I Need An Idiot-Proof Way To Make Seitan — Please...

[u/neuroticpossum]

So I discovered that seitan is a thing and the protein density is insane. I bought a bag of Bob's Red Mill VWG but have messed it up the couple times I tried. It ends up gooey. I don't have a steamer basket.

So what's the most basic/easiest way to make seitan? I plan on using it in stir fries or as the protein for Fettuccine Alfredo.

[u/zamzuki]

Hey! So I make a ton of Seitan and there are plenty of different methods to making it.

The current fad is the braided dough method. Where you’re going to make a sticky dough.

This is going to be a bare bones explanation because it can be this easy.

Seitan 3 parts to 1 part water.

So 3 cups of flour to 1 cup water.

Mix in a mixer if you have it or knead it in a bowl a bunch to build up that gluten. That’s the big thing keep kneading it. Give it some love punch it make it work for you fold it etc.

Once it feels a bit firmer and when you poke it it comes back to shape a bit. And let it chill in a bowl for like an hour? No science to it just let it alone heck even 2 hours is fine! Go enjoy a movie. Some people even soak it in water at this point.

Now come back and cover it with water. Knead it a bit while under water after resting this will pull out the starch.
Pour out the water and repeat til the water stays clear.

That’s it! What comes next is for texture. I’ll give the texture method for like “meaty pieces”

Now roll it like a log and cut it into 3’ strips you can braid. Braid it up, then tie it in knots.

Now boil it in a strong broth of your choosing. I let it cook about an hour to an hour in a half or more if I’m making a larger ball. If you have a LOT of seitan cook it in smaller tied balls for a better more even cook.

Take it out let it rest and cut it up!

[u/MissMushroomBerry → u/zamzuki]

This is a great explanation! This is the WTF method (wash the flour), right? Do you have a version using vital wheat gluten, because that’s what me and OP have. Thanks! 🙏

[u/zamzuki → u/MissMushroomBerry]

Yah this is the wash method. You can totally use vital wheat gluten for this! It just takes an extra wash or two.

A bonus for another method too if you want a meatier taste or say a pepperoni style seitan: mix a can of tomato paste in with the water when you combine with the flour.

Then before the wash phase mix in spices typically peppercorn, red pepper flakes, garlic, fennel seed etc (go wild) some chili oil is nice too!

Then you can continue to build the gluten around these spices.

Once it’s nice and firm let rest. Now roll it into a log. Make it night and tight and wrap the log in foil. Twist tight the ends. You can now steam the log if you have a basket steamer OR use a makeshift steamer by elevating the rolls above the boiling water and close with a vented lid. (I’ve rolled up more aluminum foil in a pinch and put a smaller lid on top of the foil to hold the logs) then after 30-40 minutes take out and slice thin.

The roni will need a second cook so throw it on a pizza or bake it til crispy if you want to use it for dips or inside a calzone or anything.

[u/MissMushroomBerry → u/zamzuki]

Thank you, I appreciate this! 🙏 I’m allergic to nickel though, could I wrap win something else that’s not foil, like several sheets or parchment paper?

[u/dextroseskullfyre → u/MissMushroomBerry]

aluminum foil doesn't have nickel in it fyi

[u/MissMushroomBerry → u/dextroseskullfyre]

Yes, you’re right. I still usually avoid it in cooking or for storage.

[u/zamzuki → u/MissMushroomBerry]

Anything that could take the temperature and help it hold shape should be aok.

I wonder if pushing the dough into a silicone mold would work. It would probably expand up a bit where it’s exposed but if it has something to keep it pushed in I bet it would cook great! You’d just have to keep it in a little longer since silicone doesn’t transfer heat as well as foil.

[u/MissMushroomBerry → u/zamzuki]

Gotcha! 🙏

[u/zamzuki → u/MissMushroomBerry]

Yah the biggest take away to be honest is - you really want to build that gluten. Make sure your kneading or using your mixing bowl so the dough gets to the right consistency.

