Vegan Turkey Deli Slices
These Vegan Turkey Deli Slices are super easy, and cheaper and tastier than the store-bought version!
Before going vegan, I would eat Black Pepper Turkey slices like nobody’s business! Either in a sandwich or by the handful in front of the fridge. And I’m happy to say that these Vegan Turkey Deli Slices hit all the notes that I remember!
Now look, I love Tofurkey and other store bought vegan turkey deli slices. But like everything these days, they are getting pricey. So I thought I’d go ahead and make my own. However, I haven’t made a ton of seitan recipes for a couple reasons. First, because it can be time consuming with a lot of room for error. The second reason is I usually find homemade seitan to have a funky aftertaste. It’s not as prevalent in store-bought or restaurant made seitan, but it’s still there.
However, I stumbled upon a tip that called for a little bit of baking powder to get rid of that taste, and it totally worked! It’s not 100% gone, but it’s very muted. Especially if we season our seitan properly (which we will of course!)
Why You’ll Dig Vegan Turkey Deli Slices
This recipe makes a ton of slices, way more than a single pack that you might get at the store. You can use them in sandwiches or a wrap naturally. I even made a Vegan Turkey Melt with ’em! But you could totally use them in a salad. And in fact, you don’t have to slice at all, but you can chunk them up, or shred them as well for a stir fry or a burrito. They are super versatile!
You can also combine them with my Rice Paper Bacon to make a Turkey Club Sandwich!
Ingredients for Vegan Turkey Deli Slices
The base is going to be vital wheat gluten since this is seitan. Super Firm Tofu is the second most important ingredient. If you are soy-free you can use a can of chickpeas instead of the tofu. The seitan made with chickpeas is a bit softer, but it’s still delicious! Other than that, we will just be using a bunch of seasonings!
- Vital Wheat Gluten – this is the base and it can’t be substituted unfortunately!
- Super Firm Tofu – I recommend getting the vacuum sealed tofu that doesn’t need pressing. You can use Extra Firm, but press it as much as possible. You may need to adjust the water as well.
- Chickpeas – You can use chickpeas instead of tofu. Use the whole can plus the aquafaba as well! You likely won’t need any additional water, but add some as needed.
- Mushroom Seasoning – I love this stuff and use it often. You can substitute for more nutritional yeast.
- Nutritional Yeast – This is gonna provide a lot of delicious umami flavor!
- Vegan Chicken Bouillon – I like the Better Than Bouillon stuff, but you can use regular Veggie bouillon if you can’t get a hold of it.
- Baking Powder – we just need 1/2 tsp of this stuff. It’s just to cut out the funky aftertaste that seitan can sometimes have. I’m more sensitive to it than my wife, but this helps out tremendously!
- Tapioca Starch – for improved texture.
- Black Pepper – and lots of it!
- Poultry Seasoning – This will be our rub for the outside, it adds a lot of flavor and texture too!
- MSG – I love MSG, it’s a flavor enhancer (and you shouldn’t be scared of it!) but if you don’t wanna use it, you can sub for more nutritional yeast or mushroom seasoning.
- Other Seasonings – we will use liquid smoke, as well as some pantry staples to overload this seitan with flavor!
How to Make Vegan Turkey Deli Slices
If you are new to making seitan, I will admit, it takes some practice. I’ve made it a ton of times and I feel like I’m still learning! But this recipe is fairly easy and fool proof!
- Combine everything but the vital wheat gluten in a food processor. Oh, and I do highly recommend a food processor. You can try to do this by hand, but it will take a lot longer and be more labor intensive.
- Blend that up into a paste, taste for seasoning. Then add in the vital wheat gluten and blend and knead until you have a soft but sturdy dough. You should be able to stretch it out and see visible gluten strands. It should also not be too sticky. Slightly tacky is okay, but not sticky!
- Then knead it a bit more to shape it into a loaf. Add a little oil and grease it up and then cover it in some poultry seasoning for a rub.
- Wrap it up tightly in HEAVY DUTY tin foil and then bake at 350 F for about 1 hour. Seriously, use Heavy Duty foil. This will keep the seitan from over expanding and becoming spongy. I’ve had too many seitan loaves explode because I used flimsy foil. Let it cool, and then rest in the fridge overnight. This is so we get that perfect deli meat texture! It’s very important so don’t skip that step!
