Tender Vegan Steak

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 cups vital wheat gluten
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon salt and black pepper, each

Wet Ingredients

  • 1 cup kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • ½ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
  • ¼ cup beetroot juice, liquid from canned beets
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke

Both

  • 4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

Directions

  1. First, mix all the dry and wet ingredients, except for the vital wheat gluten, in a food processor or blender until it becomes smooth.
  2. Pour everything into a large mixing container and add the vital wheat gluten. With a big spoon or spatula, combine the flour until just combined. You may use your hands for the final bit; simply knead to make sure all of the flour is incorporated. Keep in mind not to overknead! Simply knead until everything incorporates.
  3. Cut the dough into 6 long strips. Then, on a flat surface, roll out each strip until it is elongated and in the of a circle.
  4. Once the dough was firm enough to slice, I flattened each steak a bit more and changed its form slightly to make it appear more steak-like. Shaping is optional but adds a creative touch and reminds me of playing with Play-Doh. The dough will be somewhat hard and snap back from gluten elasticity, but you can shape your dough into real looking steaks if you put in some effort!
  5. Place the beef in a large saucepan and then pour enough water to cover it. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 2 hours. Continue cooking until the meat is tender and easily pulls apart at the bone when prodded with a fork (about 30 minutes). Remove from heat; drain off any excess liquid if necessary. Serve over rice or noodles while hot.
  6. By the time they’re done, they will have absorbed most of the broth, leaving them full of flavor. Keep an eye on them near the end to make sure they don’t burn if all the liquid has been soaked up. Covering them will help trap in moisture.
  7. Afterwards, cook each side for 1-2 minutes over medium-high heat on an outdoor grill or a grill pan to char and caramelize the outside. For the classic grill marks, use any type of skillet, non-stick or cast iron work best. If you don’t have a grill or a grill pan, that’s okay! You can use a regular skillet
.