This recipe is by The Gentle Chef. It was shared in his free holiday recipe PDF. Visit thegentlechef.com for even more amazing recipes, and check out the most highly-recommended seitan cookbooks of all time, Seitan and Beyond.
Ingredients
Directions
Warning! It is very important to use only heavy-duty aluminum foil for this recipe. Regular foil is not sturdy enough and can easily rupture from steam pressure which builds up inside the sealed package.
Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl; set aside.
Crumble the pressed tofu into a blender and add the remaining blender ingredients. Process the contents until the tofu is completely liquefied and the mixture is smooth and creamy. This is essential! Stop the blender as necessary to scrape down the sides.
Scoop the tofu mixture into the dry ingredients (a small amount of the tofu mixture will remain in the blender; this is inconsequential) and combine with a sturdy silicone spatula until the tofu mixture is incorporated and a sticky ball of dough begins to form.
Place the dough into a food processor fitted with a dough blade and process for 1 full minute. Alternately, place the dough into a stand mixer fitted with a paddle and process on medium speed for 1 full minute.
If kneading by hand, knead the dough in the bowl vigorously for 3 full minutes. This is very important in order to develop the gluten. Test the dough by stretching it. If it tears easily, more kneading is required. The dough needs to exhibit a moderate degree of elasticity in order to produce the proper finished texture.
Tear off a large sheet of foil (about 24-inches) and place it on your work surface. Place the dough onto the foil and shape it into a round ball. Now, lift the edge of the foil over the dough and begin rolling into a cylinder, pinching the ends closed simultaneously while rolling. The goal is to create a compact cylindrical package. Twist the ends tightly to seal, being careful not to tear the foil. Bend the twisted ends in half to lock them tight.
Tip: While the ends need to be twisted tightly to seal the package, avoid twisting inwards so far as to tightly compress the dough. The dough will expand significantly as it bakes. Leaving room on each end for expansion will relieve pressure on the foil and thus discourage rupturing.
Wrap with a second sheet of foil and twist the ends tightly to completely seal the package. If the foil tears at any point while twisting the ends, rewrap in a third sheet of foil.
Place the package directly on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
While the roast is prebaking, prepare the simmering broth. Add all of the broth ingredients to a large cooking pot and bring to a boil. Cover with a lid and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. For quick broths, bring the water and bouillon paste, cubes or powder to a simmer in a large covered cooking pot after the roast has been removed from the oven.
Remove the roast from the oven and let cool for about 30 minutes. Unwrap the roast and with a fork, pierce the roast 4 times on the top and 4 times on the bottom.
If the broth was made from scratch, use a slotted spoon to remove and discard the large solid ingredients. It’s not necessary to strain the broth completely. Bring the broth to a boil and carefully lower the roast into the broth. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hour. Turn the roast occasionally as it simmers. Monitor the pot frequently and adjust the heat as necessary to maintain the simmer. The broth should be gently bubbling. Do not boil, but do not let the roast merely poach in hot liquid either, as a gentle simmer is necessary to penetrate the roast and finish the cooking process.
Remove the pot from the heat, cover and let cool for several hours or until lukewarm. Remove the roast, seal in a food storage bag with 1⁄4 cup broth and refrigerate for a minimum of 8 hours or for up to 1 week before finishing. To freeze the roast, place it into a freezer bag without the broth and freeze for up to 3 months. If the roast was frozen, thaw for several days in the refrigerator before finishing.
Bring the roast to room temperature for about 2 hours before finishing. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Lightly blot the roast with a paper towel.
In a large, deep non-stick skillet or wok, melt the butter or margarine over medium heat. Add the roast and turn with 2 large spoons to coat the roast in the butter or margarine (wooden spoons are ideal, as they won’t mar the surface of the roast). Continue to turn the roast occasionally until lightly browned. Add the tamari and continue to turn about 1 minute. Now add the wine or reserved broth, the herbs and a few pinches of black pepper. Continue to pan-glaze until the liquid has evaporated and the roast achieves a beautiful golden brown color.
Transfer to a shallow baking dish, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes to heat through.
Transfer the roast to a serving platter, slice and serve immediately. Store any leftover roast in a food storage bag or sealable container in the refrigerator. Consume within 5 days or freeze.
Tip: Thinly sliced cold leftover roast makes superb hot or cold sandwiches. For hot sandwiches, slice the cold roast and then wrap the slices securely in foil. Place the foil package in a hot oven or in a steamer until heated through. The slices can also be gently reheated in the microwave.
Ingredients
Directions
Warning! It is very important to use only heavy-duty aluminum foil for this recipe. Regular foil is not sturdy enough and can easily rupture from steam pressure which builds up inside the sealed package.
Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl; set aside.
Crumble the pressed tofu into a blender and add the remaining blender ingredients. Process the contents until the tofu is completely liquefied and the mixture is smooth and creamy. This is essential! Stop the blender as necessary to scrape down the sides.
