Tofurky

Not to be confused with Tofurkey.

Tofurky is the brand name of an American vegetarian turkey replacement (also known as a meat analogue) made from a blend of wheat protein and organic tofu.

Tofurky is a trademark of Turtle Island Foods, a company based in Oregon. Turtle Island has come to also use the brand name for most of their meatless products, such as deli slices, sausages, jerky, tempeh (their first product), burgers, and franks. All of the Tofurky products are fully vegan and approved by the Vegan Society^{[citation needed]}, and most are kosher-certified by the Kosher Supervision of America. The product name combines elements of "tofu" and "turkey" into a single word which sounds like a spoonerism of "faux turkey".

Purchase

The Tofurky roast is found in health food grocery stores; however, availability is limited in some areas. Tofurky is generally less expensive than a large holiday bird.^{[citation needed]} Inside the box, it comes in the form of a small but dense roast, wrapped tightly in a disposable casing, and is something of a rounded loaf in shape. It comes stuffed with mushrooms, herbs, and wild rice. Though the roast can be purchased separately, it is also offered as part of a meal with cranberry-apple-potato dumplings, gravy, and "wishstix"^{[citation needed]} made from Tofurky Jurky, a meatless jerky product. The Whole Foods store chain is a major seller of Tofurky products.

As part of a holiday meal

A Tofurky dinner

Tofurky is a popular meat alternative amongst many vegetarians, who avoid turkey for ethical and/or personal reasons. It is also chosen by other individuals for health, environmental, or religious reasons. The product is free from turkey and other meat products, but still allows individuals to celebrate holidays with traditional meals. The product may be part of a completely vegetarian meal that includes vegetarian and/or vegan updates of other classics (such as pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, and meatless gravy), or served alongside turkey at a more traditional table to accommodate vegetarian guests.

Nutrition & health

Nutritional information for equal servings of Tofurky and turkey is available online, allowing interested people to compare calories, fat, cholesterol, and protein.[1] Compared to turkey, Tofurky is lower in calories and fat. The company does not use trans fat and the product has no cholesterol since it is 100% vegan.

Turtle Foods has indicated that it no longer uses certain controversial soy products^{[citation needed]} and only uses non-GMO soybeans.[2]. The roast is vegan, which also means it is suitable for those with egg or milk allergies; but for those who suffer from allergies to the soy and/or wheat gluten used in most meat alternatives, Tofurky is not an option (see the end of the page for alternatives).

Preparation

The Tofurky is pre-stuffed and sealed at the ends to enclose the stuffing. It cooks in one hour and fifteen minutes if thawed or three hours and fifteen minutes if frozen. Because the product has a uniform texture, it slices easily.

Similarity to turkey

Tofurky is seitan and soy based and was created to have a texture similar to that of meat products; the vegetable-based turkey-like flavorings are intended to make it comparable to traditional Thanksgiving fare. In order to make the product as similar to flesh as they intended, its creators designed the roast so that it tears off at a forty-five degree angle with the grain.[3]

See also

• Daiya
• Tofurkey, common name for some kinds of turkey alternatives served at holidays
• Nut roast, a typically home-made, nut based main dish
• List of harvest festivals
• Veggie burger
• Macrobiotic diet

External links

• Turtle Island Foods web site
• Tofurky Recipes