A method of preparing ready-to-eat intermediate moisture foodstuffs

A method of preparing a ready to eat, intermediate moisture, texturized foodstuff for human consumption, comprising:

• admixing ingredients consisting essentially of i) a dehulled, oilseed protein in a form selected from the group consisting of meal, flour, concentrate and isolate, and ii) a first source of water selected from a group consisting of water, slid meat products, a liquid meat digest, a liquid meat extract, liquid milk products, cheese whey, diluted cereal grain extract, and fermented beer to obtain a first mixture having a moisture content of about 25 to 50 wt. %.
• cooking, working and extruding said first mixture at a temperature of about 212.degree. to 350.degree. F. and an exit pressure of about 200 to 2000 psi to produce a first texturized foodstuff having a fibrous meat-like texture;
• grinding said first texturized foodstuff to produce shreds;
• admixing said shredded first texturized foodstuff and a second source of water to obtain a second mixture;
• extrusion cooking and pasteurizing said second mixture at a temperature above about 190.degree. F.;
• decreasing the temperature of said pasteurized second mixture to about ambient temperature to produce a second texturized foodstuff;
• and
• shaping and cutting said second texturized foodstuff to a desired shape and size.