COOKING OPTIONS
There's a few ways to cook this seitan recipe!
-
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.
-
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.
-
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 DELI STYLE SEITAN
-
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.