Into the Woods

Vegan meat analogs have become a staple around here. The most recent experiment was an attempt at Lexington-style pork barbecue. There’d be no mistaking it for the real thing, but it was very good. We even ate the leftovers for breakfast (with fried apples, yellow grits, and warmed-over biscuits).

The basic ingredients for the meat analogs are legumes (either cooked, mashed soybeans or garbanzo bean flour), ground nuts (usually brazil nuts), and wheat gluten. The proportions and seasonings are varied according to the kind of analog. Mashed soybeans makes a nice analog of dark meat, and garbanzo bean flour makes a nice analog of white meat. The addition of ground nuts makes a flakier texture (like meat loaf), and the reduction or omission of the ground nuts makes a more chewy texture (like chicken or pork).

I used a homemade barbecue sauce, Lexington style (as in Lexington, North Carolina — ground zero for the type of pork barbecue that is made in this area of North Carolina). The ingredients are cider vinegar (sometimes diluted with water or apple juice), ketchup, brown sugar, black and red pepper, and salt. If you Google for “Lexington barbecue sauce” you’ll find lots of recipes. The smokiness of proper barbecue was missing. Liquid Smoke is on my shopping list. I hope that will help.

I served the barbecue with roasted potatoes, slaw, and homemade rolls. Good eatin’!