PSA: Don't try to make your own seitan from scratch without a plan

I thought I'd save money by making seitan from vital wheat gluten, but I didn't realize how long the kneading and simmering process actually takes. It ended up taking me over 2 hours from start to finish for a block of protein. Has anyone found a quicker, reliable method that doesn't use a store-bought mix?

3 comments

3 Comments

brookethomas20d ago

Oh man the smell thing is real lol I made that mistake too. Best shortcut I've found is to boil it for way less time, like 30-40 minutes max instead of the full hour. Also I skip the kneading by just mixing the dry ingredients with water until it comes together and then letting it rest for 10 minutes before shaping. It's not as chewy but it works for stir fries and stir fries without taking all afternoon.

mason.cole3mo ago

My roommate tried that once. The whole apartment smelled like wet bread for days. Honestly just buy the pre-made stuff.

martinez.ryan3mo ago

It's a smell that never really leaves the walls.