Rest overnight in the fridge (after simmering) before frying or grilling the steaks. This is the most IMPORTANT process to achieve good meaty texture in seitan.
This makes me wonder if you've tried Gordon Ramsey's vegan eggplant steak https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cc82aOodsw . It may be a bit quicker and easier. I'm wondering if you might have ideas for making it even more quickly and easily. Thanks for another great video!
Knead it. Get your whole body into it! PUSH AND KRUSH THAT B!TCH! Your technique is right, but you really need to knead more 😀 Y'know – NEED FOR KNEAD! 😀
I make a basic seitan recipe (vital wheat gluten, water, herbs, nutr. yeast cooked in broth) which is always rubbery. I use it with sauces when I am out of tofu or tempeh as a protein boost in meals. I will try this method to see how it works. I do, however, add a little vital wheat gluten to my veggie/bean burgers and it gives them more of a fortified texture. I love your videos – you have expanded my vegan pallet.
In my experience seitan that is sponge-like comes from the simmering liquid being too hot. It is important not to boil the seitan at all, because it will become spongey like that.
I think I figured out the issue, I have two suggestions. Suggestion 1. As soon as you are done kneading the dough, it needs to go into the broth. I think the problem is allowing the dough to rest for too long. When you knead seitan the gluten fibers become dense, when you let it rest, they become doughy again. Next time, have the broth ready so you can immediately put the steaks in there. Suggestion 2. I noticed in Gaz's video, he removed all the steaks from the broth, let them cool down, and then cooked them. What you did was cook them right after you took them out of the broth. This second suggestion could most likely be the issue.
Okay so I make seitan all the time. Like I literally always have seitan made. And I use Lauren Toyota’s recipe in her hot for food, vegan comfort classics book. Her seitan is made with only vital wheat gluten, no other flours. I don’t know if that makes a difference but I have only ever made her recipe and it is amazing. I also notice a lot of these other recipes boil the seitan. Lauren had you knead it and wrap it tightly in foil many times and then oven bake. I don’t knead for ages either and it turns out perfect every time. I would recommend you try Lauren’s recipe.
Rose! Try joining ‘The Seitan Appreciation Society’ on Facebook. You’ll learn a lot of techniques from there. TBH, I’ve been lurking around on that group for a few months already but haven’t tried making Seitan again. I picked up a lot of tips and tricks there though.
I've tried my best making Seitan – and at this point I'm all for ordering it from my favorite vegan restaurants. Then I stopped because it reminded me too much about meat. However, atleast the effort was there 😎
My husband and I make our seitan in a bread maker. Comes out perfectly every time and you don't have to do all the work because the machine does it for you. Just add your ingredients and press a button!! You def should try it!
1) The longer you knead it, the firmer it will be. If your dough feels really, really spongey when kneading, add more vital wheat gluten a tablespoon at a time until it's tacky but not wet and spongey.
2) Boiling will give you the softest result. Steaming will make it less spongey. Baked seitan recipes are usually my favorite. Check out Isa Chandra Moskowitz's baked Seitan Roast recipe: https://www.theppk.com/2011/11/seitan-roast-stuffed-with-shiitakes-and-leeks/ (you can skip the stuffing and just shape the seitan into a log/loaf without it, if you want to simplify!).
3) Especially if you boil or steam it, let the seitan cool down totally, then put it in an air-tight container in the fridge overnight before using it in a recipe. The chilling definitely improves the texture. Baked seitan is firmer than boiled or steamed, but I still think it improves after a night in the fridge.
✨✨I hear aquafaba is a bit hard to master in recipes, so I would like to suggest for you to try that! Plus it means less waste which I know you are striving for AND its cheap. 😉 ✨✨
There’s a group on Facebook called Aquafaba hit and misses. B/c many ppl do need help with using it properly 🙂
I hope you get it right next time! I’ve only made seitan sausage and I steamed it. They turned out good but I did have to throw out the first batch because I think I mixed the sauce in before kneading which made the texture wrong (super important to read the full recipe through before making it lol!😆)
These videos of you trying are super helpful though so I appreciate them! All the comments below are helping!