- The next day the vegan turkey deli slices are ready to eat! Just slice it up by hand or with a mandolin or deli slicer.
Can I Make Vegan Turkey Deli Slices Soy Free?
Yes! Simply swap the tofu for a 15 oz. can of chickpeas including all the chickpea water (aquafaba). You shouldn’t need the additional 1/2 cup of water the recipe calls for, but you might need a little so adjust as needed. Try to get sodium free chickpeas otherwise you may need to adjust the salt levels a tad.
Can I Make Vegan Turkey Deli Slices Gluten Free?
Unfortunately no! However I do have a Tofu Deli Slices recipe that can be made gluten free!
Can I make This in an Instant Pot?
Yep!
- Wrap the seitan in some Heavy Duty foil tightly. I recommend using two layers of foil. Alternatively, pack it into a Ham Press.
- You can pressure cook it on high, in an Instant Pot for 1 hour. Add a cup of water to the Instant Pot and place the wrapped (or pressed) seitan on a steamer basket. Let it natural release for 15 minutes.
Storage
You can store these slices in the fridge for about a week to 10 days (possibly longer but I always eat them within that time frame). You can totally freeze them for up to 6 months as well. I would suggest freezing before slicing. Then just let it thaw and slice it up.
10 Tips for Deli Style Seitan Slices
- Add more vital wheat gluten or liquid to the dough as needed if it is too wet or dry.
- Knead (ideally using a Food Processor) until the seitan is stretchy and resists tearing easily. You want to see some good gluten strands!
- If your food processor is too small to knead all of the seitan at one time, split it in half and knead in 2 batches. Then combine the two halves by simply kneading them together by hand.
- You can either bake your seitan by wrapping it in 2 layers of heavy duty foil, or you can use an Oven Safe Ham Press. I prefer the ham press because it’s zero waste and will get you a nice compact texture, perfect for deli meats. If your Ham Press isn’t oven safe, you can boil it on the stove top (I recommend following the brands instructions).
- You can also pressure cook it in an 6 Quart Instant Pot for 1 hour, with a natural release of 15 minutes, either wrapped in foil or in a Ham Press (doesn’t need to be oven safe for Instant Pot).
- If you can, use a Thermometer and take out the seitan after it reaches 180 – 200 F (82 – 93 C).
- Let the seitan cool and rest in the foil or ham press. Then refrigerate overnight. This step is crucial in getting a good texture so don’t skip it!
- To slice the seitan, use either a sharp knife or mandolin, or if you have the space, I highly recommend using a Deli Slicer! If you think you’ll make your own deli meats a lot, this is a worthwhile investment!
- If for some reason your seitan is a bit undercooked and gummy, you can fry the slices in some oil to finish cooking them.
- Likewise if the seitan is cooked to your preference, you can coat the slices in a little oil if you like, I find it helps the taste and texture, but it’s totally optional! And you can even fry them for a bit in a pan to warm them up and get them a little browned as well.
Handy Dandy Video Here!
Other Recipes You Will Dig!
Vegan Turkey Deli Slices
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 oz Super Firm Tofu
- 1 1/2 cups Vital Wheat Gluten
- 2 Tbsp Tapioca Starch
- 2 Tbsp Mushroom Seasoning (I used Imperial Taste Brand) (or 2 tsp Miso Paste)
- 1/4 cup Nutritional Yeast
- 1/2 Tbsp Onion Powder
- 1/2 Tbsp Garlic Powder
- Black Pepper (to taste)
- 2 tsp MSG (or more Nutritional Yeast)
- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Liquid Smoke
- 1 Tbsp Vegan Chicken Bouillon (or Veggie Bouillon)
- 2 Tbsp Neutral Oil
- 1/2 cup Water
Black Pepper Rub
- 1 – 2 Tbsp Neutral Oil
- Poultry Seasoning to taste
- Black Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine everything but the vital wheat gluten in a food processor. Blend that up into a paste, taste for seasoning. Then add in the vital wheat gluten and blend and knead until you have a soft but sturdy dough. Depending on the size of your food processor you may need to do it in 2 batches.
- If the seitan is too wet and sticky, add 1 Tbsp of vital wheat gluten at a time until it comes together. On the inverse, if it's too dry, add 1 Tbsp of water until it comes together as well.
