Why did my oil-only seitan fail?

Why did my oil-only seitan fail? - Pink and White Love Print Textile

I tried to make seitan last night using oil and gluten, and after it was done it had a grainy consistency and didn't hold together at all. Is there some sort of magic done by the water? How much water do I need?



Best Answer

I've never made seitan, but just like when making bread, gluten needs water to activate. I don't know the precise amount. Oil, if anything, has the opposite effect, coating the gluten molecules and keeping them from linking up, which is why we use fat in pastries to keep them from getting tough.




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Why is my seitan doughy?

Seitan gets rubbery when it is kneaded too much. Knead it even more and it becomes spongy. Knead it too little and it is soft and doughy. The perfect seitan consistency is achieved by mixing and kneading it just the right amount.

Can I add fat to seitan?

We decided to do our best to alter the texture slightly because we found seitan to be too dense. We looked at methods of reducing the gluten structure in breads. Adding fats is something so we decided to add a small amount of our special coconut oil to our recipe.

How long do you have to boil seitan?

Bring vegetable broth to a boil in a large pot. Carefully place plastic-wrapped seitan in boiling broth. Cover, return to a boil and reduce heat to low. Continue simmering until firm, turning seitan occasionally, about 1 hour.

Is it better to steam or boil seitan?

Simmer, steam, or bake? I have tried simmering, steaming, and baking seitan. Let me tell you right now \u2014 simmering is the best way to go! Make a flavorful broth and the seitan will soak up even more flavor while it is simmering.



SEITAN STEAKS - Home made plant-based meat.




More answers regarding why did my oil-only seitan fail?

Answer 2

There are four major types of proteins in Wheat: gliadin, glutenin, albumin, and globulin.

What we think of gluten doesn't actually exist in wheat; it develops in flour when it is hydrated with water and gliadin and glutenin proteins bond together to make what we call gluten. So that is the magic. Oil is chemically very different so that is why it was weird.

source: Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads

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Images: Ann H, Ron Lach, Andrzej Gdula, Tima Miroshnichenko