Does Seitan have to be wet?

[Sheila]

I couldn't find the answer in a search so I apologize if this has been covered.

I have made Seitan twice and both times it seems that it retains too much of the cooking liquid and the texture is wetter than I like. I don't know if that's how it is or it was just mine.

I flavored it to mock chicken. The flavor was really good. I made a stew like the inside of a pot pie. When I bit into the seitan though it seemed to be too wet. The liquid from the cooking stock was still there and squished out in my mouth and really grossed me out.

Is there a way to make it drier?

I would love to be able to bread it and deep fry it. (I know not very healty but sometimes I like fried foods)

Any help would be great!

Thanks,
Sheila

[twinkle]

I've had seitan that was dry, particularly thinly sliced and fried stuff. It tends to get quite tough if it's dry though.

I know what you mean about the wetness grossing you out, I sometimes get Topas wheaty smoked seitan slices and they usually have a bit of liquid in with them, and sometimes it squeaks against my teeth. I'd imagine that's also likely to happen if you're actually cooking them with liquid. I'm kind of used to it now - it's probably an acquired taste (or texture, if you will)

[lozza]

yeah i get those smoked seitan slices too..and they are usually quite wet! dunno why. i just eat them!

[pat sommer]

seitan is basically a bread dough and if liquid or air has formed pockets they are trapped. 2 ways to go: before braising, stretch/roll flat (allow to rest a bit) then roll out tightly avoiding pockets. Or after braising slice and drain, blot with some pressure.

Chinese markets have an interesting version dried in packets called bran squares or some such. Yes along with the gluten is the bran added back and it has a slight sour-dough flavour and large-pore texture. Fun to play with!

[Sheila]

Pat,
I cannot roll it out. It's like the Seitan has a mind of its own and stays in a log formation? Everytime I try to flatten it or whatever it just springs back to it's original shape.....I'll try it again and if I have to put it between two thick towels and mush it with a heavy weight!
I just thought it was me and that other people could make it better...
Thanks everyone,
Sheila

[pat sommer]

its tricky stuff alright! the muscle of the wheatberry. giving it half an hour to relax allows a bit more flexibility. Springing back after excess liquid has been released is okay. How did that squashing go?

[Sheila]

Pat,
I have not tried it again yet. I can only take so much disappointment in one day! I will try again soon and see how it goes.
Sheila

[veggiepark]

Did you try it again? How did it turn out? I've been wanting to make seitan ever since i had mock chicken wings at a vegan chinese resteraunt. So good, "tasted just like chicken", yet so much better! I'm going to take a class next month at Whole Foods Market teaching the very thing.

Also hello to you in North Carolina! I'm a fellow East Coaster too, Philadelphia, formerly Delaware. And you are very pretty too, a strong resemblence to vegan actress Alica Silverstone!

[Poison Ivy]

There's a recipe for baked seitan here which looks rather appetising!!

[Mr Flibble]

If you find a source of vital wheat gluten in the UK that isn't outragrously overpriced, do let me know

[Sheila]

Did you try it again? How did it turn out? I've been wanting to make seitan ever since i had mock chicken wings at a vegan chinese resteraunt. So good, "tasted just like chicken", yet so much better! I'm going to take a class next month at Whole Foods Market teaching the very thing.

Also hello to you in North Carolina! I'm a fellow East Coaster too, Philadelphia, formerly Delaware. And you are very pretty too, a strong resemblence to vegan actress Alica Silverstone!

I'm a big old quitter. I gave up and started buying vegan chicken patties. I'm going to have to find someone who teaches a class in it or something. I have never eaten it in a restaurant so I really don't know what it "can be".

Thanks for the compliment. That is very sweet.

Sheila

[veggiepark]

Don't quit Sheeeelia!!!!! Keep trying till you get it as you like.

I's a going to a cooking class this month that is gona feature mock meats; including seitan. I'll try to bring up the subject of toooo moist.!

Are there very many persons with vegan/veg eating habits at North Carolina?

[veggiepark]

I went to a class about cooking with tofu and seitan. The seitan wasn't actully made from start, yet i did talk to the instructer on making it. She said it can also be baked in a light broth , alternatively to simmering.

Hope that helps!

[auntierozzi]

I have made a couple of batches of seitan so far. The first lot came out a bit squishy and I think this was due to the stock not being as cold as possible when I first put the seitan in. I followed the recipe from WvaV (I would advise reducing the salt on that, if you try it).

The next lot I made was pretty good. A nice dense texture but I stir fried it to try and make it crispy and it ended up like rubber :-( Does anybody know whether or not it was the stir frying that did this or could it be the small dash of red wine I put in?

I would be really interested to hear from anybody who had a go with the baked idea that Poison Ivy mentioned. Was it any good?