Homemade TVP (Texturized Vegetable Protein)

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Here's a recipe on how to make texturized vegetable protein (aka gluten):

1 5lb. bag of whole wheat flour (can use white, but whole is healthier

In a very large bowl pour in all 5 lbs. of flour. Under COLD running water, slowly fill bowl with water and start mixing with your hands the flour trying to keep it held together in a ball. Keep rinsing the flour and molding it with your hands rinsing it to remove the starch. When all the water comes clear (you have rinsed all the starch out), you will end up with a small rubbery ball. (It takes lots of rinsing)

Broth:

4 cans of beef broth, 3 ribs celery, onion, carrots, garlic, parsley. Or whatever rich broth you choose will work. Add onion soup mixes, etc. because this what gives the TVP it's flavor.

Take the ball of TVP and slice it. Drop into boiling broth, then turn heat down and simmer for about 2 hours. Remove TVP from broth. At this point, you can put it through a meat grinder, then dehydrate in a dehydrator. Let cool, then store in airtight containers. Reconstitute with water and use in chili, spaghetti sauces, etc.

If you don't wish to dehydrate, you can grind and refrigerate and use at your leisure. You can also bread and fry to make vegeburgers. Many different ways to cook TVP.

Also, when rinsing the whole wheat flour, the bran will be rinsed away. However, most of it lands in the bottom of the bowl. You can strain and save the bran for use in breads and muffins.

Vegeburgers:

2 cups fresh TVP, 1 egg, 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1 tsp sage, garlic powder to taste, 1/2 cup ground walnuts ( can also add sesame seeds). Mix all ingredients together, pat into patties and fry in oil.

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), December 10, 1999

Answers

Bardou...I was under the impression that what you just described is called "seitan"...it's a wheat product. And I think that TVP is a soy product. Both are excellent for meat substitutes, but they're not quite the same.

-- Margo (margos@bigisland.com), December 10, 1999.

That's true Margo. Textured Vegetable Protein is made in a complex industrial process that would be nigh on to impossible to replicate at home. Still, I love wheat gluten and appreciate the recipes. If you check out a Chinese market you'll likely find canned seitan in many forms like mock abalone and mock duck... delicious stuff when served in Thai sweet chili sauce!

-- Choirboy (choirboy@hellzchoir.edu), December 10, 1999.

BTW, seitan is pronounced "SAY-tan."

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), December 10, 1999.

Its my understanding that this makes gluetin, not TVP. TVP is makde from Soy beans. But now ya got me started on thinking about how to make TVP from the whole soy bean. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!! Anyone know?

Taz

-- Taz (Tassi123@aol.com), December 10, 1999.


Bardou,

Thanks, this is way cool (oh no! another thing to do!).

Taz,

Maybe from soy flour?

-- Deborah (infowars@yahoo.com), December 11, 1999.



No..don't think TVP could be made from soy flour. The T stands for Textured. TVP looks like its been shredded. Maybe put beans in grinder and just "crack" them good like cracked corn for the chickens. Then cook it but not so long as for it to lose it shape and become mush. Then dehydrate it. Then put into blender and "crumble" it. Will have to try that....after roll over. Too busy now getting the last of the last in. Taz

-- Taz (Tassi123@aol.com), December 11, 1999.

Taz,

I'm afraid it doesn't work like that. I had a tour of the Worthington plant many years ago and saw how complex the process is. Soybean to TVP conversion is a many-stepped one; ending with the spinner-extruder that turns soy protein into a fiber/filament form. This is then chopped and/or compressed with more of same in different ways to form a variety of meat analogs. Ever try the "Morningstar Farms" line of products, likely at your local grocery store? I've been eating them since the mid-70's... Good stuff!

-- Choirboy (choirboy@hellzchoir.edu), December 11, 1999.


I've made this stuff many times. There were products on the market several years ago that were made from the dehydrated wheat gluten. You simply added water to rehydrate then your seasonings. If I'm not mistaken, Loma Linda's vegeburgers in the cans are made from wheat gluten. There's a cook book (can't find my copy), called "An Apple a Day." There's recipes in there using the same method that I posted above. I know what you are talking about with the mock abalone, etc. I have used that before but have no idea on the process or how to make it at home. I also have recipes for gluten jerky! Tomorrow I'll try to locate my vegetarian cook books (I have hundreds of cookbooks). I'll post what I find. P.S. I use to use a lot of the George Washington Broth seasonings in my broths and for seasonings.

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), December 11, 1999.

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