What is a vacuum cooking machine?
A vacuum cooking machine, also called a vacuum cooker or vacuum cooking kettle, heats, mixes and cooks the product in a sealed vessel while a vacuum is held over it. Because the vacuum lowers the boiling point, heat-sensitive products cook at reduced temperatures, faster and more gently than in an open kettle.
Vacuum cooking gives three practical results:
- No burning or caramelization. Sticky and sugar-rich products such as jams and syrups cook without scorching on the wall.
- Flavour and colour kept. Cooking below the normal boiling point preserves flavour, colour and aroma.
- Concentration under vacuum. The product heats quickly and can be concentrated under vacuum.
For when a vacuum mixer is the better choice, see vacuum cooking vs vacuum mixing.
Wahal's vacuum cooker: the Thermoshear unit
Wahal's vacuum cooking machine is the Thermoshear, the integrated unit we also build for vacuum emulsification. One sealed vessel handles mixing, cutting, homogenizing, emulsification and texture improvement as well as cooking.
| Part | What it does |
|---|---|
| Sealed vacuum vessel | Homogenization in a hermetically sealed vessel; solids are drawn straight into the liquid stream under vacuum, giving a very fine texture |
| Direct steam injection (DSI) | Steam goes straight into the product for fast, even and efficient heating |
| Triple jacket with insulation | Heats or cools through the vessel wall, for precise temperature control that helps prevent scorching |
| Contra-rotating scraper agitator | Perforated blades, scrapers and a vortex breaker keep the whole batch moving, including product at the vessel wall |
| Vacuum homogenizer | High shear homogenization under vacuum; the shear rate is adjustable for shear-sensitive products |
| PLC automation | PLC panel screen, actuated valves, recipe storage and controlled dosing with flow meters, load cells or dosing stations; process data logging |
| Clean-in-place (CIP) | CIP models with residue discharge valves, for cleaning after each batch |
| Loading and discharge | Dosing trolley with lift-and-tilt conveyor from containers or buggies; automatic lifting top lid; recirculation and discharge functions, including discharge of chunks and bits |
We manufacture GMP-compliant models using FDA-approved parts, and the manufacturing process is ISO certified. Hygienic documentation can be provided on request.
What it makes: jam, sauces, curries, sweets and more
These are the products Wahal lists for the Thermoshear and its vacuum cooking machines:
- Jams, jellies and bread spreads. As a jam making machine, the vacuum cooker cooks the batch at a lower temperature, without burning or caramelization.
- Sauces and condiments: ketchup, chutneys, dressings, dips and mayonnaise. See our tomato ketchup plant, sauce production line and mayonnaise processing plant.
- Ready-to-eat meals: curries, soups and sauces.
- Indian sweets and confectionery: kaju katli and other traditional sweets, confectionery syrups, liquid chocolates and syrups, dessert toppings. See our confectionery processing plants.
- Dairy: processed cheese and spreadable cheese.
- Spreads and pastes: peanut butter, hummus, tahini, sweet spreads and fillings, and baby food.
- Meat products: meat mincing, sausages and patties.
Batch sizes, capacity and small-scale versions
Every Thermoshear is sized to your batch. As a guide, Wahal's vacuum cooking lines typically run at 100–500 kg/hr.
The cookers handle medium to high viscosity, with impellers and agitators designed for the product so it processes evenly without clogging.
For startups and small food manufacturers we build customised small-scale versions. Batch size and floor space are fixed once the product and the equipment configuration are chosen.
Prices are on request: the cost depends on the batch size or hourly output, the level of automation (dosing, PLC recipes, CIP) and the options you choose.
Vacuum cooker, vacuum mixer or vacuum emulsifier?
All three work in a sealed vessel under vacuum. Choose by the main job:
- Cooking, concentrating or gently heating a heat-sensitive or sticky product such as jam, syrup or curry: this vacuum cooking machine.
- Air-free mixing, homogenization and deaeration of creams, gels, sauces or coatings: a vacuum mixer.
- Emulsions such as mayonnaise, ketchup and spreads, where the texture comes from vacuum homogenization: the Thermoshear set up as a vacuum emulsification unit.
Many plants use both kinds: a vacuum cooker prepares a syrup base, which then goes to a vacuum mixer for homogenization and deaeration with powders, flavours or active ingredients.
Trial your recipe before you buy
You can trial vacuum cooking with your own recipe before you decide. Run it in our fully equipped laboratory, or rent a machine pre-configured to your requirements for as long as you need: see trials and rentals. Wahal Engineers makes its vacuum cooking machines in India, at our factory in Bhigan (Murthal), Sonipat, Haryana.
Frequently asked questions
What is a vacuum cooking machine?
A sealed, heated vessel that cooks food under vacuum. The vacuum lowers the boiling point, so heat-sensitive products such as jams, syrups and sauces cook at lower temperatures without burning or caramelization, and keep their flavour and colour. Wahal's vacuum cooking machine is the Thermoshear unit.
Is a vacuum cooker the same as a vacuum kettle?
Yes. Vacuum cooking machine, vacuum cooker and vacuum cooking kettle are names for the same kind of machine: a jacketed vessel that cooks under vacuum. Wahal's adds direct steam injection, a contra-rotating scraper agitator and a homogenizer that works under vacuum.
Can it be used as a jam making machine?
Yes. Jams, jellies and bread spreads are listed applications. Cooking under vacuum at a lower temperature avoids burning and caramelization, and the scraper agitator keeps the batch moving at the vessel wall.
What is the triple jacket for?
The insulated triple jacket heats or cools the product through the vessel wall, alongside direct steam injection, for precise temperature control that helps prevent scorching.
Can it cook and homogenize in the same vessel?
Yes. The Thermoshear combines mixing, cutting, homogenizing and emulsification with steam heating in one sealed vessel. Solids are drawn into the liquid under vacuum for a very fine texture, and the shear rate can be turned down for shear-sensitive products.
What batch sizes do you make, and what does it cost?
Each machine is sized to your batch, typically for 100–500 kg/hr, and we build small-scale versions for startups. Prices are on request and depend on the output, the automation and the options. Tell us your product and batch size.
Can I test my recipe before buying?
Yes. Book a trial with your own recipe in our laboratory, or rent a pre-configured machine. See trials and rentals.
