Best Homemade Seitan Recipes

EASY HOMEMADE SEITAN RECIPE

Steps:

• Combine the soy sauce with 1 cup of water in a small mixing bowl and stir together.
• Combine the gluten flour, baking powder, and optional nutritional yeast and/or seasoning blend in a medium mixing bowl.
• Gradually add the liquid to form a stiff dough, stirring with a spoon at first, and then working together with your hands. Drizzle in a little more water if need be; you want all the dry ingredients to be moistened, while making sure the dough remains stiff.
• Turn out onto a floured board (you can use additional gluten flour for this) and knead for 2 to 3 minutes. It's not going to be completely smooth, but really work it!
• Return the dough to one of the bowls you used, then cover with a clean tea towel. Let it rest for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, fill a soup pot about 2/3 full with water. Add the bouillon cubes and ginger. Start heating.
• Once the dough has rested, divide it into two more or less equal pieces and pull into long, narrow loaves the shape of miniature French breads. This dough isn't easy to work with; it tends to spring back to whatever shape it's in, but do the best you can - it will come out fine.
• With a sharp, serrated knife, cut each section of dough crosswise into slices no thicker than 1/2 inch.
• When the water comes to a slow boil, gently drop in each slice of dough. Within a couple of minutes, the dough is going to puff up and look like it's threatening to escape the cooking pot! It will settle back; keep pushing the pieces down into the water. I like to reach in with kitchen sheers and cut pieces that have expanded crazily, but this is optional.
• Simmer gently and steadily for 30 minutes. Scoop out pieces of seitan to use in recipes (usually about a third to a half of the amount made with this recipe is what you'll need for an average recipe). Set on a plate or cutting board until cool enough to handle, then cut into smaller slices or chunks.

BEST HOMEMADE SEITAN

Steps:

• Combine the vital wheat gluten flour and nutritional yeast flakes in a bowl; set aside. In a separate bowl, mix the vegetable stock, 1/2 cup of soy sauce, tomato paste, garlic, lemon zest, and seasoning blend.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and stir with a firm spatula. Knead the dough until a spongy, elastic dough forms, about 3 minutes. Roll the dough into a log shape and cut it into 3 equal pieces.
• Combine 1/2 cup of soy sauce and cold water in a large pot. The simmering broth should be very cold when you add the dough to help it keep a firm texture and ensure that it doesn't break apart. Place the dough pieces in the cold broth, partially cover the pot, and bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, partially cover the pot, and simmer for 1 hour, turning the dough pieces occasionally.
• Remove the pot from the heat and let the gluten cool in the broth for at least 30 minutes. To store the gluten, refrigerate, covered in the broth, in a sealed container for up to 5 days.
• If your recipe calls for seitan, cut the gluten into pieces. Add vegetable oil to a heavy skillet and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the gluten pieces and cook for 20 minutes, turning the pieces occasionally.

HOW TO MAKE SEITAN (BEEF FLAVOR)

Steps:

• Combine the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. I used my Kitchen Aid and it worked perfectly.
• Using the paddle attachment on the mixer slowly combine the dry ingredients.
• In a smaller bowl combine the wet ingredients and mix well with a whisk.
• Stop the stand mixer and add the wet ingredients to the dry all at once and slowly incorporate the wet into the dry.
• I added about 4 more tablespoons of spelt flour to the mix as I thought it was too wet. Mix for 5 minutes.
• After 5 minutes turn the dough out onto a cutting board and form it into a loaf shape and let it sit until broth comes to a boil. Turn the heat down to low at this point.
• Cut the loaf into 6 equal pieces and lower each one gently into the simmering broth and let it simmer covered for about 1 hour. Remember DO NOT LET THIS BOIL! It will create holes in your Seitan.
• The Seitan will be spongy and holes will make it even more so. You want to avoid that.
• After the hour is up remove the Seitan from the pot and place on a dish to cool. If you have room in the fridge this would be a good place to cool it down.
• Remember, it has to be thoroughly cooled before its ready. Don't be temped to dig in until it's cold.
• You can use this immediately, or store it in it's broth in the fridge for about 5 days. You can even put the big chunks in a zip lock bag and freeze.
• The Seitan can be used in place of any meat product, you can even grind it in the food processor and use it for burger if you wish.
• Another way to use this is to take a few big pieces and dip in flour, soy milk and bread crumbs and fry or bake it, then top with your favorite gravy.
• Bon Appetit!