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Pumpkin and pie filling manufacturers face recurring challenges during peak season: long cook times, inconsistent particle integrity, costly scorching, and difficult-to-clean equipment. The Jet Cook™ System solves these issues with rapid heating, uniform mixing, and clean-in-place efficiency. Processors gain faster throughput, better quality control, and more predictable production during their busiest months.
Why processors rely on Jet Cook™ for fall production spikes
Pumpkin puree, custard-style fillings, and dense seasonal blends place high demands on thermal processing systems. Traditional steam-jacketed kettles often struggle with slow heat-up, shear sensitivity, and residue buildup on vessel walls. These issues become more visible during Q3 and Q4 when pumpkin and pie lines run extended shifts.
The Jet Cook™ System changes that. Its patented steam and entrainment technology delivers rapid, uniform heating that protects quality while eliminating hotspots and fouling. For processors producing pumpkin, sweet potato, pecan, and other seasonal fillings, the result is consistent batches at significantly higher throughput.
Consistent texture with reduced shear
Pumpkin and other pie fillings benefit from heating that preserves natural color and particle structure. The Jet Cook™ System heats instantly within the product stream, which helps manufacturers protect the smooth, custard-like texture consumers expect.
Key advantages include:
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Uniform heat transfer that avoids overcooked edges and undercooked centers.
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Reduced mechanical shear compared with traditional agitation systems.
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Better stability in high-solids formulas, especially those with added spices, gums, or starches.
This achieves a stable filling with repeatable viscosity and flavor notes across every batch.
Faster heat-up for significant throughput gains
Pumpkin is naturally thick, which slows heat penetration in conventional kettles. Steam-jacketed vessels often need prolonged batch times to reach target temperatures, which reduces daily output.
The Jet Cook™ System improves this with:
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Heat-up times reduced by 50 percent or more
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Direct-contact heating for immediate temperature rise
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Precise control over final viscosity and temperature hold
Processors can run more batches per shift without compromising quality, giving them more capacity during seasonal demand spikes.
No scorching and fewer cleaning cycles
Pumpkin’s sugar content, natural solids, and starches make it prone to sticking and scorching inside kettles. This leads to downtime, labor-intensive cleaning, and repeated micro-burn layers that affect flavor.
Jet Cook™ prevents wall fouling because the heating does not rely on jacket contact. The product stays moving, and there are no hotspots. Benefits include:
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No burn-on residue
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Improved flavor uniformity
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Shorter CIP cycles and less chemical usage
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Higher equipment uptime throughout the season
This is especially valuable for facilities producing multiple filling varieties back-to-back.
Improved yield and ingredient efficiency
Manufacturers producing pumpkin and pie fillings often use stabilizers, thickeners, and emulsifiers to achieve target viscosity. The uniform heating, rapid energy transfer, and gentle mixing of Jet Cook™ help these ingredients hydrate more efficiently.
This can support:
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Reduced ingredient usage in some formulations
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More controlled starch activation
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Better spice profile retention due to reduced overcooking
Processors gain a more efficient recipe process with predictable batch-to-batch results.
Flexible integration into existing production lines
Jet Cook™ Systems integrate with:
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Steam-jacketed kettles
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Mixing vessels
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Pump transfer systems
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High-capacity holding tanks
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Filling and depositing lines
DC Norris North America provides turnkey engineering support to ensure proper configuration, especially for seasonal products that require controlled viscosity, minimal air incorporation, and fast temperature ramp-up.
For processors upgrading their pumpkin or pie filling lines, Jet Cook™ can be added to existing kettles or installed as part of a new line with companion equipment.
Tis’ the season for all things pumpkin but one item, in particular, is soon to grace plates in households across North America. The traditional pumpkin pie. Thanks to advances in cooking and mixing technology, DC Norris is ensuring that you don’t have to scratch-bake the Thanksgiving centerpiece in order to ensure it’s the star of the table. With Jet Cook™, DC Norris is helping bakery chains and grocers make life endlessly convenient without sacrificing pie caliber. Let’s learn more about the power of Jet Cook™ for pie filling.
What Are The Main Components of Pumpkin Pie?
First and foremost: Pumpkin
Whether canned or fresh, pumpkin is the star of the show. While some pies rely on the herbaceous nature of freshly roasted and pureed pumpkin, others achieve the perfect set with canned pumpkin puree. And let’s set the record straight – both choices are indeed pumpkin – but the canned pumpkin doesn’t come from a squash that looks like the bright orange, delectably round, pie pumpkin you typically envision. Canned pumpkin in the US is made from the Dickinson pumpkin (also known as the Dickinson squash). Unlike its field pumpkin cousin, the Dickinson pumpkin is much larger with a tan outer flesh rather than orange.
Eggs
Responsible for the smooth custard-like set, eggs give pumpkin pie its rich, luxurious texture.
Heavy Cream
A combination of heavy cream and milk makes pumpkin pie exquisitely smooth and silky.
Spice Blends
From secret ingredient additions like black pepper and cardamom to the classic blend of nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, clove, and vanilla – every great pumpkin pie is abundantly spiced.
Sugar
Most recipes call for a blend of white and brown sugars.
Pie Crust
The traditional pumpkin pie crust is rich with butter and perfectly flaky.
What Are The Challenges When Cooking Pumpkin Pie Filling?
While there are no-bake recipes and virtually endless twists on the classic Thanksgiving dessert, traditional pumpkin pies combine a quick-cooked filling with a blind-baked crust before going in an oven where they’ll bake together. Cooking the filling allows the sugar to fully dissolve into the puree, cooks off the raw pumpkin flavor, and warms the aromatic spices so that they evenly flavor the filling. The challenge when it comes to industrial pumpkin pie manufacturing? We’ve got to add eggs and dairy to the quick-cooked filling without scrambling or curdling.
Jet Cook™ for Pumpkin Pie Filling
Jet Cook™ gives producers the flexibility of multi-phase ingredient additions. This allows milk/cream and eggs to be mixed in at the beginning of the heating phase to avoid scrambling before transferring. Other options are available depending on the desired recipe.
Jet Cook™ for Pie Filling Videos
Whether sweet or savory, Jet Cook™ brings unparalleled flexibility and speed to pie producers.
See some of our more savory trials for yourself. Need help? Reach out and let us know how we can assist your pie manufacturing operations.
