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Forum: Textured Vegetable Protein

03 March 2006

tjclaw1 – at 11:46

Has anybody ever tried this, or are storing any? I was thinking of ordering some, but not sure if my family would like it.

Lorelle – at 11:48

Yes, I bought some dehydrated from Survival Acres, taco flavored, and was surprised how much the taste and texture are like meat. I plan to make chili with it. Try sneaking it in with their favorite recipe with just a little meat and see if they notice.

Np1 – at 11:52

TVP stores well, is good to bulk up many dishes with and comes in different flavors. I view it as a suppliment and have used it accordingly for some years. By itself it has limited uses. Kelly

Timber – at 11:54

It’s good stuff, with a slightly off flavor. I was told the distinctive flavor is due to some sugar complex. My solution is to make a big pot — boil the stuff in excess water — then rinse and repeat the process. Pour off the second water, drain well, and spice it like meat. Prepared thusly, I’ve served it many times to friends who couldn’t believe it wasn’t meat. Spaghetti sauce, tacos, stews, soups, etc. Stores very well

Worried in the city – at 12:19

I bought it in the # 10 cans. It’s so much cheaper than meat and in an emergency, who can complain? (my kids but don’t go there.)

tjclaw1 – at 12:26

When you buy TVP in #10 can, do you have to use it all upon opening, refrigerate remaining, or can it be stored at room temp, and how long does it keep after opening?

Also, have you tried to grill it or fry it, or is that not possible?

Worried in the city – at 12:31

Honeyville grain said I had a year to use them after they were opened without refrigeration.

I know Eccles would blanche, but I havn’t tested it. My family wouldn’t like it unless they were starving anyway.

Eccles – at 12:35

Worried - Actually, my axe would be actual safety equipment that should always be tested before needed. In the case of TVP (which I have considered myself, but my wife won’t hear of it), once they are stranded, their hearts and stomachs will follow you anywhere.

UpstateGuyat 13:51

I bought a 50 lb bag of unflavored TVP from Honeyville Grain. It cost less than $1 US per pound delivered to New York State from Utah. A pound of the stuff dry equals about 3 to4 pounds of ground beef when soaked, in volume and protein content. I’ve used some in things like chili, and to make burgers. It requires some seasoning but it is fat free, has lots of fiber, and is a lot cheaper and easier to store than meat. Figure on using it in sauces, casseroles and stuff. It’s nice knowing there is something besides beans and rice on the menu if things get bad. For $50 you can provide enough “meat” for a family of four for a couple of months of main meals. It does have a slightly odd smell when it is dry, but that gets covered up by the garlic, pepper, chicken base, etc. you will want to cook it with.

carrey – at 13:54

I buy and use TVP now. It is cheaper per pound than hamburger even before it is rehydrated. After rehydrating its WAY cheaper!. I wouldn’t want to try to make a hamburger patty out of it, however, for chili, spagg. sauce sloppy joes ect its great. I mix it about 50/50 with ground hamburger and nobody here can tell the difference. (well my DH SAYS he can, I don’t beleive him) My 4 kiddo’s have never even looked at it funny.

For chili I just pour a cup or so of it dry right into the otherwise finished chili along with a little bit extra moisture. The TVP absorbs the flavors and works wonderfully.

For things like taco meat, I will make up the ground meat like normal. Then in a glass measuring cup I will nuke about a cup of water along with the taco seasoning till its good and hot, then pour in the TVP to rehydrate, so that the TVP absorbs the taco seasoning. Then just mix it with the seasoned ground beef.

I have used it in meat balls, and meatloaf also at the 50/50 ratio. To rehydrate TVP for this I just nuke a cup of water with a couple of beef boullion cubes till hot and use that and mix as usual.

I have never had a kid say anything about meals made with TVP, ever. They are 13, 8, 6 and 2.

