This vegan ham is the perfect meaty replacement for your holiday table. Made with seitan this recipe is filled with flavor and looks gorgeous.
The first time I ever made seitan was 3 years ago. I tried to make it and test out someone else’s recipe during my holiday series. Well, here we are and after making seitan many, many times I am happy to present you with this recipe for vegan ham. I know, sounds like an oxymoron, but this vegan ham captures the flavors of a traditional Christmas ham! I can’t entirely remember what the texture of ham is, and to be honest I don’t want to, but this came out amazing and I think you will love it.
What is Seitan
Seitan has gained a lot of popularity within the last few years. Before going vegan I had never heard of it and now I love it. Seitan is a meat substitute, of course, that is made with Vital Wheat Gluten which is basically just the protein found in bread. Now, no this isn’t bread. It comes out meaty and with great texture and it is super high in protein. From my research seitan first started in the Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese cuisine and it primarily was made for Buddhists and people who do not eat meat. So while it has gained popularity it has been around for a very long time!
Is Gluten Free Seitan Possible
Without a doubt every time I upload a seitan recipe people ask me if this can be made gluten free. The answer is no. Vital wheat gluten i the main ingredient in seitan, there is no way to replace it. So unfortunately, for all my gluten free friends you will have to pass. If you are looking for some gluten free meaty main dishes check out these: Vegan Baked Ziti (uses chickpea pasta), Baked Tofu with Pecan Leek Stuffing, or Sheet Pan Lemon & Rosemary Tofu with Potatoes.
Bacon Seasoning
In the recipe you will see I use something called bacon seasoning. I have this seasoning from Outstanding Foods so I figured it would be good to use it in this recipe. This seasoning from Flavor God would also work. If you don’t have it, it isn’t super necessary. You can add a dash of liquid smoke (not too much) or smoked paprika. So don’t worry you can just omit it, if finding something that like is a big deal.
Knead Away
The most important part to making good seitan is kneading it. For this recipe you are going to knead it for 10 minutes. It is probably the most annoying part of the whole recipe. You can either do this by hand or in a stand mixer. It will give you a good arm workout if you do it by hand.
FAQ
- Can I make this soy free? Sure, just substitute the soy sauce for Tamari or Coconut Aminos.
- Can I make this ahead of time? I haven’t tested it in that way to be honest. I think the best thing to do would be to just make it when you want to eat it.
- What can I serve on the side of this? Anything you like! But might I suggest these: Cheesy Garlic Bread, Roasted Cauliflower & Broccoli with Tahini Basil Sauce, Duchess Potatoes or Smashed & Breaded Brussels Sprouts.
- What to do with leftovers? You can store the seitan in your refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also slice it and then freeze it, reheat in a pan when you want to enjoy.
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Vegan Ham
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale
- Stand Mixer (optional)
Ingredients
Seitan “Ham”
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup (120g) vital wheat gluten
- 1 tablespoon (15g) tapioca flour
- ¼ cup (30g) chickpea flour
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon bacon seasoning
- 2 teaspoons (8g) organic brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon (15g) tahini
- ½ tablespoon (7ml) low sodium soy sauce
- ½ tablespoons (7ml) olive oil
- ½ cup (120ml) vegetable broth
Brown Sugar Maple Glaze
- 1 teaspoon (5g) mustard
- 2 tablespoons (24g) organic brown sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons (22ml) maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon (3g) olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon bacon seasoning
Other
- ½ orange cut into slices
- 2 to 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine all the seitan dry ingredients. Mix well with a fork.
- Add all the wet ingredients except the vegetable broth. Slowly, add the vegetable broth in. Start with half and then mix. Then continue to add until it reaches a crumbly texture that no longer looks dry. PLEASE NOTE: you will not need to use all the vegetable broth. My exact measurement both times I made it was 93 ml (⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon).
- Knead the seitan dough either by hand or in a stand mixer for 10 minutes. Once it is formed into a dough shape into a long cylinder.
- Bring a large pot of water with any remaining vegetable broth and at least 3 cups (750ml) water to a boil. Once boiling reduce to a simmer and carefully place in the seitan and simmer for 55 minutes. Cover with a lid and leave it slightly vented.
- Once there is about 15 minutes left for the seitan to simmer preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).
- Then prepare the glaze by adding all ingredients to a small bow and mixing together.
- Add the orange slices and rosemary to a small baking dish.
- When the seitan is done simmering carefully remove it with tongs from the pot. Use a sharp knife to gently score the top with diagonal cuts.
- Place the seitan on top of the oranges in the baking dish. Brush with glaze, leave a little bit for brushing once the vegan ham is done.
- Bake in the oven for 45 minutes. When done the score marks will have opened up and the vegan ham should have a dry appearance.
- Brush the remaining glaze over the vegan ham and slice.
Video
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