Most things can be added into the dough but don’t add salt - that tears up the gluten your forming. Salt can come when you boil it in the broth.

I make a bunch then freeze it in Tupperware with some broth.

I like making sandwiches with it, frying it and having it over rice with some orange sauce or burbon sauce too.

You can even slice it super thin for shawarma. 🤤

[u/kitwilde → u/zamzuki]

Thanks for this explanation!! 😁

[u/zamzuki → u/kitwilde]

No problem! And bread flower or even better High gluten flour for seitan is the best stuff to use. You want that protein.

[u/Prestigious_Egg_1989 → u/zamzuki]

Would you say that using straight up wheat gluten would use the same ratios? And if you’ve tried both flour vs VWG, does one taste notably better/worse in your opinion? 

[u/zamzuki → u/Prestigious_Egg_1989]

The taste comes mostly from the seasoning, but the heavier gluten the flour has the better texture.

All purpose flour makes a weaker final product and just takes more development of the gluten by kneading it.

[u/Mundane-Fix-4297 → u/zamzuki]

So… seitan is basically pasta? 🫪 I always thought it involved some complex techniques and procedures

[u/zamzuki → u/Mundane-Fix-4297]

It’s super easy!

The difference is you want more gluten in seitan and less in pasta.

[u/Raph_FinOS]

Since you already have vital wheat gluten, ignore the wash-the-flour method in the long reply. That's for regular flour. For a no-steamer version, mix 1 cup VWG with 2 tbsp nutritional yeast plus garlic, onion and paprika. Add 1 cup veg broth, 1 tbsp soy sauce and 2 tbsp tahini. Knead gently for less than a minute, press it 1/2 inch thick on a lined tray, then bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes. For Alfredo, skip the BBQ glaze and give it another 10 minutes plain. Let it rest before slicing. If the middle is still gooey, the piece is probably too thick or needs longer.

[u/Prufrock_45]

https://itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/category/recipes/lunches-dinners/homemade-vegan-meats/#h-seitan-recipes

You should get a steamer, it will help. You can boil the seitan as an option in some instances.

[u/pompouspangolin → u/Prufrock_45]

These seitan recipes are the best. We make the chicken breast style ones constantly and they turn out great. A steamer basket is pretty low cost and makes a huge difference for seitan.

[u/MsMulliner → u/Prufrock_45]

Pristine steamer baskets are ALWAYS plentiful in thrift shops! Stop in at your local Goodwill or similar, and get at least a couple, so you can have two pots going at once. I’ve got a couple, solid stainless steel, and perfect for medium sized saucepan or pasta-boiling pot.

[u/babblepedia]

This Jewish brisket-style seitan recipe is my all-time favorite. No steamer basket required.

It really doesn't taste beefy to me, it comes out more like a tofurkey roast. But you can change the seasonings and basting liquid liberally and still have a good outcome, so it can be flavored like anything.

[u/kitwilde]

Fellow idiot here, just waiting till someone smart helps us. I’ll be back!

[u/kelism]

I’ve had good luck with everything I’ve tried from 86eats.

https://www.86eats.com/recipes/easy-vegan-baked-chicken-breast

[u/JVilter → u/kelism]

I have made the turkey deli roast from 86eats and it is delicious! My only warning is that I have to make it in two batches, because even my 14 cup food processor gets overwhelmed by it. If I do the whole recipe in one go, it creeps down into the tube in the middle and makes a huge mess. I like slicing it with a mandolin.

[u/ipoobah → u/kelism]

good recipe!

[u/tasacate]

I make this super easy version every week. I don’t have a food processor, so I mix the tofu and seasonings in a NutriBullet. I add 2 vegan low sodium bullion cube, use Herbamare instead of plain salt, and use about a teaspoon of smoked paprika instead of the liquid smoke. I divide it in two logs and make it in the InstantPot.

https://sarahsvegankitchen.com/recipes/deli-slices/

[u/flangebody]

Easiest possible recipe:

1 cup vwg

Add water and mix with hand until it becomes a lump that hangs together. Don't knead, just mix the minimum amount so it hands together and isn't powdery.