- Continue to knead the dough in the food processor until it's a firm but still slightly soft ball of dough (This should take about 5 minutes give or take). If it's in pieces it should be fine as long as you can mash it into a single ball. You should be able to stretch it out and see visible gluten strands. It should also not be too sticky. Slightly tacky is okay, but not sticky!
- Form your Seitan into a ball, then let it rest for 20 – 30 minutes. If using an oven, preheat to 350 F / 176 C.Drizzle and rub a tablespoon or so of cooking oil on the seitan loaf, ensuring even coating. Next rub an even coating of the dry rub as well. Wrap the seitan in some Heavy Duty foil tightly. I recommend using two layers of foil. Place on a baking sheet, then bake for 1 hour or until the seitan is around 180 – 200 F internally (using a thermometer), flipping halfway through.For more Cooking Options, check the NOTES section!
- Let the Seitan cool to room temp, then rest in the fridge for 8 hours or OVERNIGHT. This is very important for the final texture to firm up. It will be too soft right out of the oven or instant pot.
- The next day the vegan turkey deli slices are ready to eat! Just slice it up by hand or with a mandolin or deli slicer.
Notes
Tofu
If using extra firm tofu, you’ll need to press it for at least 30 minutes. You probably won’t need the 1/2 cup of water either, so start with less and add more as needed. You can also use a can of chickpeas including the liquid (aquafaba) instead of the tofu. You will likely not need any additional water, but add some as needed.Cooking Options
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You can pressure cook it on high, in an Instant Pot for 1 hour. Add a cup of water to the Instant Pot and place the wrapped seitan on a steamer basket. Let it natural release for 15 minutes.
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You can also use a Ham Press (my favorite way as there’s no foil involved and it gives a uniform shape and great texture) If the Ham Press is oven safe, you can bake it at 350 F / 176 C for 1 hour or until the internal temp is 180 – 200 F.
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If the Ham Press isn’t oven safe, you can pressure cook it in the Instant Pot (using the same instructions in Option 1), or you can boil it on the stove top (I would follow the brands instructions) and just make sure the internal temp is 180 – 200 F.
10 Tips for Seitan Slices
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Add more vital wheat gluten or liquid to the dough as needed if it is too wet or dry.
-
Knead (ideally using a Food Processor) until the seitan is stretchy and resists tearing easily. You want to see some good gluten strands!
-
If your food processor is too small to knead all of the seitan at one time, split it in half and knead in 2 batches. Then combine the two halves by simply kneading them together by hand.
-
You can either bake your seitan by wrapping it in 2 layers of heavy duty foil, or you can use an Oven Safe Ham Press. I prefer the ham press because it’s zero waste and will get you a nice compact texture, perfect for deli meats. If your Ham Press isn’t oven safe, you can boil it on the stove top (I recommend following the brands instructions).
-
You can also pressure cook it in an 6 Quart Instant Pot for 1 hour, with a natural release of 15 minutes, either wrapped in foil or in a Ham Press (doesn’t need to be oven safe for Instant Pot).
-
If you can, use a Thermometer and take out the seitan after it reaches 180 – 200 F (82 – 93 C).
-
Let the seitan cool and rest in the foil or ham press. Then refrigerate overnight. This step is crucial in getting a good texture so don’t skip it!
-
To slice the seitan, use either a sharp knife or mandolin, or if you have the space, I highly recommend using a Deli Slicer! If you think you’ll make your own deli meats a lot, this is a worthwhile investment!
-
If for some reason your seitan is a bit undercooked and gummy, you can fry the slices in some oil to finish cooking them.
-
Likewise if the seitan is cooked to your preference, you can coat the slices in a little oil if you like, I find it helps the taste and texture, but it’s totally optional! And you can even fry them for a bit in a pan to warm them up and get them a little browned as well.
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Out of all of the different meat analogs I’ve always been really disappointed in seitan, especially seeing its so easy to make. I don’t like the aftertaste. Yesterday I saw this on YouTube and there was something new. I gave it a shot and WOW, even before refrigerating over night, a sneak taste, This is GOOD. This morning, even better. I made a simple wrap for lunch and, yeah, this is my new lunch “meat”. I Devoured that wrap!
Awesome! So glad it worked out, thank you for the feedback!
