Jump within page to... Gluten (GLOOtun) is a meat substitute that can be made at home from whole wheat flour and contains the 8 amino acids necessary to make a complete protein. However, the amino acid lysine in most wheat is low. Adding bean flour in the gluten-making process will add the necessary lysine.Used in various main dish recipes gluten makes emergency meals more appetizing. It doesn't take long to learn how to make it, and then comes the fun of experimenting with recipes and trying to make it taste more like meat. If meat and cheese are scarce, use them in very small amounts as flavoring for gluten dishes.
Making Gluten
(Protein Part of Wheat)
Stir while adding enough water to moisten flour. (See the Quick Wholesome Foods video for texture.) Let rest 1/2 hour or more, then add a small amount of clear water to the bowl. Work and squeeze with your hands to loosen the dough (less than a minute). When the water takes on a milky appearance and you see specks of bran, pour this water off, holding bulk of the dough back with your hands. Over a sink, place this cough in a colander (plastic works best) with another bowl placed underneath the colander to catch any of the gluten that slips through the holes. Under a tap of slowly running lukewarm water, work and squeeze the dough with your hands until the gluten starts to hold together and the liquid coming from the dough is clear. It is not necessary to rinse out all of the bran from the gluten. In about 3-5 minutes, you should have a ball of elastic-like dough. This is Raw Gluten.
- bowl of 10 c. flour
- lukewarm water (6-8 cups)
Raw Gluten can now be cooked using any of the following methods:
Cut cooked, firm gluten into slices (for steaks or chipped "beef"); strips (for stir-fry or gravies); cubes (for chicken dishes); or grind (for "hamburger" or candy recipes).
- Vegetable steamer - 30 minutes, or until firm
- Double boiler - 30 minutes, or until firm
- Pressure cooker - 15 minutes at 15 lb. pressure (with or without broth seasoning)
Flavoring the Gluten
Simmer unflavored cut gluten (not the ground texture) 3-5 minutes in 1/4" to 1/2" seasoned broth (beef, chicken, ham, crab or herb seasoning mixes).
Preparing the Gluten
Bread and pan-fry the steaks, top with sauce. Just before serving, add cubes to soups, gravies, seafood dishes; include strips in stir-fry and use for jerky. Season ground gluten and add to chili, taco sauce, pizza, etc. just before serving. See The Amazing Wheat Book by LeArta Moulton for detailed instructions and seasoning suggestions.
Copyright 1999 by Natural Meals Publishing. The information in this section may be freely used for non-profit purposes as long as the book source and author remain intact. Express permission of the author, Rita Bingham, must be received for commercial profit.
Updated: 24 Mar 99