Making Vegimite From Yeast

[Donasay]

I am wondering if anyone has some experience making vegimite or marmite from the yeast left over after the brewing process. I have been doing some reading and have found this information about the process:

The general method for making yeast extract for food products such as Vegemite and Marmite on a commercial scale is to add salt to a suspension of yeast making the solution hypertonic, which leads to the cells shrivelling up; this triggers autolysis, in which the yeast self-destructs. The dying yeast cells are then heated to complete their breakdown, after which the husks (yeast with thick cell walls which wouldn't do the texture much good) are separated.

I just thought I would ask if anyone has a recipe or if anyone has experience trying this before. I have never had vegimite before so I wouldn't know if I made it properly just by adding salt and heating the yeast. So I am essentially looking for an exact recipe. A friend of mine who grew up in Australia says she can't find the stuff here in the U.S. and I thought it might be fun to try and make some.

Any suggestions?

 

[Glibbidy]

I think I just threw up a litte bit in my mouth.

 

[Evan!]

I think I just threw up a litte bit in my mouth.

I think we all did.

A friend of mine puts marmite on toast. I just...I can't see it.

 

[Germey]

Really, she can't find it? I see it at some major grocery stores as well as local health food stores.
C'mon guys, it's not that bad. Not something I would ever buy, but I've had no problems eating it on occasion because that's what was offered (happened a few times in other countries)

 

[Evan!]

C'mon guys, it's not that bad. Not something I would ever buy, but I've had no problems eating it on occasion because that's what was offered (happened a few times in other countries)

yeah, I know you're right...wait...no...

 

[c.n.budz]

I know that the all natural/whole foods market near me carries vegimite. I've never been able to bring myself to buy any though...

 

[Joker]

I barely do vegetables lets not even discuss vegimite.

 

[Germey]

Evan, your smilies kill me!

 

[SuperiorBrew]

I think I just threw up a litte bit in my mouth.

If you throw up on toast you wont need the vegimite

 

[Donasay]

I hope the australians don't get all upset that you are bashing their national spread. After all, they are all sleeping right now and due to wake up in a couple hours. Then I think some of the proverbial excrement will hit the air conditioning if you don't apologize.

 

[cheezydemon]

Why do they call it Vegemite if it is made of a fungus?

DURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

 

[BlindLemonLars]

Vegemite is very easy to find in the US, Marmite is a little harder. It's even available on eBay!

I like both, but prefer Vegemite. I have it on a buttered bagel for breakfast a few times a week, and find it to have a wonderful and complex taste. The key is to apply the butter first, then spread the Vegemite on as THIN as possible...really, put on as little as you can manage.

I also use it in beef soups and stews to add richness and flavor. It's quite salty, so you have to adjust the amount of salt in your recipe to compensate.

 

[Germey]

Scrolling to the bottom of the thread (and laughing a bit more) and what do I see in the Google adds? Two of the four are for Vegemite you can buy online here in the states. One proudly says they ship from TX! Lord knows it's always better if the truck starts out in Texas.

 

[SuperiorBrew]

Trub on toast

The Vegemite Tales

 

[sirsloop]

 

[SuperiorBrew]

 

[blacklab]

name the 80's song and artist:

'...and he gave me a vegemite sandwich...'

 

[BlindLemonLars]

Land Down Under - Men at Work

I expect that song was the first time most Americans heard of the stuff.

 

[APendejo]

7th Day Adventists out in Riverside had there own food processing plant and used to make a whole line of foods based on that stuff. My OL bought some Vegimite beef stew thinking it would be like Dinty Moore, only a lot cheaper. WRONG. I took one bite and spit it out. I took the bowl out to the carport, my dog gave it a try. One bite and he was walking down the driveway with his head straight down all hunched up drooling and dry heaving. He came back for another try and did the same thing again. Next morning the full bowl was still there.
AP

 

[blacklab]

Blind Lemon wins!