Made three times so far and the third time was def a charm .tried oven ,as the way as described,and the one pot ,but still felt like it was a lil under cooked atleast for me.
Could have been my apliances aswell .
Been trying to make it for years and this is the best recipe,.
But here is what I did different the third time .
I prefer the oven I don’t have a ham press yet.
So here is what I did diff
I cooked at 350 for a hour,then added 25 min at 375.
Used thermometer for the right temp.checking the middle and ends .
But while cooking put in a loaf pan wrapped in tinfoil ,and a cast iron pan on top for weight so it kept it compact .
and put another pan(oven safe used cast iron ) under Neath with water for a bit of steaming action .
After that took the temp .
did not remove from tinfoil .
Left in loaf pan .and kept the cast iron on top of it for weight overnight in the loaf pan . in a cold storage room after it cooled of for awhile .
The texture was perfectly…was better than tofurkey by farrr.again this could be personal preference .of my apliances .
One last thing I also added a tiny bit more baking powder,,and more salt (personal preface there on the salt )and prob a tsp of apple cider .so no werid after taste of seitan at all ,
I love this recipe .and will be making this all the time seems like a lot but it’s not really and 100 percent worth it .
I was able to get mine white on the inside and sliced super thin just like the photo wish I could post it here !
Thanks burger dude .!!!!
Oh, thank you, glad it finally turned out good! Seitan definitely has a learning curve because there are so many variables! Glad you liked it!!
Awesome. Can’t wait to try your version for this.
I’d love to make one similar to those banquet turkey slices drenched in gravy from my childhood.
Gotta get the gravy and turkey just right.
Do you think this could be smoked on a grill instead of baked for a Thanksgiving Turkey? Or maybe reheating the loaf via smoking?
I think reheating via smoking would work, not sure about smoking instead of baking however!
You should make other videos using a similar method to make other meats! Please do it! Love this recipe!
Thanks! I plan on it!!
This is amazing, thank you! Last ten minutes in the oven left, can’t wait – will report back in the morning
This is my favorite deli slice recipe of all time.. I went a little harder with the chicken flavor and liquid smoke the second time around as personal preference… Thanks for sharing this!
Nice!
Phenomenal! Hits it right out of the park. Not only good for sandwiches, this would be perfect as the centerpiece for a turk’y dinner. Definitely will be my go-to for the holidays!
Oh good idea, I’ll have to try that out! Thank you!
Wow.
Amazing recipe! The best deli recipe I have made.
Love everything I’ve made from your cookbook, can’t wait for the next one…. with this recipe.
Excellent, glad you liked it! And thank you for supporting the book too!
I’m stoked on this. I’ll probably never buy tofurky deli slices again. I’ve made this twice and tweaked the spices, both times…amazing. The rest overnight is key with most seitan recipes. Good job, dude.
Thank you! So glad y’all are digging it!
How long will these bad boys last/keep in the fridge?
Nevermind! You totally answer that already. A week to 10 days! Thanks for the awesome recipe!
No worries! Thank you, glad you like it!
This recipen seitan is amazing an absolute 7 out of 4 in its taste and texture. Ive already made it twice in the span of a week. Ive been having it with wraps and diced up on burger buns with veggies. Its easy to make compared to other recipes which is the best part
Heck yes, glad you found it easier! That was always what kept me from making seitan in the past.
Wow! This recipe is what’s up! So tasty, meaty, and fulfilling! The ingredients and instructions are clear, approachable, and easy to execute. It was my first time making it and was a great success. I included sauerkraut in my sandwich to make a pseudo Reuben. It was absolutely delicious. I wonder if the loaf could be then turned into corned “beef”, hmmm….
Oh that’s awesome that it worked out! That reuben sounds great! You could make the roast beef from my Arby’s recipe, we made some reubens with the leftovers!
I made this for the first time and it was awazing. I shared it with friends and family that are skeptical about even tasting tofu. Their first response was OMG! I even had a 80 year old friend that said, “I am scared to try it” but she did and anyway. Her response was, “I like that better than real turkey”! Thanks for sharing! I am going to make some hatch pepper flavored next to give it a little kick.
Wow, that’s amazing! I love hearing it, made my day! And some hatch peppers sound like a great idea. I’m gonna roast some soon!