I suggest that anyone who is interested in using TVP go get some at your health food store and use it 50/50 in something like chili without telling anyone, and see how it goes over. I truely think you’ll be surprised when they don’t notice it.

carrey – at 14:00

upstate guy

I went to the website you suggested to look at getting TVP there in bulk. It says its “chunks”. The stuff I buy looks like crumbles, almost like dehydrated white hamburger, but I know that they also make some that looks like cubed meat. Have you opened your can to see what it looks like? I’d like to know before I go buy a bag.

AVanartsat 18:06

I haven’t used any in quite a while but have a bunch in with my other storage foods. Some of it is in #10 cans and some is in 6 gallon buckets.

Back in the 80′s I used to buy it in the bulk bins of a local “health food” store, so I guess that should address the question of whether it needs to be used right after opening the can. No, just keep it in a reasonably dry place. A sealed jar will do quite nicely.

It is my understanding that what is available is better than the product that I was buying 20+ years ago, and that was pretty good. Just rehydrate it and use it as you would any ground (or chunk) meat product.

AVanartsat 18:10

carrey, was that the flavored or plain product?

The flavored usually comes in several sizes depending on the type of meet being imitated. Hamburger is fairly small, ham is larger chunks. Bacon bits are probably the smallest, and are usually what you find as “bacon bits” at the local salad bar.

The unflavored product is available as “plain” or “caramel” with the only difference being the color. It is good to use as a filler to stretch out hamburger or other meats, or add some flavor with bullion or soup base and use your imagination.

NS1 – at 19:09

Enchilada and taco ‘meat’ with a lot of chili powder and habanera.

TVP comes in 3 extrusions usually, small, medium and chunk. The chunks do well for soups and chilis if you have plenty of time to soak them or cook them to infuse the seasoning. The small and medium work much faster as they uptake seasoning almost immediately and can be ready in 5–10 minutes after hot water is added.

Remember TVP is just a supplement and should not be your primary form of protein. It is made from soybeans and we all get plenty of soy from everyday fast foods and processed foods. The heat and pressure of the extrusion process removes many of the original nutrients from the soybeans as well.

Try also some of the other meat replacements made from other grains.

Melanie – at 19:18

Tempeh recipes here.

NS1 – at 19:31

Good call, Melanie!

Recall everyone that organisms fed fermented foods, like sauerkraut are observed to have reduced viral loads and reduced infectivity on challenge.

The anti-microbial effect is multi-pronged: reducing available resources and fuel for the pathogen, creating a hostile terrain for the pathogen and direct action of disintegrating the pathogen.

Maybe we should look at the full host of fermented foods for prophylaxis:

Kim Chi, tempeh, sauerkraut, miso, goat yogurt (no added sugar), tuo zaafi (thick sorghum or millet porridge from Africa), fermented black beans, et al.

As you can see, fermenting works on just about any vegetable or grain if you find the right recipe and starter.

Add your ideas here or start a Food for Fermenters thread.

Eeyore – at 19:46

…fermenting…fermenting…ferm---WAIT, can we include beer in the ‘fermented foods’ category!? Someone please say, “Yes”…!

:-)

NS1 – at 19:47

Wine would be better for the resveratrol anti-viral effect.

But if you must?

NS1 – at 19:48

Ale and apple cider were both used extensively in the Western world to curb the effects of bacteria-laden water until the past 50 years or so.

Kathy in FL – at 19:52

OK, now you guys are making me curious. I’ve been canning ground beef, but maybe I’ll give this a try as well. Shoot, its bound to be lighter in the back pack if I wind up just using it when we go camping <grin>

04 March 2006

NS1 – at 06:11

Lightweight, reasonably shelf stable and takes any flavor you give it.

Buy larger quantities of more spices like 1 pound bags from Frontier or TSN Labs.

Common cooking herbs and spices are deeply nutritious and immunomodulating.

25 May 2006

BroncoBillat 02:12

Older thread, closing for speed purposes.

check dates

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