Plant-based alternative meats have quite a nasty reputation of being super expensive, with many being wary of foreign ingredients. Not anymore! This recipe puts that all to rest with a simple recipe that requires only about 20 minutes of active time.
The Science of this Dish
Vital Wheat Gluten (the main ingredient in seitan) is a tricky ingredient to work with because, if not handled properly, it can have a rubber-like texture akin to an old tire. The trick to make seitan into vegan deli meat is to add some sort of inhibiting agent to the dish that prevents the gluten protein from binding together too tightly. The hero here is the half block of tofu, with the nutritional yeast (nooch) and apple cider vinegar playing side character roles. These ingredients prevent the gluten strands from bonding both physically and chemically through a higher acidity.
Essential tools and Ingredients
The most important tools here are the blender and oven dish. The blender has to be strong enough to puree tofu with whatever other ingredients you throw in there. The oven dish has to be deep enough to hold a good amount of water, as the goal is to basically steam the seitan while baking it in a condensed environment.
The most important flavoring ingredient is liquid smoke (linked below). It really gives it that signature deli meat flavor, don’t skip this one.
Important Tips
To achieve the right texture and the darker outside of traditional deli meat, it is imperative that you wrap the seitan log very tightly in parchment paper and again in tin foil. When cooking the log will expand and it will look like the log is about to burst; after a night of cooling in the fridge, the log will shrink back down to a smaller size. Make sure to not skip the flipping halfway through cooking, it ensures an even cook for optimal texture.
This stuff keeps well in the fridge, in an airtight container. Personally I have kept it for up to two weeks, but I promise its so good, it wont last that long.
If you are looking for a quicker and simpler meal prep that wont take as long, but also might not be as familiar, check out this recipe.
Crucial Ingredients
Just to make it easier, here are the important ingredients that may be hard to come by.
Hickory Smoked Faux-Turkey Deli Meat
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- pre-heat oven to 325 F
- Blend together wet ingredients(7 oz Firm tofu, 3/4 cup water or vegetable broth, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp liquid smoke (crucial), 1 tbsp white miso (optional). Should get a liquid, creamy consistency.
- In a large mixing bowl combine all of the dry ingredients (1 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten, 1/4 cup nutritional yeast, 1 tbsp onion powder, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper (white pepper on hand))
- Pour the wet ingredients into the large mixing bowl that contains the dry ingredients. Combine thoroughly, and knead for about 3 minute.
- Form the dough into a log shape, and wrap tightly in parchment paper. Then wrap that tightly in tin foil. You should be left with a little seitan burrito.
- Place your seitan log/burrito into the baking dish, and pour water into the dish until it is about halfway up the log or halfway up the dish, whichever happens first. Your seitan log should now be in a little bath.
- Place this whole bathing burrito situation into the oven (set to 325 F) for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes flip the log and put it back in for another 45 minutes, totaling 90 minutes in the oven.
- Once done in the oven DO NOT unwrap your little seitan baby. Place the little log into the fridge to rest overnight. After resting you can then take it out and slice to your desired thickness, I find a serrated knife works best for slicing.
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