Really good! I’ve made seitan different ways, but it never turns out. This was simple and a huge success. We made amazing vegan turkey club sandwiches all week long. Thank you!
Awesome, so glad this one turned out good for you! Thank you for the feedback!
My kids started school this week and I made some of this for their sandwiches. They absolutely LOVE it! Will be making again and again this year!
That’s awesome! What a great idea for school lunches! Thank you!
Hey! I was wondering if by chance you can make this gluten free?? 🙂
Unfortunately you can’t make seitan gluten free, sorry! I can try to do something like my tofu cheesesteak recipe but with turkey seasonings tho!
Winner, winner, turkey dinner! Actually made sandwiches. Makes me want to open a vegan deli! Thanks!
NICE! Glad you liked it!
I finally made it!I cannot find mushroom seasoning so I just doubled the nutritional yeast, added bunch of spices. Super easy to follow instructions and made so much deli slices in under 2 hrs. I made it into sandwiches /sub and into vietnamese sub(banh mi) Adding the baking powder really made a difference .Thankyou so much for sharing the recipe
Awesome, thank you! Banh mi sounds excellent!
Just made this ,THANK YOU!!!
I followed exactly (oven method )and put in a tiny loaf pan also to keep contained with a heavy pan on-top for weight .
Turned out perfect ,still waiting for it to cool,but took a lil snack piece .
Used to use a recipie that took almost two days to finish ,this one is easier and simpler and just as good.
Only thing I may do is take rice paper wet it and warp the top and put on broil for a crispy outer skin .
But just wanted to give you props ,thanks a ton.
!!!!!!
Awesome so glad you liked it! Rice paper skin would be good! Thank you!
Wow ! This is the first recipe that I’ve found for turkey that not only looks good but is also simple to make. The reviews also sold me. I plan to make this for turkey roast and use some cajun or just poultry seasonings. I was wondering, though, if I could use my blender instead. I don’t have a food processor. It’s about 1500 watts .
I’m actually making a new recipe where I make this with a glaze for a turkey dinner! Unfortunately you can’t use a blender for the vital wheat gluten part. You can blend the wet ingredients and then knead the vital wheat gluten by hand. But I don’t think a normal blender will be able to process the vital wheat gluten.
Hi, is it possible to have the recipe in grams?
This recipe was delicious, my husband loved it. Tonight I made hot “turkey” open faced sandwiches with mashed potatoes! Lol wish I could post the pictures!
Ooooh a hot open faced sandwich, I gotta make that!! Glad you and your husband liked it!!
Is there a substitute for the bouillon? I can’t find it at my stores.
You don’t have veggie bouillon either? You could try more nutritional yeast and maybe some salt!
Could I use cornstarch instead of tapioca starch? Thanks!
Hi, I haven’t tested that out so I really can’t say, sorry!
I did, and it worked great.
Arrowroot is also a good substitute for Tapioca, as it results in a very similar impact on the recipe as tapioca.
I just tried the recipe yesterday and gave it a taste today… IT’S AMAZING !
i’ve tried so many seitan recipes and I think this is the best I did so far! the texture is on point and I love the fact that we don’t have this bread-like aftertaste that I usually taste with seitan.
I had to substitute vegan chicken bouillon with a veggie bouillon and liquid smoke with smoked paprika but it turn out great nonetheless 🙂 thank you so much for this recipe !
Nice, yes I need to make some more Seitan Deli Meats!! Glad you dug this!
I didn’t have tapioca starch so I used corn starch, ran out of oil so I used melted vegan butter. But it still turned out really, really good. My new go-to deli slice recipe. Thank you!
Awesome, that’s good to hear that those subs worked out! Thank you!
I literally made this recipe today and had to post a comment as I finish this test slice.. This will for sure be my go to recipe for deli turkey, no doubt. It’s tasty, the texture is just right and it’s super simple to put together. I’ve also bought your cookbook and every recipe I’ve tried has been a hit…
Thank you I appreciate your support! So glad you dug these, I need to make them for summer sandwiches soon!
Can I use a kitchenaid stand mixer to make this? I have a food processor but it’s very small.
Yes, that should work, just make sure you don’t over-knead it!