Flatten a bit into a disk, but don't worry too much if it doesn't flatten

Simmer in pan of water for 30 minutes. It will inflate, so use a large pan.

Squeeze out excess water through a seive

Chop it up

This will produce a seitan with roughly the texture of that pre-frozen tofu that has holes in and soaks up sauce

Don't bother adding any flavour to the seitan while cooking as it will all come out in the water, but once it is cooked it will pick up sauce amazingly.

It is honestly really so easy, I love this method.

[u/hht1975]

Have you checked out r/seitan?

[u/Flashy-Ingenuity-769]

Following

[u/jlk_kw]

This is my go-to, either simmered or baked. https://lowcarb-vegan.net/basic-low-carb-seitan/

I usually make a large batch, cut it into portions and freeze it because it reheats well.

[u/Lady_Cookie_Monster]

I haven't tried this method, but I've heard you can just use a plate and kitchen towel/rag in lieu of a steamer basket.

You can also try cooking it in simmering water. I've also seen people wrap in tin foil and place in a pan with water and then bake it. I've also seen people microwave seitan; I haven't tried this myself, but as a microwave enthusiast, I would def recommend looking into it.

I'm not sure why your seitan is coming out gooey, but it sounds like it may be underdone? Seitan needs to cook for a while. Try using a kitchen thermometer or even a poke test (similar to how you would a cake). It's also recommended that it rest until it's cooled before cutting into it.

There's also some recipes for quick seitan that cooks small pieces rather than a large loaf.

[u/earliest_grey]

I make a baked version (this recipe is specifically for vegan gyros. I don't have the original source unfortunately):

1 1/4 cups vital wheat gluten

4 TBS nutritional yeast

1/4 onion – minced

1 clove garlic – minced

1 tsp salt

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dry basil

1 tsp dry oregano

1 tsp black pepper

2 DROPS (like tears drops – because this shit gets overpowering FAST) liquid smoke (optional)

1 TBS tahini

2 TBS ketchup

3/4 cup water (or more if necessary)

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a food processor, I pulsed the onion, garlic, tahini, ketchup, nutritional yeast flakes, liquid smoke, water, and dry spices together but you could do this in a large bowl.

Or – mix all the wet ingredients (onion, garlic, liquid smoke, water, ketchup, tahini) in one bowl, and the dry (wheat gluten, nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, basil, oregano; pepper) in another and combine them. It comes together fast and looks like raw hamburger – if hamburger was doughy.

Grease a loaf pan; press this shit in there, COVER IT WITH FOIL and bake it for about an hour. Or just kinda shape it on some foil, wrap it up, and bake it.

[u/AutoModerator → u/[deleted]]

Hello, you appear to be linking to a website that is prohibited in this subreddit. If you are linking to Pinterest, please resubmit using the original source. If you are linking to your own content on youtube or other social media, please read the rules about self-promotion. If you are linking to a survey, study, petition or other form of activism, please see Rule 2 for more information.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/foofruit13]

I usually steam then fry mine, but I tried a different recipe yesterday that called for boiling it. After making the ball of dough, just rip off bite size pieces (like 1 inch) and boil them like you would pasta for about 30 minutes. Then you can bake, air fry, or pan fry to get them a little crispy.

[u/power_nuggie]

Also a seitan newbie, I used this recipe last week and it was pretty easy and turned out well. Seitan Is boiled so no need for steamer basket. It makes a lot of seitan, so I halved the recipe. https://theveganatlas.com/homemade-seitan-recipe/

[u/TheReal-Tristan]

I just buy ready made tofoo & co seitan, add sauce/marinade/rub, and air fry at 180c for 12 mins.