A food processing unit and method of processing food uses a housing which receives vertically disposed layers of food product. The temperature of the fluid within the housing is controlled to process the food product. A pressurized fluid is supplied into the housing and the fluid within the housing is then induced to circulate by directing a flow of fluid from the pressurized fluid in a substantially horizontal direction through spaces between layers of the food product. The directed fluid flow may be distributed within the housing so that heat transferred in zones from the fluid throughout the layers of food product or the directed fluid may be redirected to flow in those spaces adjacent spaces through which the fluid is initially directed so that the flow of ambient fluid within the housing is induced to circulate around each layer of food product.