Seitan - General Guidance
Well friends, I girded my loins and tried making my own seitan yesterday. I had trawled the Net for info and some of it was contradictory, others were confusing, but I did find out how to make it with gluten powder and when to freeze it--after the initial cooking.
I always follow the easiest recipe thru the way it says the first time and go from there. NOW I understand why they recommend you add seasonings, herbs, mushroom powder etc. to the gluten mix...it tastes of absolutely nothing, as is. I mean, imagine eating an eraser. OK as a chewing exercise...flavour, not so much! LOL I also understand why they suggest you work it very little (mine was almost as dense as me!) and if it weren't 100º out I might have tried baking instead of boiling it.
BUT...and it's a big but...after I had laughed at the way it swells up when you boil it and looks like something out of a biology lab, and tasted it and found it...well, completely tasteless...I sliced it up and marinaded it in an African barbecue sauce. And DH the carnivore tasted it and did NOT go "Gross!" or laugh at me about it. We agreed the recipe and method need "tweaking" and that I need to print out the instructions and follow them closely, but that we are definitely onto something, at less than a dollar a pound for pure food, no waste. No bones, no fat, no cholesterol...and cheap! He ate some and said maybe we should put it in a curry etc.
10 years ago or even 5 he would have laughed at me and made "cute" remarks all the time I was trying to eat it. Now he agrees we need to eat less meat and things like this will help that. From his point of view it is purely economic (he is facing disability retirement) but hey, any start is a good one. Now if I could just get him to eat things with leaves and roots... ::)
Yay! Thanks for replying. Have you ever made seitan by the steaming method? If so, any words on the texture of it that way? From what I've read, boiling it sounds really easy to screw up..so I am a little afraid of making it that way.
My favorite seitan recipe is the base seitan from Fat Free Vegan's Seitan Scaloppine with Lemon-Olive Sauce.
I make the recipe and adjust the spices in the seitan to my tastes; typically garlic, a hint of lemon pepper and some smoked paprika. I then follow the directions regarding making the broth, kneeding and shaping. I then use the steaming method at the bottom for moister cutlets because its easy and fast and I am way lazy.
Once they are done steaming you can then add to anything. Fry, saute, simmer, grill, microwave even! You can use these as is or bread them. You can even slice them up and then work with them. The flavor is subtle, basic but good. The texture is firm but not rubbery, toothsome but not chewy.
As I said, I like this one best but I have never made the complete recipe including sauce, LB doesnt like olives. Good luck!
I don't really understand how you steam it though..the steamer I have is for veggies and looks liiiike..
http://www.johnlewis.com/jl_assets/product/230398163.jpg
so there's a big stick in the middle and that makes it weird to put seitan cutlets in it. I feel like such an idiot because I've never figured out how steaming seitan works.. :(
Oh, I use a good sized pot and a bamboo steamer.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51X2N97F3TL._SL500_AA280_.jpg
I've never steamed it, aside from making sausages.
Thanks Cali! My mom offered me a bamboo steamer and I declined because I was all "I'll never make dumplings." Duh! I could put seitan in it. I will retract my declination :p
I tried the FFV scaloppine at a potluck and it was reeeeally good, if a little salty. It's been a long time since I've made seitan..
I've tried making seitan a couple times now using furrysgirl's instructions... After kneading the seitan dough I am supposed to flatten the dough out as much as possible... I have a hard time doing this so my seitan never ends up thin enough... And when I do stretch it thin it just shrivels back up...Does anyone have any tips that could help?
I also recommend letting it rest for a while. When it's first mixed up, it's just a ball of elastic and it springs back no matter how much you stretch it. If you just cover it with a towel or plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out and let it sit for 15-20 minutes, it should be easier to handle.
Thanks guys :) I'll try letting it sit for longer <3
try letting it sit for a while so the gluten can relax.
cali sent me home with a rib recipe from fat free vegan that handles VERY nicely and is yummy also
Was that the recipe where you bake the gluten first, then cut into strips and grill/bbq?
try letting it sit for a while so the gluten can relax.
cali sent me home with a rib recipe from fat free vegan that handles VERY nicely and is yummy also
Was that the recipe where you bake the gluten first, then cut into strips and grill/bbq?
i've tried the seitan saute and the "beef" teriyaki stir fry... no cutting into strips... I saw u made the teriyake stirfry... were the pieces a bit chewy for u?
Yeah, the teriyaki ones were chewy, a little crispy on the outside, but a really good "meaty" texture. I've made them that way a few times, and they always come out great... they make good buffalo seitan wings. =) Have you had any more luck with it?
Yeah, the teriyaki ones were chewy, a little crispy on the outside, but a really good "meaty" texture. I've made them that way a few times, and they always come out great... they make good buffalo seitan wings. =) Have you had any more luck with it?
No i'll have to try again soon... i have a lot of leftovers to finish first... i'll have to try those buffalo seitan wings... thanx
;)b
thank you!
i tried letting the seitan sit for longer... it was a bit easier to work with but not much... maybe i have to perfect my seitan making skills... i'm sure i will in time
When I make the baked seitan strips I literally just mix until combined. The more you knead, the more rubbery it becomes I think. I don't let it rest at all. It does have a springy texture but it's pretty tender when you cook with it. I think it also does well in recipes with acids/vinegars. I make a really good balsamic citrus grilled recipe that I'll post when I get around to making it. I hope this helps. :)
i learned how to make seitan from your "beef" teriyaki stir fry recipe (which is AMAZING!!!)
http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=28923.0
i have given up on trying to stretch it flat... i just pull off small chunks to put on the baking sheet (i use pam to grease the sheet) and it seems to work fine... i'm getting better at making it each time... it is my new favorite kind of "meat" since i no longer eat tofu and i tried making tempeh and didn't like it
Thanks. I actually started making all different kinds of seitan and considered writing a cookbook, but I think I od'd after awhile. A good recipe is *really* exciting and a bad one seems like enough reason to give up... :-\ Plus, I have to go out of my way to get wheat gluten. But I might still get there.
On a different note, I think you (Amymylove) are such a staple on this website! :)>>> I love your contributions and appreciate how you try so many recipes. I mean everyone is wonderful, but I see your name often and you review everything so graciously.
aw thanks :)
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