There's a great basic recipe for Seitan Sausage here. These sausages are wrapped in tin foil and steamed instead boiled or baked. The result is a sausage with a great texture that tastes great for cooking or on a bun . . . nothing like the mushy erasers they push at the grocery.
I'm working on two variations of this recipe: Italian Sausage and Andouille. These are intended to flavor a dish, not as a stand alone, so I've increased the fat content. Further, Italian Sausage is not a smoked sausage. It has a very different texture that I am trying to emulate. It is definately a work in progress.
My first shot at Andouille turned out well, if not mild. It flavored my Jambalaya nicely.
Seitan Andouille:
1/2 cup white kidney beans
1 cup cold vegetable stock
2 tbs vegetable oil
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp liquid smoke
1 1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp cayenne (more to taste)
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 cup cold vegetable stock
2 tbs vegetable oil
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp liquid smoke
1 1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp cayenne (more to taste)
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp chili powder
Here's my basic Seitan Sausage procedure:
Get your steamer ready. This goes together pretty quickly. I don't have a steamer, and don't intend to get one. I use a wide stock pit, a pie dish and a plate, pictured below. It works well.
Mash up beans in a glass pie dish. I pull out the skins when it's easy, but this is for presentaiton more than anything else. Push the beans aside and combine all the dry ingredients on the other side of the dish. Mix the dry ingredients together with a fork. Using your fingers, work the dry ingredients into the mashed beans; much like you would cut shortening into flour (right).
Get your steamer ready. This goes together pretty quickly. I don't have a steamer, and don't intend to get one. I use a wide stock pit, a pie dish and a plate, pictured below. It works well.
Mash up beans in a glass pie dish. I pull out the skins when it's easy, but this is for presentaiton more than anything else. Push the beans aside and combine all the dry ingredients on the other side of the dish. Mix the dry ingredients together with a fork. Using your fingers, work the dry ingredients into the mashed beans; much like you would cut shortening into flour (right).
Combine the wet ingredients and pour into the pie dish. Knead with one hand until the liquid is incorporated. The dough should be moist and pliable, but somewhat firm. I sometimes need to add a little more wheat gluten. If so, dust the top with wheat gluten and knead it in. When the dough looks like this (left) divide into equal parts (8 parts for hot dogs, 6 for sausages). I roll them into balls.
Work the balls into a sausage shape, about 5"-6" in length, about the length of a sharpie. It won't really roll, I just work the shape with my hands. It doesn't need to be perfect either, when you wrap them in foil, they will take shape. As you form each sausage, place it on a piece of tin foil and roll tightly. Twist the edges and set aside.Note: For breakfast sausages, I form into a 'rope' about the width of a breakfast sausage, roll half way in tinfoil, turn the tinfoil around and roll the other end in another 'rope' of dough, meeting in the middle.
Put the rolled sausages into the steamer and steam for around 45 minutes. I do a 'pinch' test to check for firmness. The longer you cook them, the firmer they get. When I cook them with intent to finish on the barbeque, I cook for about 30 mintutes. If you have to stack the sausages, turn half way though cooking. And the smaller the roll, the shorter the cook time. Breakfast sausage cooks for about 30 minutes.
Put the rolled sausages into the steamer and steam for around 45 minutes. I do a 'pinch' test to check for firmness. The longer you cook them, the firmer they get. When I cook them with intent to finish on the barbeque, I cook for about 30 mintutes. If you have to stack the sausages, turn half way though cooking. And the smaller the roll, the shorter the cook time. Breakfast sausage cooks for about 30 minutes.The whole process, not including cook time, only takes about 15 minutes, and they freeze well, just make sure and lable them.
Thank you, thank you for the step-by-step sausage procedure. I have tried many, many homemade recipes and none have turned out good. I'll give your method a try the next time I work up enough courage to try it again. :)
-Maida
Thanks, I hope it helps. I've been playing with different spice combinations for different types of sausage, but the bottom line is: the flavor is awesome and the texture is perfect. I hope it works out for you.
I triede two version of this one, today--the first time, I followed the recipe, exactly. It wasn't spicy enough for my taste, so I added a tsp of cajun seasoning, a pinch more thyme, and doubled the cayenne--that outta do it ;) I think I cooked it a little too long, the first time, too---made it "crunchy" when I pan-fried it--I'm going to make gumbo on Thursday--and I think the second batch will be perfect! Thanks for the base recipe!!!!
eeek--sorry about the horrible spelling--multi-tasking--doh!
Mine is mild for sure, but it suits my kids' pallet better. If it were up to me, I'd make it spicier too. I was pleased with how the flavor distributes in Jambalaya. It should make good gumbo too =)
Hey Matt---The second batch was fabulous!! I used a lot more red pepper, steamed it no longer than 45 minutes, and used hickory smoke instead of mesquite. I pan-fried it for less time with a higher temp and added it to the gumbo later, so it wouldn't lose it's texture. It was PERECT!! Great recipe!
Thanks for the recipe. My first batch turned out great! I cut 1T of oil and doubled the cayenne.
I just made these (only much larger and boiled the "sausages" in broth) and they turned out very well! I added a lot more red pepper (a few different types in addition to cayenne) and smoked paprika. I just realized I forgot to put in the nutritional yeast. Still yummy!