I make Miyoko Schinner's unsteak recipe regularly. It's a little simpler than the one you made, and it's delicious. It uses shiitake mushrooms but I've wondered how it would be with porcinis. Keep trying! I use a food processor for mixing and don't knead at all, other than to shape it.
You didn’t simmer enough. You need a rolling simmer, if that makes sense? The cooking happens in the water. The seitan should be bloated and firm from absorbing broth by the time you’re done.
Honestly, my husband makes seitan and it comes out great, and I when I make it out comes out awful. It's an art. (Also we've never had it come out good with whole beans mixed in, it gets really mushy, like you described).
Lovely Rose….definitely need to Kneed a bit more, really work it to get those fibers stretching out long. I find it helps to only kneed in one direction too, kinda like how the fibers of meat all only go in the same direction, rather than criss crossy. Let it cool down first too, to firm up a bit more before pan frying. Hope that makes sense !!?? Is just what has worked for me 👍😊🤞
My one experience with making something with seitan (from a BOSH recipe) was a total fail. We couldn't even eat it, and ended up throwing out the entire batch. I think there are seitan people and seitan failure people. I cook plenty of other things just great, but not even gonna try seitan again.
Marmite is similar to Bovril; tomatoes, tomahhtoes
Rest overnight in the fridge (after simmering) before frying or grilling the steaks. This is the most IMPORTANT process to achieve good meaty texture in seitan.
My family all love vegan steak. I hate it!
This makes me wonder if you've tried Gordon Ramsey's vegan eggplant steak https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cc82aOodsw . It may be a bit quicker and easier. I'm wondering if you might have ideas for making it even more quickly and easily. Thanks for another great video!
Connie’s Rawsome Kitchen has a lot of seitan versions to try. She’s also one of the best cheesemakers on youtube.
Knead it. Get your whole body into it! PUSH AND KRUSH THAT B!TCH! Your technique is right, but you really need to knead more 😀 Y'know – NEED FOR KNEAD! 😀
I make a basic seitan recipe (vital wheat gluten, water, herbs, nutr. yeast cooked in broth) which is always rubbery. I use it with sauces when I am out of tofu or tempeh as a protein boost in meals. I will try this method to see how it works. I do, however, add a little vital wheat gluten to my veggie/bean burgers and it gives them more of a fortified texture. I love your videos – you have expanded my vegan pallet.
I feel the same way about seitan😂, I still have yet to try a recipe 😅
In my experience seitan that is sponge-like comes from the simmering liquid being too hot. It is important not to boil the seitan at all, because it will become spongey like that.
difference between vgan teacher and lazy vegan:
lazy vegan is actually nice and doesnt force others to be vegan
I love seitan but I hate how gross it looks before you cook it
You have a problem with patience. That’s why your experiences never turn out right.
I think I figured out the issue, I have two suggestions. Suggestion 1. As soon as you are done kneading the dough, it needs to go into the broth. I think the problem is allowing the dough to rest for too long. When you knead seitan the gluten fibers become dense, when you let it rest, they become doughy again. Next time, have the broth ready so you can immediately put the steaks in there. Suggestion 2. I noticed in Gaz's video, he removed all the steaks from the broth, let them cool down, and then cooked them. What you did was cook them right after you took them out of the broth. This second suggestion could most likely be the issue.
I have tried gaz’s seitan many many times and have failed epically every damn single time. I decided to give up 😂
I tried making breakfast sausage seitan once and it was a no. Haven't tried making any again since then.
Okay so I make seitan all the time. Like I literally always have seitan made. And I use Lauren Toyota’s recipe in her hot for food, vegan comfort classics book. Her seitan is made with only vital wheat gluten, no other flours. I don’t know if that makes a difference but I have only ever made her recipe and it is amazing. I also notice a lot of these other recipes boil the seitan. Lauren had you knead it and wrap it tightly in foil many times and then oven bake. I don’t knead for ages either and it turns out perfect every time. I would recommend you try Lauren’s recipe.
