Smoked Apple and Beer Unsausages

From The Vegan Pantry

1/2 cup bulgur wheat
1 cup boiling water
1/4 cup olive oil or water
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 medium apple, cored and diced
1/2 cup beer or ale (IPA recommended)
4 or 5 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons white or chickpea miso
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
1 tablespoon powdered sage
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups vital wheat gluten

Put the bulgur wheat in a small heatproof bowl, pour the boiling water over it, and cover with a lid or a plate. Let it soak for 10 to 15 minutes.

Heat the oil in a skillet or sauté pan over medium heat and sauté the onion until fairly tender. For an oil-free version, sauté the onion in a dry skillet, adding water as necessary to prevent sticking. Add the mushrooms and sauté until wilted. Transfer to a food processor or blender and add the apple, beer, 4 cloves garlic (or more, if you like it more garlicky), soy sauce, miso, poultry seasoning, sage, thyme, liquid smoke, and allspice. Pulse until it forms a slurry with a bit of texture; it does not need to be completely smooth. Put this slurry into a bowl.

Drain the bulgur and add it to the slurry. Mix in the wheat gluten- for a tender sausage, use just 1 1/2 cups; for a firm one, use 1 3/4 cups. Roll the mixture into ten to twelve sausages 4 to 5 inches long and 3/4 inch in diameter. Wrap each log tightly in aluminum foil. Place the logs in a steamer, leaving 1/2 inch between them, and steam for about 1 hour (if you need to stack them, do so in a crisscross manner with space in between, which will allow for better steam circulation). They will be very soft when they come out of the steamer but will firm up as they cool. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.