Since Thanksgiving is only two weeks away, I figured I better get cracking and start evaluating all the new turkey analogues that have come on the market since last year. Sure, there are some tried and true favorites, like Quorn’s Turk’y Roast. But what if you are having your Thanksgiving meal with just your spouse or a friend? Or maybe it’s only you, as the lone vegetarian in your family, looking for an easy substitute on your plate for the bird?
We recently tried Gardein Savory Stuffed Turk’y and thought that it would work well for either scenario. Since there are only two to a package, it’s perfect for the couple eating dinner by themselves, or you can just make one if you are the lone vegetarian in the family and reseal the bag. We liked the crisp outside breading, and thought that the texture of the turkey analogue portion was believable. We liked the bread-based stuffing with its hint of onions, celery, and cranberries.
The only thing we didn’t love is the gravy. (Perhaps this was because I am a very good gravy maker!) We thought the gravy was a little too salty and had kind of a single note of flavor. Since I use my homemade broth when I make a meatless gravy, and flavor it with a lot of onions, celery, mushrooms, bay leaf, and sage, my gravy has a lot of different flavor components. Still, if you are eating alone, or don’t want to make a meatless gravy for just you and your spouse, I think the gravy pouches will work for you. Just use them sparingly until you decide that you like it!
There are at least four other good Turkey analogues I’ll be reviewing in the coming weeks, so please stay tuned!
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