The only time I enjoyed seitan was at a vegan asian place that had chinese mock meat
Rose! Try joining ‘The Seitan Appreciation Society’ on Facebook. You’ll learn a lot of techniques from there. TBH, I’ve been lurking around on that group for a few months already but haven’t tried making Seitan again. I picked up a lot of tips and tricks there though.
I haven’t tried this recipe, but I’ve made Sam’s Vegan Seitan Steak recipe from It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken.com. It’s easy and delicious.
The kneading is difficult I use my kitchen aid with the hook attachment lot easier set a timer done…
I've tried my best making Seitan – and at this point I'm all for ordering it from my favorite vegan restaurants. Then I stopped because it reminded me too much about meat. However, atleast the effort was there 😎
My husband and I make our seitan in a bread maker. Comes out perfectly every time and you don't have to do all the work because the machine does it for you. Just add your ingredients and press a button!! You def should try it!
The vegan steak you had it Tel Aviv was at the 416 restuarant? It is SO good! I live here and it's one of my favorite restaurants.
1) The longer you knead it, the firmer it will be. If your dough feels really, really spongey when kneading, add more vital wheat gluten a tablespoon at a time until it's tacky but not wet and spongey.
2) Boiling will give you the softest result. Steaming will make it less spongey. Baked seitan recipes are usually my favorite. Check out Isa Chandra Moskowitz's baked Seitan Roast recipe: https://www.theppk.com/2011/11/seitan-roast-stuffed-with-shiitakes-and-leeks/ (you can skip the stuffing and just shape the seitan into a log/loaf without it, if you want to simplify!).
3) Especially if you boil or steam it, let the seitan cool down totally, then put it in an air-tight container in the fridge overnight before using it in a recipe. The chilling definitely improves the texture. Baked seitan is firmer than boiled or steamed, but I still think it improves after a night in the fridge.
✨✨I hear aquafaba is a bit hard to master in recipes, so I would like to suggest for you to try that! Plus it means less waste which I know you are striving for AND its cheap. 😉 ✨✨
There’s a group on Facebook called Aquafaba hit and misses. B/c many ppl do need help with using it properly 🙂
I hope you get it right next time! I’ve only made seitan sausage and I steamed it. They turned out good but I did have to throw out the first batch because I think I mixed the sauce in before kneading which made the texture wrong (super important to read the full recipe through before making it lol!😆)
These videos of you trying are super helpful though so I appreciate them! All the comments below are helping!
I make Miyoko Schinner's unsteak recipe regularly. It's a little simpler than the one you made, and it's delicious. It uses shiitake mushrooms but I've wondered how it would be with porcinis. Keep trying!
I use a food processor for mixing and don't knead at all, other than to shape it.
You didn’t simmer enough. You need a rolling simmer, if that makes sense? The cooking happens in the water. The seitan should be bloated and firm from absorbing broth by the time you’re done.
Try the Fry Simmer Fry method!
Honestly, my husband makes seitan and it comes out great, and I when I make it out comes out awful. It's an art. (Also we've never had it come out good with whole beans mixed in, it gets really mushy, like you described).
You need to let the seitan sit after simmering. Overnight is best
You should try see Sara’s video from Sarah’s vegan kitchen on how to make seitan 😊
I think it's important to use exactly the same ingredients as the recipe.
My tip is to steam it instead of boil it. 🙂
I tried making seitan one time and I had the exact same problem.
Lovely Rose….definitely need to Kneed a bit more, really work it to get those fibers stretching out long. I find it helps to only kneed in one direction too, kinda like how the fibers of meat all only go in the same direction, rather than criss crossy. Let it cool down first too, to firm up a bit more before pan frying. Hope that makes sense !!?? Is just what has worked for me 👍😊🤞
My one experience with making something with seitan (from a BOSH recipe) was a total fail. We couldn't even eat it, and ended up throwing out the entire batch. I think there are seitan people and seitan failure people. I cook plenty of other things just great, but not even gonna try seitan again.
Save your arms and wrists 💯 Let your stand mixer take out all your aggressions on it! 💪🏽
What if you and Gaz did a live stream collab to teach you?