Seitan Kielbasa

Submitted by Chef Joey Z.

"I love the taste of Kielbasa but I don't eat it, so I thought why not flavour my Seitan with the same spices in Kielbasa. So today I gave it a try. I think leaving the Seitan Kielbasa sit for a few days in the fridge so the flavors get strong is a good idea. If you make this and find it too mild then bump up the spices to make it stronger."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 25mins
• Ingredients: 11
• Serves: 8

ingredients

• FOR THE BROTH

• 2 quarts hot water
• 1 tablespoon onion powder

• FOR THE SEITAN

• 1 1⁄2 cups vital wheat gluten
• 1 cup water (doesn't have to be heated)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon fresh marjoram
• 1⁄2 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring

directions

1. Put the 2 quarts of water in a large pot. Add the onion powder and bring to a boil.
2. In a large bowl add the water and everything but the vital wheat gluten.
3. Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment mix it up good, then add the vital wheat gluten. Whisk again until you get a light fluffy mixture.
4. Let it sit for a few minutes until the water is absorbed into the wheat gluten.
5. Then remove from the bowl and form into little balls, logs whatever shape you like. It should be very rubbery to the touch. If it is excessively wet squeeze the water out if you can.
6. Lower the temperature on the pot of water and onion powder so it's NOT BOILING! You don't want the seitan to fall apart.
7. Set the seitan pieces into the water carefully and leave it on low so the water stays hot but doesn't disturb the seitan pieces.
8. Let sit like this for 1 hour.
9. Lift the seitan out of the water very carefully with a slotted spoon and put in a fine sieve to drain.
10. Let cool and then wrap in clear plastic wrap and put in the fridge over night or longer. This will allow the flavors of the herbs and spices to get right into the seitan. If it isn't strong enough for you add more herbs and spices to suit your tastes next time you make it.
11. When done you can put this on a sandwich with a piece of your favourite cheese add some lettuce and mayo or saute it for a casserole with pasta or vegetables, or just eat it plain. The possibilities are endless.
12. Bon Appetit!

Reviews

[I hate coming up wi]

Sorry, Joey. I made the recipe almost as written, only using the appropriate amount of dried herbs instead of fresh. I had trouble with the cooking, which is my fault. I turned the heat too low and the seitan did not cook in the hour. I turned up the heat and it took another hour too cook. I found the fresh seitan to be very rubbery, but flavourful and left it in the fridge as you suggested. After a couple of days, the texture was better, still rubbery, but the flavour was gone.

 

[Sage0925]

Add 1/2 cup of nutritional yeast to the dry mix. DOUBLE everything but the gluten, salt, and pepper. Sub fako beef bouillon for the salt. Add 1 - 2 tsp smoked paprika to dry mix. Add 1 TBS soy sauce to the wet mixture. I doubled the liquid smoke, too. And I used dried herbs.<br/><br/>Add 3 TBS brown sugar, 2TBS soy sauce, and 1 tbs fako beef bouillon to your simmering pot. Simmer, simmer, simmer.<br/><br/>NOW you've got something that tastes like something. But thanks for supplying the base...*shrug* everybody's gotta start somewhere.