Summer will always make me think of my mom slow cooking ribs. Homemade seitan is used with artichokes to create a meaty texture and then cooked low and slow to create flavorful, delicious vegan ribs.
I know, I know…vegan barbecue ribs sounds like an oxymoron but just bear with me here. Prior to going vegan I really enjoyed ribs but not for the meat, it was just for the flavor. So, I can still enjoy ribs like I used to just in a new and fun way. I have been wanting to make a vegan ribs recipe for a long time and I figured it was a great way to start off a little mini series for summer. Over the course of the next week I will be bringing you 7 brand new recipes that are perfect for summer. I am so excited because they are all just absolutely delicious and I think you all will really enjoy them.
I have seen people make vegan ribs a lot of different ways. Some people use mushrooms, tempeh, tofu, seitan. Some people make fake bones or put things on skewers. There are plenty of ways to do it but for me these were reminiscent of the ones my mom always made. Crispy, caramelized pieces on the outside that got a little crunchy. Covered in saucy, glazed goodness and it just makes the house smell absolutely delicious. There’s just nothing better than a house being filled with the smell of slow cooked goodness.
Now, I do of course need to give the disclaimer these are not exactly like ribs. As a vegan of 5+ years these reminded me of ribs and had a meaty texture but don’t expect this to magically be like ribs. I think it is a great substitute and a great way to enjoy the flavors and enjoyment of ribs without the cruelty. I do think they are so fun to make and absolutely great for summer.
Artichoke Hearts
I have seen some recipes use jackfruit in their vegan barbecue ribs. I really hate jackfruit, which is unfortunate, but I decided to use artichoke hearts in here instead. They add some texture and meatiness to the seitan similar to what the jackfruit does. I like to use canned artichoke hearts for this, it is best to use the ones that come in water or a brine. I would not suggest to use anything thats flavored or in an oil because it will change the outcome of the vegan barbecue ribs.
Seitan
We have made a lot of seitan recipes here but just in case you are new to the blog let’s talk about seitan. Seitan is a meat replacement made with vital wheat gluten. Seitan is a great meat replacement as it is soy free. Vital wheat gluten is very easy to find pretty much anywhere these days. You typically find it in the baking aisle or specialty/nutrition aisles.
Seitan is the process of turning vital wheat gluten into a meat replacement. Vital wheat gluten has been used in Asian cuisine for years, in fact the first time it was used was in the 6th century in Chinese noodles. Seitan was a term originated by George Ohsawa in 1961 and then began to be packaged and sold. Homemade seitan is very easy to make, it is a bit time consuming but do not be intimidated by it. If you are looking for more seitan recipes be sure to check out my Vegan Chick’n Nuggets, Mongolian Beef, Vegan Chick’n Parmesan and I have plenty more in my cookbook!
Vegan Barbecue Ribs FAQ
- What can I do if I can’t have gluten? While you can’t replace the vital wheat gluten with anything in this recipe, I think skewered BBQ tofu is a great replacement.
- Is all BBQ sauce vegan friendly? I haven’t had too much problems finding vegan BBQ sauce but of course always check your ingredients. The one from Sweet Baby Ray’s is my favorite and what I used in this recipe. I also really like this Trader Joe’s BBQ Sauce. Just make sure you aren’t buying anything with honey in it!
- Are these good the next day? Yes, they were! I would recommend microwaving them to heat it up. I actually even liked these better the next day. Just store them in the fridge.
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Vegan Barbecue Ribs
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (150g) vital wheat gluten
- ⅓ cup (45g) chickpea flour
- 1 (14-ounce/397g) can artichoke hearts, drained weight (9 ounces/254g)
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ tablespoons vegan butter melted
- 2 to 3 tablespoons water
- 1 cup (288g) barbecue sauce
- Coarse sea salt and parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Drain the canned artichoke hearts. Place in a food processor and shred until it is in small broken down pieces.
- In a large bowl combine the vital wheat gluten, chickpea flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix together with a spatula. Then add the artichoke hearts, melted vegan butter, and 2 tablespoons of water. Mix together until it comes together. If it appears too dry and crumbly add another tablespoon of water. The artichoke hearts do contain water so when you knead it will come together more.
- Place the seitan dough onto a clean counter and knead for about 5 minutes. The dough will come together and should appear stretchy and striated in texture. Do not worry if some of the artichoke heart pieces come out.
- Cut the seitan in half and form them into individual balls. Use a rolling pin to roll out into a large rectangle about ¼ inch thick. It is okay if it isn’t perfect, just make sure the thickness is equal amongst the whole piece seitan.
- Steam the seitan for 20 minutes. Once it is done let it sit for a few minutes so it is not too hot to handle.
- Preheat oven to 325°F (162°C).
- Take the seitan and use a sharp knife to score about 1 inch thick rectangles in the seitan. Do not cut it into individual pieces, just so you can see lines of demarkation on top.
- Brush both sides of the seitan with about a quarter of the barbecue sauce.
- Take a large 9 x 13 inch pan and spread about 2 to 3 tablespoons of barbecue sauce on the bottom.
- Place the ribs in, cut side up. Brush more barbecue sauce on top and in between the ribs. Leaving about 2 tablespoons left for later.
- Bake in the oven for 1 hour.
- After 1 hour remove and carefully flip with tongs or a large spatula. Brush the remaining barbecue sauce on the other side of the ribs. Place back in the oven for 30 mins.
- Once they are done let them rest for 5 minutes.
- Cut into individual pieces and if you feel some piece are too large you can cut them in half. If desired, brush with 1 extra tablespoon of barbecue sauce and garnish with coarse sea salt and parsley.
Video
Notes
- When I rolled my seitan out it ended up being more of a triangular shape, overall the shape doesn’t matter just roll it out so the thickness is evenly distributed.
- You can cut the ribs into as many pieces as you like for serving.
- To steam you can either place in a steamer basket or use a strainer and a pot. I fill the pot with about 2 inches of water, place a strainer over it and place a lid on top.
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