Step 1

Pour 4 cups organic stone-ground whole wheat flour and 3 cups organic high-protein white bread flour into a 5 quart or larger size bowl. Whisk to combine the different flours. Add 3 1/2 cups filtered or spring water and mix with a large wooden spoon or hands until most of the flour is incorporated.

Step 2

Turn the dough out onto a counter and scrape the dry bits onto the top of the mound. Knead a couple of minutes until no more dry flour shows. Let the dough sit for a few minutes to relax. Then knead a couple more strokes to make a smooth ball.

Step 3

Place dough ball back into large bowl. No need to wash out bowl first. Top with water to cover completely. Lift up bottom of dough ball to let water run underneath.

Step 4

Let dough soak at room temperature for 2 hours.

Step 5

Bring 2 quarts water, 2 TB Braggs liquid aminos or soy sauce, 4 cubes Not Beef bouillon and 2 tsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce to a boil. Keep on low heat while washing seitan.

Step 6

Begin squeezing seitan dough in its soaking water with both hands, working to keep mass intact. Knead and squeeze until the water is very cloudy with starch. This first go-around will take about 2-4 minutes.

Step 7

Pour the cloudy water off and fill with fresh water again. Use more water for soaking and rinsing as needed and repeat the process of replacing it with new water about every 2 minutes.

Step 8

After 5 or 6 washes the water should be nearly clear and the seitan will be a stretchy, bouncy mass. At this point, avoid squeezing or compressing the seitan too hard. You want to have a web-like mass that traps broth in pockets while it's cooking.

Step 9

At the end you should have about 24 ounces of raw seitan, or 2-3 cups by measure. Seitan will expand to at least double the volume when cooked.

Step 10

Cover the finished seitan with water and keep submerged until ready to transfer to simmering broth.

Step 11

Keep the ball of seitan in a bowl of water while preparing simmering stock. Bring stock to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer.

Step 12

To make seitan ground meat:Method 1: Keep the ball of seitan in a bowl of water and tear off small pieces. Place the pieces on a large tray or cutting board without touching each other. When all the pieces are torn, transfer the seitan bits to the cooking broth. Stir to separate. Bring stock to a boil and reduce heat to a low bubble. Cook, stirring occasionally until seitan floats to the top of water and is done. Smaller pieces of seitan cook in about 20-25 minutes.Method 2: Make seitan beef strips or meatballs and chop seitan into ground beef texture after the strips or meatballs are cooked.To make beef strips:Place seitan on a counter or cutting board. Cut mass in half. Without compressing seitan too much, flatten it to about 1/2 an inch thick. You can do this by stretching and teasing seitan outwards. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut into strips 1/4 inch wide. Bring stock to a boil and reduce heat to a low bubble. Transfer strips to cooking broth. Cook, stirring occasionally until seitan floats to the top of water and is done. Beef strips cook in about 25-30 minutes.To make cutlets:Place seitan on a counter or cutting board. Cut mass in half. Without compressing seitan too much, flatten it to about 1/8 an inch thick. You can do this by stretching and teasing seitan outwards. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut the flattened seitan into 4 inch squares. Drop the cutlets into simmering stock one by one. Bring stock to a boil and reduce heat to a low bubble. Cook, stirring occasionally until seitan floats to the top of water and is done. Cutlets cook in about 25-30 minutes.To make meatballs:Without compressing seitan too much, flatten it to about 1/2 an inch thick. You can do this by stretching and teasing seitan outwards. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut into 1/2 inch squares. Then shape the squares into balls. Seitan expands while cooking, so you will end up with balls about twice the size when finished. Transfer the meatballs to the cooking broth. Bring stock to a boil and reduce heat to a low bubble. Cook, stirring occasionally until seitan floats to the top of water and is done. Meatballs cook in about 20-25 minutes.To make skewers:Flatten raw seitan into two 3 x 6 inch rectangles. Cut crosswise with a pizza cutter or sharp knife into 1/2 inch strips. You should end with about 24 3 x 1/2 inch strips. Pinch the cut pieces every inch or so to shape attractively. Drop the skewers one by one into the cooking broth. Bring stock to a boil and reduce heat to a low bubble. Cook, stirring occasionally until seitan floats to the top of water and is done. Skewers cook in about 25-30 minutes.

Step 13

Transfer to cooked seitan to a storage container with enough broth to cover the top surface of the seitan. Let cool to room temperature.

Step 14

Store cooked seitan in its broth for one week in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer.