BBQ Seitan Ribs With Homemade Barbecue Sauce

These lip-smacking strips of deliciousness are messy and fun to eat. Tender, meaty homemade seitan is slathered in sticky homemade barbecue sauce, seared, and then baked until slightly crisp and caramelized around the edges. Serve these with a side of potato salad and coleslaw.

BBQ SEITAN RIBS WITH HOMEMADE BARBECUE SAUCE [VEGAN]

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE BBQ SEITAN RIBS:

• 2 tablespoons almond butter, store-bought or homemade
• 3 cups plus 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce, store-bought or homemade (recipe below)
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 1/3 cups water
• 3 tablespoons tamari
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups vital wheat gluten

FOR THE HOMEMADE BARBECUE SAUCE:

• 1 tablespoon grapeseed or sunflower oil
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 28-ounce can tomato sauce or purée
• 1 canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup or dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup tamari
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke

PREPARATION

TO MAKE THE SEITAN RIBS:

1. In a food processor or large bowl, combine the almond butter, 2 tablespoons of the barbecue sauce, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, 1 cup of the water, tamari, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Process or stir until smooth and well blended.
2. Add the vital wheat gluten and process or mix until well combined. Add up to 1/3 cup additional water if needed to hold the mixture together. Transfer the dough to a work surface and knead lightly until well combined and the dough feels elastic. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9- x 13-inch baking dish.
3. Flatten the dough into a rectangle about 1/2-inch thick. Cut the dough into 2-inch strips, then cut in half crosswise and arrange them in the prepared baking dish. In a bowl, combine 1 cup of the barbecue sauce with 1 cup of the water and mix well. Pour the sauce mixture over the seitan and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for about 60 minutes, or until the seitan is firm and the sauce has reduced.
4. When the seitan ribs are done baking, remove the baking dish from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 400°F. 
5. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange 3 or 4 seitan ribs in the skillet and sear on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Do not crowd the pan. Return the seared ribs to the baking dish and sear the remaining seitan. When all the seitan has been seared and returned to the baking dish, pour the remaining 2 cups barbecue sauce over the seitan, turning to coat.
6. Return the pan to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the seitan is nicely glazed with the sauce, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.

TO MAKE THE BARBECUE SAUCE:

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, until the vegetables soften. Add the tomato sauce, chipotle, maple syrup, water, vinegar, tamari, salt, and pepper, stirring to mix well.
2. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until the sauce reduces to the desired consistency. Near the end of the cooking time, stir in the liquid smoke, then taste and adjust the seasonings, adding more salt, maple syrup, or vinegar if needed to balance the flavors.

NOTES

BBQ Seitan Ribs and Barbecue Sauce from VEGANIZE IT! by Robin Robertson, William Brinson, and Susan Brinson. Copyright © 2017 by Robin Robertson, William Brinson, and Susan Brinson. Used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/bbq-seitan-ribs-with-homemade-barbecue-sauce/