Mushroom Roast Beef

Ingredients

• 2 cup Vital wheat gluten
• 13 Baby bella mushrooms (Use 12–14 mushrooms; cleaned and finely chopped. The recipe specifies 2 cups finely chopped mushrooms after processing.)
• 0.5 cup Nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp Chili powder
• 1 tbsp Granulated garlic
• 1 tbsp Dried minced onion
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
• 2 tsp Cumin powder
• 1 tsp Red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Black pepper
• 6 tbsp Harissa paste
• 2 tbsp Water
• 3 tbsp Liquid aminos
• 0.25 cup Avocado oil (Used in the dough mixture.)
• Avocado oil (Additional oil to coat the roast before smoking or baking.)
• Parchment paper (Enough to wrap the dough log tightly 2–3 times.)
• Wood chips (Optional, for smoking the roast for 30 minutes.)

Steps

1. 1

   Clean the mushrooms if needed by brushing them with a soft brush or quickly rinsing them under running water. Dry them thoroughly with a towel so excess water does not weaken the dough.

2. 2

   Place the cleaned mushrooms in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Stop before they become a smooth or mushy puree.

3. 3

   Add the vital wheat gluten, nutritional yeast, chili powder, granulated garlic, dried minced onion, coriander, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper to a large bowl. Stir thoroughly so the seasonings are evenly distributed.

4. 4

   Add 2 cups of the finely chopped mushrooms to the seasoned dry mixture and stir until evenly combined.

5. 5

   In a separate bowl, mix together the harissa paste, water, liquid aminos, and 1/4 cup avocado oil until the mixture is cohesive.

6. 6

   Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mushrooms. Knead until the mixture forms a cohesive dough and the mushroom meat becomes tough and elastic, indicating that the gluten has developed.

7. 7

   Shape the dough into a compact log. Wrap the log tightly in parchment paper 2–3 times, then twist both ends of the parchment as tightly as possible to secure the package and help maintain the shape.

8. 8

   Prepare and preheat a steamer pan. Ensure there is enough simmering water to steam for the full cooking time without allowing the water to touch the wrapped roast.

9. 9

   Place the parchment-wrapped mushroom roast in the steamer. Steam for 1 hour, or until the roast feels firm to the touch, turning it halfway through so it cooks evenly.

10. 10

    Carefully unwrap the steamed roast and brush its surface with additional avocado oil.

11. 11

    Finish the roast using one of the two methods specified by the recipe: smoke it with wood chips for 30 minutes, or bake it in a preheated 340°F (170°C) oven for 20–30 minutes, until the exterior is set and lightly browned.

12. 12

    Let the roast cool for a few minutes before slicing. Serve it in sandwiches, or cut it into pieces and process it in a food processor for a ground-beef substitute.

Notes

If not serving immediately, wrap the roast in parchment paper and store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator to prevent it from drying out. The recipe offers smoking or baking as alternative finishing methods.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• vegan
• vegetarian
• dairy-free
• egg-free
• sandwich filling
• steamed
• baked