Gluten Steaks or Gluten Thanksgiving Turkey -Vegan

                                                                 Gluten Steaks

 Gluten Turkey 

This is the traditional recipe for making gluten that my family has used for generations. It takes quite a while to make because it has to set quite a few hours or overnight to release the gluten from the flour. Don't plan an starting this a couple of hours before dinner because you will not have time to finish it. The flour can't be rushed. 

     I am also including the quick gluten option below. It starts with pre-made gluten flour and does not require the time to set or to be rinsed out. There is a different texture to quick gluten. It is very tasty, but good old fashion, slow made gluten is impossible to beat.
   I always try to make extra so I can freeze some steaks in a Ziplock bag or a glass frozen container.  I can then grab it out to add to dishes as needed.  I defrost it in the refrigerator since it freezes in one hard chunk, but if I need it right away I just microwave it until it is soft enough to break apart.
   I know that the gluten-free rage is sweeping over the nation, but gluten really is a great natural food product for those who do not have gluten sensitivities. 

Choose either:

 Option A - Old Fashioned Gluten Steaks or 
                                       Thanksgiving turkey
          OR 

 Option B - Quick Gluten - SEE BELOW 


----    Option A - Old Fashioned  ---- 

Grandma’s Old Fashion Gluten Steaks or 
                    Thanksgiving Turkey- Vegan                                 

Step 1, Mixing - 

                             

    In large bowl place 5-10 lbs. of unbleached white flour (I use Gold Metal), depending on the amount of of gluten that you need. Using your hands (or a nice Bosch mixer with a dough hook :) work in just enough water to form a thick dough ( I don't ever measure it, but it is ~7 cups for each 5 lbs. of flour that you use). Work in water thoroughly to get out almost all of the lumps. Then add water to the bowl and cover completely over with water to soak.  Let set ~5-6 hours or over night if possible. 
   To make 15-20 lbs or more use separate bowls and repeat the recipe as needed. I would suggest getting comfortable making gluten before you attempt a huge batch or a super 15-20 lb turkey.    

                      

Step 2, Rinsing - after 5-10 hours   

    Take about ¼ - ½ of the flour mixture and place it in a large bowl in a sink with running water available. Wash & squeeze the dough in fresh water to get out the starch. The water will turn very white. Change thick white water with fresh water as needed. Keep rinsing until water is slightly milky. Mixture will separate and make lots of small pieces so be careful when pouring water off not to loose pieces out of your bowl. Keep washing and squeezing all pieces together until mixture comes back together and forms a large soft ball. Set aside and repeat process until all the flour mixture is rinsed.

Step 3, Cooking – Option Steaks or Turkey - 
    The gluten up to this pint is the same. Now you choose whether to cook it in small pieces (easiest) or in one piece to make a turkey. 

   Prepare Dark Broth- SEE RECIPE  BELOW

A.   Gluten Steaks Cut or pull gluten into 3” to 4” chunks and stretch out until about ½’ thick. Drop pieces into a large kettle of boiling Dark Broth. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover with vented lid and cook on very low heat for ~1 hour.  

B.   Gluten Turkey - Stretch whole lump over metal colander (or a large can - I have used a large pumpkin can at Thanksgiving time)  placed in the bottom of a large kettle of boiling Dark Broth. Cover and cook on low heat for ~1½ hours. Cool and stuff with stuffing. Bake in low heated oven, basting as needed. 
      - SEE additional recipes below for turkey stuffing and basting.
       

     

---   Option B  - Quick Gluten   --- 
                                        Ready in just over an hour.

    Quick Gluten Steaks - Vegan 

Mix together very well:

4         cups high gluten flour 

2         cups unbleached white flour 
                   or whole wheat pastry flour

Add all at once: (If you add and stir 1 cup water at a time it can absorb into hard lumps that will not mix out smooth again.)

5       cups cool water 

Mix well and knead a little. Cover with water and let mixture rest for a few minutes. 

While it is resting prepare one recipe Dark Broth.

Cut or pull gluten into 3” to 4” chunks and stretch out until about ½’ thick. Drop pieces into a large kettle of boiling Dark Broth. Stir and bring to a boil. 

Reduce heat to low. Cover with vented lid and cook on very low heat for ~1 hour until done.  

Grandma’s Dark Broth for Gluten   - Vegan

One recipe will make enough broth for up to 10 lb. Old Fashion Gluten Steaks or one recipe Quick Gluten Steaks. 

                       

In large thick bottom kettle/stock pot combine:  

3       quarts water

½      cup McKay’s beef or chicken seasoning

1       cup soy sauce

1       large onion, chopped into ~1 inch chunks

6       cloves garlic or 1 Tbsp. garlic flakes

½      cup nutritional yeast flakes

1       Tbsp. lecithin granules, optional

1       Tbsp. olive oil, margarine or butter 

2       tsp. onion powder

2       tsp. garlic powder

Bring broth to boil: 

Drop prepared raw gluten steaks into boiling broth. Stir and bring to boil again. Reduce heat to low. Cover with vented lid and boil on very low heat for ~1 hr. for gluten steaks, or ~1½ hrs. for one gluten turkey.

Grandma’s Breading Meal Mix for Fried Gluten Steaks

Mix all together in a large bowl:

1 cup unbleached flour

1 cup barley flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup yeast flakes

1 Tbsp. garlic powder

1 Tbsp. onion powder

3 tsp. salt

1 tsp. paprika

Place about one cup of meal into a bowl or plate and roll cooked gluten in it. Place in hot frying pan with a small amount of oil until golden brown turning as needed to fry both sides. Serve hot. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers. This makes great leftovers if you slice them up in sandwiches!

Grandma's Stuffing Mix for Gluten Turkey 5-20lbs.

Place in very large bowl:

(use 1 box of dry stuffing mix for every 5lbs of turkey)

Orowheat or Mrs. Cubbison’s Seasoned Style Dressing Stuffing Mix

Sauté for each box stuffing mix:

1       cup chopped onions

1       cup chopped celery

½      cube margarine

1/8    tsp. sage    

¼      tsp. dried parsley flakes

Do not add any extra liquid. It will make stuffing to soggy.

Add sautéed mixture to stuffing mix in bowl. Stir well and press into a mound in bottom of buttered turkey roaster pan. Lay cooked, dried, prepared Gluten Turkey over the top and baste all pieces with Basting Mix. Cover & bake at 350 degrees for ~1-2 hours (depending on the size of your turkey. 2 hours would be for a huge 20-25 lb turkey), basting several times. Lower heat to 200 degrees and bake for several hours altogether. Baste at least a couple more times. Uncover for the last 15-30 minutes to brown.                             

Grandma’s Basting Mix for Gluten Turkey

Melt in small pan:

½ cup margarine or butter ( I use butter, but for a vegan turkey the margarine works too.) 

   Add:  

2       tsp. onion powder

         2       tsp. garlic powder

1       Tbsp. McKay’s Chicken seasoning

2       tsp. dried parsley flakes

With basting pastry brush, dip into melted mixture and spread all over Turkey body, including all loose pieces of wings and legs.

Cover with foil or another inverted turkey roasting pan and bake on highest possible oven rack at 350 for an hour or so. Lower heat to 200-300 and baste a couple more times or so while Turkey is roasting for several more hours or until it is thoroughly warmed through. Uncover and brown for the last 15-20 minutes approx. Make sure the bottom of turkey does not burn by heat being too high for too long.  Don’t over-brown either as it can dry out and be hard and too brittle.