BRYANNA'S  SEITAN "TURKEY"
Makes about 3 lbs.

The combination of tofu and soy or chickpea flour with the gluten makes a seitan that is tender, not rubbery, and which slices easily, even in VERY thin slices. The long kneading, resting, and slow-cooking method partially adapted from recipe by Ellen from http://www.ellenskitchen.com gives an incredible juicy, tender meat-like texture. This recipe makes outstanding sandwich material.




IDRY MIX:
2 c. pure gluten powder (instant gluten flour; vital wheat gluten
1/2 c. full-fat soy flour OR chickpea flour
1/2 c. nutritional yeast flakes
2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic granules
1/4 tsp. white pepper (optional)


WET MIX:
12 oz. firm regular (NOT silken) tofu
1 and 1/2 c. water
3 T. soy sauce
1 T. olive oil


BASTING BROTH: Whisk together well--
2 c. hot water (hot water dissolves the broth powder)
1/3 c. Bryanna's Homemade Broth Powder (chicken-style) (IMPORTANT!  See Cooking Tips below this recipe if you are substituting another broth product!  You will probably have to use half as much, so please read, as this will effect flavor and saltiness.  There is a chart there with amounts for substituting other products in this recipe.)
2 T. olive oil
 4 cloves garlic, crushed


IMPORTANT: For information about baking pans and sizes for this recipe, see this blog post.

For the Wet Mix, in a blender, blend all the ingredients until very smooth. (FOR SOY-FREE VERSION, you do not need to blend the beans with the other Wet Mix ingredients.  Simply add the soft beans to the Dry Mix ingredients and Wet Mix ingredients in the mixer bowl and knead as instructed below.  The two kneadings will mash and mix the beans into the dough  so that you'll never know they are there!)

Mix the Dry Mix ingredients in the bowl of your electric mixer with dough hook attachment, or place them in the bread machine in the order given. Add the Wet Mix and knead for about 10 minutes. (If your bread machine has a dough cycle-two kneads with a long rest in between-use that cycle. Otherwise, just run it through the kneading part and then unplug it and let it rest in the cover container, then plug it in again for another knead, then remove it,) Let rest for about 1 hour, covered. You can make your Basting Broth during this time and have it ready. Then knead it for 10 more minutes.

(NOTE: You can knead by hand, too, but it's tougher than bread dough. You may want to let the seitan dough sit for a while to soak up the liquid more thoroughly before you starting hand-kneading.) KNEADING IS IMPORTANT TO THE TEXTURE OF THIS SEITAN, NO MATTER WHICH COOKING METHOD YOU CHOOSE!

The dough should be quite shiny and smooth. Avoid breaking it up when you take it out of the bowl. NOTE: I like to line the pan with cooking parchment to avoid sticking and tearing, and make the loaves easier to turn, by whichever method you choose to cook them.

Now, after kneading, choose your cooking method:

COOKING METHOD #1.-- My favorite because it’s faster and less trouble!

Flatten the dough out into a long piece. Form the dough into one large loaf. Place into a 2 qt to 2 1/2 qt. oval greased clay cooker or claypot (see this blog post ) that has been soaked for 15 minutes in cold water (bottom and cover), and lined with cooking parchment. DO NOT PREHEAT OVEN. Pour the Basting Broth over the roast, and cover. Place in oven and turn to 325 degrees. F. Bake for 3 and 1/2 hours, turning the roast over twice.  I usually turn it once after 1 1/2 hours, and once again after 1 more hour.  If there is a lot of Basting Broth left in the cooker, you may have to cook longer to let it absorb.
ALTERNATIVE BAKEWARE FOR COOKING METHOD #1:  If you don't have a clay cooker, you can use an ordinary covered oval metal roaster or covered oval glazed ceramic casserole. PREHEAT THE OVEN FIRST WITH THIS TYPE OF PAN.  IMPORTANT: For information about baking pans and sizes for this recipe, see this blog post.


COOKING METHOD #2.)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Flatten the dough out into a long piece and cut in half equally to make two rectangles. Form into 2 loaves. Place each loaf into an oiled 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan and press down a bit with your hand. Mix the Basting Broth ingredients in a small bowl and pour 1/2 over each loaf. Cover each loaf pan with foil and place in the oven. Immediately reduce the oven heat to 200 degrees F. Bake for 3 hours. Turn the loaves over, carefully loosening around the edges and from the bottom with a small, thin spatula first. The loaves will have puffed up quite a bit by now, but they will flatten out as they cook further. After 3 hours, turn heat back to 325 degrees F. Turn heat back to 325 degrees F. Cover loaves and bake for 30 minutes. Turn them over again, cover and bake 15 minutes. Turn them over again and bake 15 more minutes, covered. Turn them over one last time and bake 5-10 minutes (covered).

Either way, the loaves should almost completely soak up the broth by the end of the cooking time. If they don't, cook until they do. There will be a bit of sticky "sauce" left in the bottom, which you can use to glaze the loaves. (If the residual broth seems "pasty" or "starchy", this may be from the type of broth powder you used.  It can be rinsed off the cooled roast, if you prefer.) Remove from the pans and serve, or let cool. Seitan is generally better when cooled first, then reheated-- it firms up when cooled. So, it's a good idea to make it a day or more before serving. Can be frozen.  To reheat, wrap the the loaves (thaw them thoroughly first, if frozen) in a double wrapping of foil (drizzle the loaves with any remaining basting broth) and bake again in a roasting pan at 350 degrees F for 45-60 minutes.

IF YOU WANT A "SKIN" ON THE "TURKEY" (cannot be soy-free), , bake the "turkey as directed above. Then it has to be bake again with the "skin", but the pre-baking can be done several days ahead of time.

You will need 2-4 large sheets of dried or fresh (probably frozen) Chinese beancurd skin (yuba in Japanese). This product is simply the "skin" that forms on the top of soymilk when it is heated (just as it does with ordinary milk). The "skin" is lifted off and dried, and is considered a delicacy in Chinese and Japanese cuisine. In its dried form, it keeps for a long time, as long as it is stored airtight. When reconstituted, wrapped around tofu or other fillings, and baked, it becomes delicately crispy.


Soak the dried beancurd skin in warm water to cover while you make the assemble the "turkey". If you are using fresh or frozen, fresh yuba, thaw it out, if necessary. If it is pliable, you can use it "as is". If it seems a bit dry and hard to fold, etc., then dip it in warm wate for a minute—just to soften. If you leave it in the water too long, it will start falling apart.

Oil a baking pan that the "turkey" fits into with a little room to spare, or a cookie sheet with sides (jelly roll pan) with the Chinese sesame oil.


Line another pan, such as a cookie sheet, with the prepared beancurd skin, overlapping if necessary to make it big enough to cover the whole "turkey". (There will be overhang—this is good.)


Place the roasted "turkey" on top. Fold the overhanging beancurd skin over the "turkey" to cover. Brush with olive and/or Chinese roasted sesame oil. Now invert the wrapped "turkey" onto the prepared baking pan. If made ahead, cover the pan and refrigerate until baking time.


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the "Turkey", uncovered, for about 1 hour, or til golden and crispy, basting now and then with oil (olive/sesame oil combination). Loosen the edges carefully and slide it onto a serving plate.