Definitely the first time I'd heard of it.

Where women roar and men thunder!

 

[raceskier]

I think I'll make this instead:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natto

 

[BlindLemonLars]

I think I'll make this instead:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natto

I love natto! It's hard to find (even in Japan) but I really enjoy dried natto, which for my money is the best beer snack around. A great fermented beverage deserves a great fermented snack! Wish I could find it in the USA.

 

[Levers101]

I've always wanted to try vegemite or marmite, but can't find them even in health food stores around here. But that's not that unheard of since we aren't brimming over with UK immigrants here in IA.

I think I'll make this instead:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natto

Interesting:

According to the recent studies polyamine suppresses the excessive immune reactions, and natto contains much larger amount of it than any foods.

Sounds like a pandemic flu remedy to me.

 

[SuperiorBrew]

I love natto! It's hard to find (even in Japan) but I really enjoy dried natto, which for my money is the best beer snack around. A great fermented beverage deserves a great fermented snack! Wish I could find it in the USA.

Is this it?

Mitoku Dried Hama-Natto 5.3 oz.

 

[BlindLemonLars]

Is this it

That's similiar, but not quite what I was talking about. That stuff is very dark, salty and strong, tasting somewhat like a Chinese fermented black bean sauce. I suppose it could be a snack, but it's more commonly used as an ingredient/seasoning.

I first tried dried natto in Kamakura (home of the famous giant Buddha!) when a shopkeeper offered me a sample. It's much lighter in taste, and various flavours are offered...miso, shrimp, sour plum, chile. I brought a few pounds back to the states, but it didn't last long. Once in a while my girlfriend's family sends me a few little packets.

Hey, there I am with my Buddha buddy!

 

[BuffaloSabresBrewer]

Ill back the Aussies on their vegimite. An aquired taste but if you keep an open mind you start to like it. When I was there I had in nearly every morning.

 

[BlindLemonLars]

Ill back the Aussies on their vegimite. An aquired taste but if you keep an open mind you start to like it.

Agreed. I find the flavor to be an excellent example of Umami.

 

[denimglen]

...I like both, but prefer Vegemite. I have it on a buttered bagel for breakfast a few times a week, and find it to have a wonderful and complex taste. The key is to apply the butter first, then spread the Vegemite on as THIN as possible...really, put on as little as you can manage...

This is the key.

Over here in New Zealand we eat quite a bit of it as well.

The best way to eat it first time is to make toast, add margerine or butter (ie A LOT of it) and then add a small amount of vege/mar-mite Think of it as butter on toast with a little savoury flavour.

I tried making some once, did a really half-a$$ed yeast wash, added a lot of salt and lit it sit for like a week and nothing happened.

 

[Professor Frink]

Ill back the Aussies on their vegimite. An aquired taste but if you keep an open mind you start to like it. When I was there I had in nearly every morning.

I agree. I lived over there for 6 months, an after 3 months or so, I actually started to like it.

 

[Mike C]

Ok I'll bite. I've seen it, but what exactly is vegemite? What's it used for and what does it taste like?

 

[Liquidicem]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegemite
More vegemite info than you could possibly need.

 

[Junebug]

Ok I'll bite. I've seen it, but what exactly is vegemite? What's it used for and what does it taste like?

It's a wholesome dark, salty, yeasty spread. I put it on toast, a very thin layer. I guess you could say the taste is reminiscent of fermented beef broth, although it's vegetarian. It's related to the U.K.'s Marmite and New Zealand's Marmite. I've tried them all and I greatly prefer New Zealand Marmite. It has a bit of sugar added to it and is somewhat less rancid than the others. I prefer Vegemite over U.K. Marmite. It's hard to describe but it's safe to say that there are really only two camps- you either love it or hate it. Fortunately, I have a pen-pal/friend from NZ who takes pity on me and sends me a jar on special occasions...otherwise, you have to order it from NZ and it costs a ton of cash to ship the stuff.