Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Whole Wheat Wednesday - Wheat Meat Roast Beef


The more I read and study about the possibilities of wheat meat, the more thankful I am for this amazing grain. We are so blessed to have so many wonderful and useful things in nature that are not only versatile but also healthy. Wheat in and of itself is an amazing thing.

I am also very grateful for those who have gone before me and studied and perfected some of these methods of using basic grains in so many different ways. This is not only a wonderful thing for anyone who may at some point have to live for a time off their food storage, this is also an awesome thing for those who for one reason or another cannot use or eat much meat but still like the taste and idea of eating meat and all those things which go with it.

To make roast beef from wheat meat, we use the same exact method of making wheat meat (gluten) that we have used in the past posts to make ground beef. There are three different methods for making roast beef. I will explain all of those today and you can file them away to experiment with when you have the time.

Roast beef made from gluten needs to be sliced paper thin and served with a sauce. When cut in strips it can be added in casseroles or Stroganoff, just before servings. Cubes can be cut and heated in barbecue sauce; for best results make sure they are no larger than a pair of dice. Here are the three methods:

1.Cloth Sack Method: Make sacks or tubes of clean muslin 2½” in diameter and 5” long. Pack full of washed, raw gluten and tie the ends securely. Place in a pan and cover with a broth made of 4 T. beef soup base to each 2 quarts of water. This involves a long, slow simmering process. You can do this on the stove top or use a crock-pot if you wish, or even in the oven at 350º. You will need to simmer it for 6-8 hours or overnight. When this is cooked well, it will have the chewy texture of beef. To achieve a chewier texture, it can be placed on a greased cookie sheet and dried somewhat in a 300º oven for about 30 minutes. You can experiment to see how you like it best.

2.Foil Method: Form the washed raw gluten into 2½” x 5” rolls. Roll tightly in foil. Simmer in water to cover for 2 hours. Unwrap and drop into boiling broth made from 4 Tablespoons beef soup base to 2 quarts water. Simmer 6-8 hours, or overnight.


3.Greased Tin Method: Fill a well-greased 1 lb. can half full with raw washed gluten. Make a broth of 4 tablespoons beef soup base to 2 quarts water and cover the gluten to a depth of 2”. Lift the ball of gluten to assure the broth reaches all sides. Place in a 350º oven for 3-4 hours until broth is nearly all gone. Remove from tin.

Here are my personal thoughts on these methods. The cloth sack method is the easiest. It may seem like more work to make the muslin bags but they are easy to make and can be washed and reused. Plus it is easy to make up several bags at one time for future use. They can be tied with string which makes for a simple way to wrap the beef.

To make roast beef in one of these ways, it is important to have plenty of beef soup base or beef bouillon stored as well as muslin, string, ingredients to make gravy or other sauces that you might want to serve with it. Lots of spices will make your serving possibilities more innumerable.

Experimenting with wheat meat is relatively inexpensive. Try some and see if you can make it an season it to your liking. I'd love to hear of any experiences in making wheat meat roast beef. Give it a try and see what you come up with!

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