I’ve been meaning to make Seitan Ribs for so long and today I finally plucked up the courage to get them checked off my food-to-cook bucket list! Succulent, juicy and tender vegan ribs topped in a rich, sweet and sticky ginger beer glaze, scrummy!
I had no idea how these would turn out, but it’s safe to say that they were awesome and this recipe is now ready for you to taste test for yourselves at home. The job’s definitely a good ‘un! After getting more familiar with seitan in recipes like my Vegan Meatballs, I decided I had to push the boat out!
Why is this Good for Me?
- Seitan, also known as vital wheat gluten, is the protein extracted from wheat, without the starch – so it is actually a low-carbohydrate and low-fat food. In addition to being a rich source of protein, vital wheat gluten also provides a small amount of iron and calcium.
Questions about Seitan Ribs
How to make Seitan Ribs
To make Seitan Ribs, preheat oven to 210°C.Add water, liquid smoke, soy sauce, yeast extract and miso paste in a blender and blitz until smooth and well combined.In a large bowl, add vital wheat gluten, mustard powder, garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper, smoked paprika and dried mushrooms and mix.Pour in the wet ingredients from the blender and mix briefly until all ingredients are mixed well – try not to exceed 1 minute of mixing as the result will be more bready and chewy rather than succulent and meaty.
Roll out on a surface then place in a greased baking dish.
Cut into strips and bake for 25 minutes.
How to make glaze for ribs
To make the ribs glaze, brown onions for 15 minutes in a saucepan with the rapeseed oil on a medium heat, stirring every so often – add a dash of water as needed to avoid sticking.
When browned, add the garlic and cook a further 5 minutes. Next add tomato puree, ginger beer, soy sauce, vinegar and 75g brown sugar. Allow to reduce by a third for around 20 minutes on low-medium heat.
How to serve seitan ribs
When ribs are cooked, use a knife to cut strips a bit further so that they can be torn easily when ready to eat, cutting across the same area as before, but not cutting all the way as they should still be attached. Remove and brush on both sides with half of the sauce.
Return to the oven and roast a further 10-15 minutes.Return the remaining sauce back to the heat and add the rest of the sugar. Allow to cook and caramelize without stirring too much for 10 minutes until thick and glossy (add a little more sugar if not yet glossy and rich). Remove ribs and brush top with sticky glaze before serving- be careful as the glaze will be hot.
What is seitan?
Seitan is also known as vital wheat gluten. It is made from the protein present in wheat, known as gluten, though it is extracted without any of the starch from wheat and is therefore considered a low carbohydrate food. It usually comes in the form of flour (unless it is ready-made). When mixed with liquid, it forms a dough that, when cooked, can resemble the texture and taste of meat products.
Seitan Ribs Substitutions
- Coconut sugar can be replaced with brown sugar.
- Liquid smoked can be replaced with additional smoked paprika.
- Nutritional yeast flakes can be used instead of yeast extract.
- Soybean paste can be subbed for miso paste.
- Red or white miso paste can be used.
These Seitan Ribs are…
- Meaty
- Tender
- Sweet and sticky
- Dairy-free
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Plant-based
Shopping List
Food
- 260g vital wheat gluten
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- ½ tsp white pepper
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp yeast extract
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp liquid smoke
- 2 tbsp miso paste (red or white)
- 1 tbsp ground dried mushrooms
- 1 large onion chopped
- 150g coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 80g tomato puree
- 500 ml ginger beer
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 50 ml rapeseed oil
- 75 ml vinegar
Equipment
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cups
- Wooden spoon
- Mixing bowl
- Knife
More Recipes to Try…
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Seitan Ribs
Ingredients
- 260 g vital wheat gluten
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- ½ tsp white pepper
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp yeast extract
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp liquid smoke
- 2 tbsp miso paste red or white
- 1 tbsp ground dried mushrooms
- 190 ml water
- 1 large onion chopped
- 150 g coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 80 g tomato puree
- 500 ml ginger beer
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 50 ml rapeseed oil
- 75 ml vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 210°C.
- For the seitan ribs, add water, liquid smoke, soy sauce, yeast extract and miso paste in a blender and blitz until smooth and well combined.
- In a large bowl, add vital wheat gluten, mustard powder, garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper, smoked paprika and dried mushrooms and mix.
- Pour in the wet ingredients from the blender and mix briefly until all ingredients are mixed well – try not to exceed 1 minute of mixing as the result will be more bready and chewy rather than succulent and meaty.
- Roll out on a surface then place in a greased baking dish.
- Cut into strips and bake for 25 minutes.
- In the mean time, brown the onions for 15 minutes in a saucepan with the rapeseed oil on a medium heat, stirring every so often – add a dash of water as needed to avoid sticking.
- When browned, add the garlic and cook a further 5 minutes.
- Next add tomato puree, ginger beer, soy sauce, vinegar and 75g brown sugar. Allow to reduce by a third for around 20 minutes on low-medium heat.
- When ribs are cooked, use a knife to cut strips a bit further so that they can be torn easily when ready to eat, cutting across the same area as before, but not cutting all the way as they should still be attached.
- Remove and brush on both sides with half of the sauce.
- Return to the oven and roast a further 10-15 minutes.
- Return the remaining sauce back to the heat and add the rest of the sugar.
- Allow to cook and caramelize without stirring too much for 10 minutes until thick and glossy (add a little more sugar if not yet glossy and rich).
- Remove ribs and brush top with sticky glaze before serving- be careful as the glaze will be hot.
Notes
- Coconut sugar can be replaced with brown sugar.
- Liquid smoked can be replaced with additional smoked paprika.
- Nutritional yeast flakes can be used instead of yeast extract.
- Soybean paste can be subbed for miso paste.
- Red or white miso paste can be used.
Nutrition
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