will deliver minimum shrinkage.
- Quick browning seasonings, herbs or marinades will produce a stronger colouration on meat.
A lower colouration setting should be selected.
- The high searing temperature kills any surface bacteria and allows for a hygienically safe
cooking at low temperatures.
- When selecting the colouration level, consider that roasts with rind will also receive an inten-
sive colouration at the end, providing a crispy skin before serving.
Tip:
The “Skip searing” function also offers the possibility for smaller, pre seared meat and poul-
try pieces to be gently cooked. The searing phase is eliminated and the cooking process starts
directly with the slow and gentle cooking. Exceptionally tender meat such as e.g. veal filet is
not suitable for a long maturing phase.
Select joints Select overnight roasting Select desired results, when pre-
ferred without searing.
low high
low high
medium welldone
roast
roast with
crackling
overnight
roasting
braise
soft
roasting
moist
cooking
skip
searing?

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2. The process “overnight roasting”
2.2.2 The settings
- Select your personal result from medium to well done or
adjust the core temperature to the exact degree yourself.
- Due to the slow and gentle cooking method, a core temperature of up to 10°C lower than
traditional cooking methods is recommended.
- With poultry products, a minimum core temperature of at least. 72 °C is recommended.
Country specific HACCP-guidelines should be followed.
2.2.3. Recommended settings
Product core temperature colouration cooking time
Pork neck 2 kg 72 °C - 75 °C middle ca. 4 hrs.
Pork knuckle 1,5 kg 72 °C - 75 °C low ca. 4 hrs.
Goose 5 kg 72 °C - 75 °C low ca. 4 hrs.
Duck 2,5 kg 72 °C - 75 °C low ca. 3 hrs.
Meat loaf 1 kg 68 °C - 72 °C low ca. 2 hrs.
Veal knuckle 2,5 kg 72 °C - 75 °C low ca. 4 hrs.
Veal shoulder 4 kg 72 °C - 75 °C low ca. 4 hrs.
Loin of veal 3 kg 58 °C - 62 °C low ca. 2 hrs.
Roast beef 3 kg 52 °C - 56 °C middle ca. 3 hrs.
Leg of lamb 2 kg 52 °C - 56 °C middle ca. 3 hrs.
Beef filet 4-5 lbs 52 °C - 56 °C middle ca. 2 hrs.
2.2.4. Preheating and loading
- After the automatic “preheating” phase the SelfCooking Center®will notify you to ”load”.
For hygiene reasons the core probe should be inside the cooking cabinet during preheating,
the food should also be well chilled before loading.
Preheat Load, place core temperature probe Maturing
low high low high
medium welldone medium welldone
preheat maturing 25°c
medium welldone