How can I make my seitan a bit firmer?
I tried my hand at making homemade seitan the other night, and it was pretty good - my only complaint was that it wasn't as firm as I would have liked it to be.
These are the steps I followed (based on "Basic Seitan Recipie" instructions on the back of a vital wheat gluten box)
- Mixed vital wheat gluten with water, kneaded for 5 minutes until it was elastic.
- Formed into 2.5" log, let sit for 5 minutes.
- Cut log into 0.5" pieces.
- Heated vegetable broth over medium flame, added seitan pieces.
- Brought broth to a boil.
- Reduced flame, let seitan simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
So what could I do to improve this, and get firmer seitan pieces as a result? Less water in initial dough? Cut smaller pieces before boiling/simmering? Longer simmering time? Different type of vegetable broth?
Best Answer
I tried making seitan by boiling it once and didn't like the texture. The way I do it now is wrapping it in tin foil then steaming it (I recently got some cloth bags I'm going to try doing it in). I found my recipe here, and I generally follow a similar process for any seitan.
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Quick Answer about "How can I make my seitan a bit firmer?"
I use microwave foil, roll it up, tie one end up with cooking cord and holding it on the open end I press down the dough like you would do in a sausage. Once pressed tie the upper end too. I use to add an extra layer of foil so that no (or very little) water gets in.How do I make seitan firmer?
Kneading activates the gluten, which makes the seitan have a nice firm texture. After kneading, let the dough rest for about 5 minutes. This will help relax the gluten and make the dough easier to roll and shape.How do I make seitan less soft?
You Need to Knead If you want a less chewy and more tender seitan, knead it for a shorter period of time. Most recipes require kneading the dough for an average of 3 minutes, followed by a 10-minute rest period and then a bit more kneading.How can you improve the texture of seitan?
6 Tips to Make Seitan Less Spongy + More Meaty (Texture Guide)Why is my seitan falling apart?
Too short doesn't give enough time for the gluten strands to come together. Too long and they start to fall apart and become mushy. It is fine even in the warmer months to leave it to rest out on your kitchen counter.Lets CHANGE The Way YOU Make SEITAN For GOOD!
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Answer 2
i've only made seitan myself a couple times, and it's been awhile, but isn't there a point where you drain it and/or squeeze out some moisture? if so, maybe an extended sit in some sort of press would help. the times i've made it, i put it in a smoker afterwards, so it was firm because of the low-heat semi-cooking, i guess.
Answer 3
I use microwave foil, roll it up, tie one end up with cooking cord and holding it on the open end I press down the dough like you would do in a sausage. Once pressed tie the upper end too.
I use to add an extra layer of foil so that no (or very little) water gets in.
Now you can cook it either 1 h in water only in a normal pot or 30 minutes in the pressure cooker.
The resulting hunch of seitan will be much more consistent than made in broth.
Mileage may vary, of course ;)
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