Tofurky VS Field Roast
In my local supermarket there are only two holiday turkey substitutes: Tofurky & Field Roast. For Thanksgiving this last year I bought the small Tofurky. As laziness would have it, I didn’t cook it for Thanksgiving. But a few days later when I was housesitting I brought my Tofurky with me and cooked it there. And then for Christmas I decided to give the Field Roast product a try.
Now, let me say, I like Tofurky. But I think a lot of the variation in people’s taste experience is in the preparation. So it can be a hit or miss ordeal. Unfortunately, it is cost prohibitive to purchase Tofurky with the sole intention of experimenting until you get it just how you like it.
Field Roast’s Celebration Feast is smaller than even the small Tofurky log, but unless you are feeding a large vegan family then it shouldn’t matter. Field Roast is DELICIOUS no matter how you might cook it. It’s savory and the stuffing is yummilicious. It’s uncanny in that the method they use to prepare it makes it outwardly resemble actual meat. I had to look at the label several times to reassure myself that is was in fact Vegan. Of all the pictures that I am sure I have taken, this picture of the cut up Field Roast is all I can manage to find:
In my opinion, Field Roast’s Celebration Feast is the BEST of the two options. But the journey doesn’t end there. I have an out of print cookbook that has a recipe for creating your own un-turkey. And I think I have just about everything I need. So in the very near future I will be doing some experimentation with that. Stay tuned!
Tags: gluten
Filed under Cooking, Holidays, Reviews.
January 13th, 2010 at 9:33 am
I’ve never tried tofurkey or the Field Roast but you’ve got me intrigued! Your photo is so shocking, it really does look like real meat! I’m excited to hear about your experiments with making your own version.
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January 13th, 2010 at 2:37 pm
Is it sold already prepared? You know my kitchen situation and this would be an awesome thing to have.
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January 13th, 2010 at 5:57 pm
Yes, both come ready made. All you have to do is cook it. But keep in mind that they only come as the “meat” wrapped around a stuffing core, which is not a complete meal.
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January 15th, 2010 at 9:04 am
it makes me wonder, if as a vegan you, well, detest the use of everything meaty and animal parts and all, then why make the substitute product resemble what you detest? i’m just saying. :)
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January 15th, 2010 at 4:08 pm
Were I raised a vegan I probably wouldn’t eat meat substitutes except on their own merit as yet another food item. But I’m indoctrinated in an omnivorous culture.
When I stopped eating beef I didn’t give up burgers, I just ate a different kind of burger. When I went vegan I didn’t stop loving pizzas with cheese, I just found a vegan substitute for the food I already love.
Around the holidays it is difficult for vegans to blend in with their omni friends and families. Whether we yearn for years of turkey tradition or simply want to eat something more resembling what our friends & family are eating, purchasing a vegan roast makes us feel part of the festivities rather than apart.
I could cook a vegan meal that does not have any meat substitutes, but I can do that any and every day. A vegan roast is special just like cooking a huge turkey-centric feast is not something you would do every day.
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January 15th, 2010 at 4:33 pm
sounds viable, though i would of given you the roast regardless, they’re just big lump anyways, not really resembling much.
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