IT'S ALIVE!!! ALIVE!!1

Note "skin" color and awesomeness. Also this is stuffed but the stuffing blends in with the roast. You'll see carrots in a kinda circle/oval. That's the stuffing.

This is what I made for T-Day. Big hit with Vegans and Omni's a like. This is coming late in the game so the roast is a dayish old but still looks good if not a bit eaten down. This thing was hhhuugggeee compared to other ones I made and the super market tofurkeys. I adapted a few recipes to get this one but mainly the Vegan Dad one. Different flavor and size but same basic idea. I was also watching Alejandro Jodorowsky's "Santa Sangre" while making this.......I feel it made a difference.....check it:

Seitan
Get your water on its way to boiling in your steamer
- 2 cup vital wheat gluten
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp poultry spice
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- Few pinches of rosemary
- 2 tbsp course black pepper
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup soy milk
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp mesquite liquid smoke
- 2 tbsp Braggs
- 1/4 cup TVP

Rectangular Cake Pan
Roasting Bag


Stuffing
1 small Carrot
1/2 a large yellowOnion
1 rib Celery
Garlic
Balsamic Vinegar
Flour

Stuffing method
You can make whatever you like but I find this flavors the roast from the inside out. The baste then flavors from the outside in and BAM! Finely chop the carrots, celery, garlic and onion. Pop all of it into a large bowl and mix it up. Add some balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with flour. Continue to add flour till the mixture holds together. This will make more than you need for the roast but the rest will be put into the bag with the roast

Roast METHOD
1. Whisk together dry ingredients in a bowl. Whisk together wet ingredients in a separate bowl and add to dry. Mix with a wooden spoon into a wet dough. If it seems too wet, add a bit more gluten flour. It should be soft and pliable, but still hold together. I find adding extra gluten necessary with this recipe as EXACT measuring is for kings and queens. Add as much or as little seasonings and liquids as you would like then make up the difference with extra gluten. The more gluten you add the more roast you have sooo... bring on the gluten.
2. Transfer dough to a piece of extra wide, extra strength aluminum foil (it is important to have this), and with your hands, flatten into a rectangle, about 1/2" thick. The width will depend on how wide your steamer is. Make sure it will fit. And believe me with this recipe it'll be a TIGHT fit.
3. Put stuffing in a line the center of the dough. Compress the stuffing in your hands so the center of the roast will be firm. Gently but firmly roll the seitan with the stuffing in the middle (i.e. make sure there is a cavity in the middle with the stuffing in it--don't roll it like a jelly roll). Seal the ends and seam as best you can.
4. Tightly roll up like a Tootsie Roll. You make need to add an extra piece of foil going the opposite way of your first foil to get a tight tootsie roll goin on.
5. Steam for 40 mins, turning over after 20 mins. I find that I need to put a heavy book on top of the lid to keep the roast from lifting the lid off of my steamer. Maybe your's is deeper than mine. America's Test Kitchen cookbook works well. It can be a real balancing act trying to get it to stay and not fall off. I usually put one of the book on the handle and the other is supported with a thermos or something that is just the right height to keep it from falling. I also find that this makes the roast a little more dense and less spongy....which I like. While steaming, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
6. Just before roast is ready to be taken out of steamer and put in toaster oven prepare your vegetables to be roasted with the roast. All of this (the roast ultimately and the veggies) will be roasted in a roasting bag which sits in a rectangular cake pan (I think thats what you'd call it). This allows for maximum veggies to surround and flavor your roast. Slit as many carrots as you'd like length-wise (and then maybe in half if they will fit better in the baking pan), quarter an onion or two and as many red or small potatoes as you'd like. Also break up a few ribs of celery in half or so. Add some halved cloves of garlic (I recommend A LOT!). Finally add whatever stuffing you had left over. It'll make it taste pretty good. Once all of that is in the bag add some balsamic vinegar and some balsamic vinaigrette. Twist the bag closed (DON'T SEAL it yet) and pop it in the oven while the roast is finishing steaming/baking. Watch the bag as it will expand. Maybe put a slit or two in the bag now. I like to wait till the roast is in to preserve the moisture......but whatever.
7. After steaming place roast in toaster oven at 350 and bake for 10-15 mins.
8. Once baked unwrap roast and place in baking bag with carrots, celery, onions, and garlic. You'll have to carve a little place for it among the veggies. Baste liberally with braggs, balsamic vinegar and vinaigrette (lite) and asian ginger sesame dressings (lite). Pop a dash or two (or more) of mesquite liquid smoke on it. Sprinkle some rosemary, poultry seasoning and course black pepper, and crushed red pepper on top. Seal the bag (slit bag once or twice) and bake for 30 mins.........or so. I find that since the bag is there a lot of the moisture stays in and flavors the roast. You could let it go for 30 then leave it in the oven till everyone is ready to eat.....heck an hour or two in the oven I think kind helps it as it cools. Either way you should let the roast stand for a good 20 minutes to soak up the sun before cutting this pup up. Serve with or without gravy....you do what you want!


Creamy Country Gravy:
Yields about 4-1/2 cups
½ cup wheat flour
½ cups nutritional yeast
1 1/2 Tbsp. Canola or soy oil
2 cups soymilk and 2 cups stock
1 Tbsp. Soy sauce
3 tsp. poultry seasoning
2 tsp. onion powder
½ tsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. freshly ground black pepper
Corn Starch as needed

Prepare stock. I like to use the powdered faux chicken stock. It's about a tbsp per cup. I add 2 tbsp stock powder (plus a little more for good luck) to two cups water and begin to heat. While heating I chop up half a large yellow onion and add to the mix. I also add a sprinkle of granulated garlic (chopped fresh garlic or powder will due as well). Sometimes I like it spicy so I add a course chopped jalapeno. Season how you'd like.

Heat the flour and nutritional yeast in the oil until it starts to brown. Whisk in the soymilk an stock, leaving no lumps. Whisk in the soy sauce, poultry seasoning, onion powder and black pepper. Heat until it thickens and just starts to boil. Add corn starch to thicken as you desire.