Scoop the tofu mixture into the dry ingredients (a small amount of the tofu mixture will remain in the blender; this is inconsequential) and combine with a sturdy silicone spatula until the tofu mixture is incorporated and a sticky ball of dough begins to form.
Place the dough into a food processor fitted with a dough blade and process for 1 full minute. Alternately, place the dough into a stand mixer fitted with a paddle and process on medium speed for 1 full minute.
If kneading by hand, knead the dough in the bowl vigorously for 3 full minutes. This is very important in order to develop the gluten. Test the dough by stretching it. If it tears easily, more kneading is required. The dough needs to exhibit a moderate degree of elasticity in order to produce the proper finished texture.
Tear off a large sheet of foil (about 24-inches) and place it on your work surface. Place the dough onto the foil and shape it into a round ball. Now, lift the edge of the foil over the dough and begin rolling into a cylinder, pinching the ends closed simultaneously while rolling. The goal is to create a compact cylindrical package. Twist the ends tightly to seal, being careful not to tear the foil. Bend the twisted ends in half to lock them tight.
Tip: While the ends need to be twisted tightly to seal the package, avoid twisting inwards so far as to tightly compress the dough. The dough will expand significantly as it bakes. Leaving room on each end for expansion will relieve pressure on the foil and thus discourage rupturing.
Wrap with a second sheet of foil and twist the ends tightly to completely seal the package. If the foil tears at any point while twisting the ends, rewrap in a third sheet of foil.
Place the package directly on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
While the roast is prebaking, prepare the simmering broth. Add all of the broth ingredients to a large cooking pot and bring to a boil. Cover with a lid and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. For quick broths, bring the water and bouillon paste, cubes or powder to a simmer in a large covered cooking pot after the roast has been removed from the oven.
Remove the roast from the oven and let cool for about 30 minutes. Unwrap the roast and with a fork, pierce the roast 4 times on the top and 4 times on the bottom.
If the broth was made from scratch, use a slotted spoon to remove and discard the large solid ingredients. It’s not necessary to strain the broth completely. Bring the broth to a boil and carefully lower the roast into the broth. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hour. Turn the roast occasionally as it simmers. Monitor the pot frequently and adjust the heat as necessary to maintain the simmer. The broth should be gently bubbling. Do not boil, but do not let the roast merely poach in hot liquid either, as a gentle simmer is necessary to penetrate the roast and finish the cooking process.
Remove the pot from the heat, cover and let cool for several hours or until lukewarm. Remove the roast, seal in a food storage bag with 1⁄4 cup broth and refrigerate for a minimum of 8 hours or for up to 1 week before finishing. To freeze the roast, place it into a freezer bag without the broth and freeze for up to 3 months. If the roast was frozen, thaw for several days in the refrigerator before finishing.
Bring the roast to room temperature for about 2 hours before finishing. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Lightly blot the roast with a paper towel.
In a large, deep non-stick skillet or wok, melt the butter or margarine over medium heat. Add the roast and turn with 2 large spoons to coat the roast in the butter or margarine (wooden spoons are ideal, as they won’t mar the surface of the roast). Continue to turn the roast occasionally until lightly browned. Add the tamari and continue to turn about 1 minute. Now add the wine or reserved broth, the herbs and a few pinches of black pepper. Continue to pan-glaze until the liquid has evaporated and the roast achieves a beautiful golden brown color.
Transfer to a shallow baking dish, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes to heat through.
Transfer the roast to a serving platter, slice and serve immediately. Store any leftover roast in a food storage bag or sealable container in the refrigerator. Consume within 5 days or freeze.
Tip: Thinly sliced cold leftover roast makes superb hot or cold sandwiches. For hot sandwiches, slice the cold roast and then wrap the slices securely in foil. Place the foil package in a hot oven or in a steamer until heated through. The slices can also be gently reheated in the microwave.
13 cups Nutritional Yeast Flakes?! I think it should be 1/3?
Thank you for catching and I’ve now learned a lesson about copy/pasting fractions. I guess I need to type them out or they don’t work. It’s been fixed. 😊
I can’t find heavy foil. Will work if I double it?
Yes, that should do the trick. 🙂
I made this and it was great. Now I have something to take tomorrow for the Thanksgiving dinner that I can eat. Thank you for the recipe!
This has the taste of an old rubber ball. Yes, I made it as closely to the recipe as possible, except for the final finishing part with the glaze. Even so, it should’ve had some recognizable flavor, but this just doesn’t taste like food at all. I didn’t bother with setting it out at night for the hungry critters for the reason that surely, even they wouldn’t know what it was. So, I’ve thrown the whole lump away.
I’ve never had rubber ball so I can’t compare… however I do know that this was a huge hit last thanksgiving, there were no leftovers and was requested for Christmas and again, no leftovers.
I’m making it today because my husband asked for it for his birthday! It’s delicious and my whole family loves it. Even the non vegans!