Where to Begin?
New to making sietan? Read some quick tips and tricks along with a handful of easy recipes to help you get started!
Seitan Kitchen Gadgets Part 1: Food Processors
Check out this list of the most highly-recommended food processors for preparing your seitan dishes.
Is Seitan Healthy?
Learn about the nutritional values of vital wheat gluten and how to get the most protein from your seitan.
Achieve Seitan Umami
Are your seitan dishes lacking something? Give them the power of the 5th flavor sense - umami!
“Wash the Flour” Method
The "Wash the Flour" (WTF) method of making seitan from scratch is easier than you might think. Become a master by following these 10 simple steps.
Common Seitan Ingredients
Checkout this list of some of the most widely-used ingredients for making seitan.
When Seitan Tastes too “Gluteny”
If you're at all sensitive to the "gluteny" aftertaste that vital wheat gluten can impart on your wheat-meat creations, you'll find yourself searching for a way to get rid of it. Here are a few tricks to help tame that taste.
10 Seitan Recipes Perfect for Your Next Cookout
Bring a seitan dish to your next barbecue or picnic that even the omnis will enjoy! This collection of recipes is perfect for grilling season, but good enough to be enjoyed any time of year.
Finding the Best Flour for Washing
Learn about different types of flour and the best kinds for washing to make seitan, as well as how to calculate a flour's protein content.
DID YOU KNOW…
• FOR EASIER CLEANUP
Cold water + dough scraper = easier cleanup than starting with warm water and won’t ruin your sponge. Use a brush instead of a sponge for even better results.
• TO HELP WITH THAT “GLUTENY” TASTE
Adding about 1/8-1/4t of baking soda OR about 2T apple cider vinegar (ACV) to your mix (when working with a recipe that will yield about 6 servings) has been known to reduce the “gluteny” taste. Just DON’T ADD THEM BOTH! Avoid using baking soda if you’re using any acid, such as any other type of vinegar, lemon juice, etc. Mustard has been said to help, too…
• NEVER BOIL YOUR SEITAN
I don’t care what the recipe says! Don’t do it unless you like soggy, spongy results. Simmering is perfectly fine, though, so keep an eye on that pot!
• IF YOUR SEITAN CAME OUT “BREADY”
Your oven temperature may likely be too high, even if you set it according to the directions. Resting it after cooking might help (see the next tip) but even if it doesn’t, don’t throw it out! You can grind it up in your food processor and add it to soups, chilis, or stews, or even make it into meatless balls or a loaf!
• ALWAYS LET YOUR SEITAN REST
Unless you prefer it super tender/soft, most seitan recipes should account for some extra time to rest in the fridge after cooking, usually about 8 hours or overnight. This helps to firm up the texture and and provide “meatier” results.
• TO KNEAD OR NOT TO KNEAD
That is the question… and it depends on your recipe. Typically the more time you knead – either by hand or by food processor (usually preferred) – the more chewy result and the more “shreds” you’ll get. This is from allowing the gluten to develop strands. In some recipes like chicken you may want to knead until the dough is like taffy. For recipes like sausage or meatballs you don’t typically want shreds, so no kneading necessary. Finally, if you’re willing to wait, toss your dough overnight in the fridge covered by a damp cloth and allow the gluten to develop on its own.
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