This was absolutely amazing! First time making seitan ever, your recipe made it super easy! I was worried I over kneaded – but it came out great! I might try to heat up some broth and dip the “meat” slices in there before putting on a sandwich for extra “juice” – do you think it would get nasty if I stored it in broth? Thank you for this recipe, grocery store fake turkey is SO expensive!
Hi so glad to hear that! I haven’t experimented with it, so I would suggest testing it out with just a few slices to make sure it doesn’t mess up the texture. But it’s a great question, I need to test that out.
Great recipe. First batch came out really well. Not sure if I overcooked it because it’s pretty tough. Tastes amazing though. Mine is also a lot darker than yours in colour. Any tips for getting that lighter turkey colour?
Thanks dude x
Hi, yeah you may have over cooked it! The toughness and dark color are probably why. I try to get it to an internal temp of 180 – 200F. Sorry about that, but glad it still tasted good. Whenever a batch of seitan isn’t ideal I typically will crumble it for ground “meat” and use in a sauce or chili or something.
This seitan is SO good. Thanks for sharing the recipe. My husband loves it and it was so good, he took a portion to his omni parents. His father couldn’t stop eating it! I need to remember to do it in two batches – my poor old food processor took a bit of a beating but it’s worth it!!
Awesome! I love hearing whenever non-vegans love these recipes, makes my day! Thank you so much!
My go to recipe, I tried other recipes but this one still hits the spot.hopefully you can make a recipe for bologna in the future😁
So glad to hear that! I’m working on a ham, which could maybe double as a bologna haha!
It does taste like bologna for sure. Love it.
Vegan for 17 years and I’ve been so intimidated about making seitan, but this was super easy and a big hit with my vegan and non vegan family members. Inexpensive, delicious, essential high protein fridge snack
Awesome! So glad you made seitan finally! It’s so rewarding when done right, thank you!
Awesome tip dude. thanks so much. Going to make another batch now. Love the channel. Keep up the excellent content 🙂
Trying this, but want to do the ham press version, from the link you posted. It fits in a 6qt Instant Pot, Yes?
Love your stuff. You’re making our lives healthier.
Thank you! Yes the 6qt is the one I’ve got!
It seemed you baked the seitan using the ham press. Are you saying you put the ham press into the instantpot?
Yeah, the ham press will work in an instant pot as well!
Do you use the nine cup or 12 cup food processor?
I use an 11 cup, I believe it’s linked in the recipe, but I’ll make sure and if not, I’ll add it, thanks!
could i use baking paper instead of foil? just realized i’m out of foil :/
Hi, no unfortunately, the foil is necessary to keep it from expanding too much, sorry!
My Breville food processor would not cut it, even when I split it in half as Dude suggests in his ham vid. But… I took it as far as possible and plopped the sticky mass onto my cutting board. I was so tempted to add more vital wheat gluten, but that is a mistake, instead begin kneading it by hand. The pic in his ham vid shows how you can test the stretchiness for ready to bake. I kept kneading until I had this beautiful, not sticky, ball, which gave a good stretch prior to tearing. I wrapped it and it is cooking in my Instant Pot. Next time I plan to bake, as my ham press is arriving! Fun Stuff!
This recipe is AMAZING. The flavor and texture is so great. So much better than store bought.
I tried using the food processor but it just couldn’t handle it (even a half back). I ended up switching to my kitchenaid mixer.
Thank you!!
Thank you! Glad the stand mixer worked!
Hi! I want to make this recipe, but I wonder if it is possible to substitute tofu/chickpeas with beans, like in your other recipe for ham deli slices?
Yes, this is in the blog!
Can I Make Vegan Turkey Deli Slices Soy Free?
Yes! Simply swap the tofu for a 15 oz. can of chickpeas including all the chickpea water (aquafaba). You shouldn’t need the additional 1/2 cup of water the recipe calls for, but you might need a little so adjust as needed. Try to get sodium free chickpeas otherwise you may need to adjust the salt levels a tad.
I made it last weekend with canned beans. It turned out very well! I also used smoked salt instead of liquid smoke and our Polish dry forest mushroom powder. It’s a fantastic recipe!
Excellent, glad to hear this!!
Sounds good! Is there a gluten free option?
Hi, for this recipe no, but I have a separate recipe for that!
https://theeburgerdude.com/vegan-deli-meat/
We’ve made this recipe a couple of times now and absolutely love it! It’s the best turkey lunch meat we’ve had and so easy to make!
