I finally attempted making home-made Seitan. I used the Vegan with a Venegeance Recipe and Method. I stuck to the recipe since this was my first time. However I've honestly never had Seitan so I'm not sure if it turned out the way it should be. I enjoyed it (made jerk seasoning -mmm good) but it was a tad spongy. I didn't really mind but I couldn't see serving this to a meat eater. Before the great crash there was a thread about seitan and someone had recommended steaming (maybe nellie but I'm not really sure). I'm just curious how this changes the texture. I'd like it a bit firmer.

I have my own ways of making it, but don't have the time to type it all out right now, so here's a good basic way to make it VERY firm. Steaming is good, but baking works really well. I will post these modifications:

Instead of these:

2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp allspice

I use other spices, such as more garlic powder, add onion powder.

I also often use fennel seeds and basil or other Italian spices or make it Thai or Indian curry flavored.

http://www.postpunkkitchen.com/forum...p?id=15959&p=1

Thanks Soul! I think I will try the baked method next time.

Yeah I guess that is why I didn't like the VWaV boiling method, my seitan came out very spongy. Steaming made it definitely firm and a bit more meaty. I've never tried baking though.

Ooooo, I like it that Heather goes first. I want something FIRM, so now tell us how that version comes out!

Edited to add: I already have a stupid question. The recipe calls for "1.5 cups vital wheat gluten". What I bought is by "Now Foods" and is labeled "Gluten Flour, from high protein wheat". The ingredient list says: "100% Gluten Flour (wheat)".

So is that the same things as "vital wheat gluten" or did I get the wrong thingamabob?

OMG I just spent 10 minutes looking at the PPK food porn and that is just not good for the diet!

Josephine, I kept waiting on you to make it but nooo...

Dude you should know better then food porn! I think I need to cook real meals every night now. By cook I mean more then boil water

I've only made it one time, by simmering it, and it was a little spongey but still tasted ok. I want to make sausage flavored seitan and have biscuits and gravy!!!

I have a recipe for vegan biscuits and southern style gravy I keep meaning to try. It's certainly not low cal but thinking it may be worth starving the rest of the day!!

I make gluten all the time. love it. one thing to watch is boiling it too hard. that will cause it to be spongy. it is best to simmer it slowly for 30-45 min and then shut the heat off and let it set in the broth for another 30 min. the you can do whatever you are going to do with it. when you store it, store it in the broth you cooked it in. when cooked properly it is very similar to the meat. really! my family it 1/2 meat eaters and 1/2 veggie. My kids love it. They like it with BBQ sauce. another good book and website is "how to make all the meat you eat from wheat" although it is older .... quite a bit..... and they use the old method of rinsing wheat flour to get to the gluten protien. I have lots of recipes and many ways to make gluten "meat" feel free to PM me if you want some. but be patient I don't get on the computer all that often. we don't have it at home and have to go to the library.

I absolutely love seitan, and use the basic recipe from the Vegetarian Resource Group's page on seitan. I've noticed that when it's really humid out or I've added too much water, the seitan comes out spongier than normal. The fix is just to knead it to death (or add more vital wheat gluten, I suppose). I've heard you can't overknead seitan, and based on my experience, it's true. I've never had it come out hard (like overkneaded bread dough- ugh). Hope that helps!

Thanks liralex. It's been wicked humid here lately so I'll keep that in mind next time I make some .

When I make seitan, I roll it in tin foil and twist the ends (like a sausage) and bake it at 325 for about 90 minutes (instead of boiling or steaming) -- it stays very dense (not spongy at all) because it has no where to expand in the tin foil. Then, you can slice for sandwiches, or dice it for mock *chicken* salad, or stir fry or whatever.

HTH

ETA: oh, soulbliss already posted the link to how I do it!! (from post punk kitchen) whoops!

Anyway, it turns out great!