vegan pot roast in dutch oven instead of crock pot?
I saw where someone asked a question on here on how to do a pot roast in a dutch oven (the unanimous answer: inside the oven at 350 degrees for 4 to 6 hours) instead of using a crock pot and I am wondering if those instructions would hold for a vegan pot roast that is made from vital wheat gluten, found in Julie Hasson's Vegan Diner cookbook? I'm doing the unthinkable and making it for the first time for out-of-town guests. Please help if you can.
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11 Comments
susan G.June 8, 2013
One consideration: the gluten is fully cooked, so 'safe internal temperature' does not apply. I believe your goal is to cook it long enough to infuse the flavors into the bouncy glob (!), and let them marry with other veg(gie) or carb ingredients. From the sound of it, temps that produce a gentle simmer would be best.
susan G.June 8, 2013
Looking back at your question, I realize that you may be making the gluten roast, not buying ready-made seitan. If so, looking at the techniques for making seitan (simmering it in flavored broth -- check macrobiotic sources) would provide a model.
ThistleJune 6, 2013
YES this is exactly what I needed! I will let you know what happens. Thank you!
sexyLAMBCHOPxJune 6, 2013
Please do and if you like the recipe enough, please share on the site. Good luck!
sexyLAMBCHOPxJune 6, 2013
http://blog.williams-sonoma.com/slow-cooker-vs-dutch-oven-a-conversion-guide
sexyLAMBCHOPxJune 6, 2013
This might help you for converting slow cooker recipes, even vital wheat gluten for the Dutch oven and vs. versa. It can work. I doubt the above answers have tried converting but I have with success. Let us know!
sexyLAMBCHOPxJune 6, 2013
http://blog.williams-sonoma.com/slow-cooker-vs-dutch-oven-a-conversion-guide/
ThistleJune 6, 2013
Thank you, this is very helpful. Wish me luck on my glob of gluten!
ChefOnoJune 6, 2013
Slow cookers have no magical powers and anything you can accomplish in one may be duplicated in an oven or on a cooktop. That said, I think what you're considering is more akin to making meatloaf than pot roast. A pot roast is a braise, a process whereby collagen from connective tissue is converted into gelatin and fat is slowly melted. Since none of that would apply to a glob of gluten, I would suggest following whatever instructions are given in the recipe and check for a safe internal temperature with a digital thermometer before serving. You can use whatever oven temperature you like but anything over about 250 is a waste of energy for the purpose and will just end up heating your kitchen (the laws of thermodynamics prevent the temperature inside a closed vessel from rising above 212F as long as there is liquid present).
pierinoJune 6, 2013
First, I'm not a vegan and never will be, although fadish as it is I'm not a gluten phobe either. Still, I'm having hard time not thinking that any thing made from wheat gluten using a braising method won't turn to porridge over that length of cooking time.
ThistleJune 6, 2013
Thanks for your thoughts. I know it sounds crazy but I haven't had that experience with her other vital wheat gluten recipes that I've tried where the bouncy (some might say "rubbery") non-softening texture is leveraged to great effect, even over long cooking times. I'm not vegan either (vegetarian~ yes), but find her recipes to be delicious and useful for (religious) fasting.
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