I did have a question – when you do the ham press method, do you cook it as the ham press indicates (boiling it for a few hours?)
We just got a ham press but it said not put it in the oven, so I wanted to ask! Thank you!
Hi, yes you should boil or use an instant pot in that case! I wasn’t aware that the ham presses aren’t always oven safe so I’ll be updating the instructions to reflect that. You just want to cook the seitan until it’s internal temp is between 180 – 200 F. Hope that helps! Glad you dig the recipe!
I gave the turkey a try after great success with the roast beef recipe. I used a ham press and an Instant Pot to cook. Taste and texture are great, but it’s a little dry. Anything I may have done wrong?
Hey sorry about that, it’s possible that the seitan itself was too dry or it was over cooked. You can always coat the slices in a little oil to give them some more juiciness!
Wowwwwww this is so amazing!!! After it hung out in the fridge overnight I put it in my smoker for a couple of hours with apple wood and it took it to a whole nother level. It made the most insanely delicious sandwich that I’m still in awe! This would also be amazing sliced thickly as a roast for a holiday dinner. This is really a game changer, I’m so glad I tried this (I’ve been burned by some recipes for deli slices in the past so I was hesitant). Thank you!!!!!
Heck yes, glad to hear that! Love the smoker idea!!
This is, hands down, the best deli meat I’ve ever had. My dad said I should make it less tasty next time, because he can’t stop eating it. It’s so good, we’re even planning on using it for a holiday roast instead of Gardein this year. Thank you for the fantastic recipe!
Whoops, forgot to rate it. I’d give it a sixth star if I could.
Haha, I love to hear that, thank you!! I have a roast version of it with a glaze too btw!
Baking powder is the ticket! I’ve used ACV for years, it helps a lot, but the raw wheat flavor is still in the background. Baking powder pretty much took it all away. I didn’t bake my loaf, I wrapped it in parchment and then foil like in the picture then steamed it for 1 ½ hr. I think it may have been done sooner, but longer is safer to ensure it’s fully cooked. I’ve always found baking the loaf leaves it a bit dry. I’m now seriously considering a ham press.
I have a question regarding kneading the dough. Do you change out the metal blade and use a dough/kneading blade to knead the dough? I did that and the dough came out fine. But, I’ve seen other recipes that use the metal blade.
Thanks for this recipe!
So glad you like it! I use the metal blade, but I don’t think it makes a difference!
These turned out so good! I sliced up half of it for deli slices and shredded the other half to use in your chicken salad recipe instead of tofu or jackfruit. My ninja blender which doubles as a food processor quickly overheated after adding the vital wheat gluten so I ended up kneading it for about 8 minutes on low/medium in my stand mixer instead. Used the ham press and am so glad I invested in one because I will be making this again and again!
Do you have a ham press you recommend? The one linked to this page says currently unavailable. Also, if using a ham press, do you use the bag liners or will it just slide out without it?
GREAT recipe, I’ve made it countless times now with foil but wanted to try with a press. Thanks much!
Do you have a ham press you recommend? The one linked to this page says currently unavailable. Also, if using a ham press, do you use the bag liners or will it just slide out without it?
GREAT recipe, I’ve made it countless times now with foil but wanted to try with a press. Thanks much!
Hi, I don’t remember which brand I got, but I would just buy the one that you can afford and has good reviews! It usually just slides out after resting over night, but you can always grease it up with some oil to make sure too! Glad you like the recipe!
Ever since I went vegan one of the things I miss is just a basic deli turkey sandwich or sub. I appreciate Tofurkey slices but imo you need a lot of other ingredients to help carry the sandwich. This recipe is far better and has surpassed all expectations. The flavor and texture are so awesome I want to gobble these slices on their own. This is a new regular in our house. Can’t wait to try it with some vegan gravy. Thanks!
That makes my day to hear! I really need to make these again for sandwiches, it’s so nice to prep a big batch! Thank you!
Just found this recipe and so excited to try! Writing from the UK though and a few terms in the recipe are new to me. I will be steaming my deli roll, so what does natural release mean?
Hi, that is for an Instant Pot, it just means to let the pressure release naturally on it’s own.
Honestly the best recipe i’ve ever tried, thank you so much!
Excellent, so glad you liked it! Thank you!