BBQ Seitan Ribs (and Giveaway RESULTS!)

BBQ Seitan Ribs (complete with Cedar Bones!) found on page 140 of
The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions.  Photo by Celine Steen.

I am a complete sucker for the small town, idyllic idea of a country hoe-down or county fair. Unfortunately, I live in Orange County, California, and if you've seen the ad for our county fair, you'd see that the romantic visions of a barn dance, red and white gingham tablecloths, hay rides, banjo plucking bands, under the big blue sky, in a big green meadow are just that...romantic visions.

So, I have my own hoe-downs.  Me and my husband in my backyard.  (And yes, I do own an old wooden wagon wheel!)  One of my favorite things to throw on the grill is a big ol' slab of Seitan Ribs, complete with cedar bones.

If you like to cook outdoors, leave a comment below telling me your favorite foods to eat or cook outside!  I will choose 3 comments at random to receive your choice of any of my 5 cookbooks!  Yes, I will ship internationally.  I will choose the winners on Saturday night. (After I get home from the fair.  Ha!)  I only ask one favor...if you enter this giveaway, please check back to see if you have won, otherwise, I have no idea how to get your book to you.


CONTEST NOW OVER.  WINNERS ARE #28, 21, and 2.  CONGRATULATIONS VIC, ERIN, and BETH!

#2  Vic Robinson July 18, 2012 11:08 AM

These look fantastic! I really like the unique addition of steak sauce! Yum!

#21 Erin C. July 18, 2012 4:27 PM

I usually go for a simple tofu/veggie kabob. Once I did pizza on the grill and that was yummy!!!

#28  Beth July 19, 2012 8:17 AM

Corn all the way! Dang it, I wish we had a grill.... those ribs looks INSANE.

Please send me an email with your mailing address and choice of cookbook to joni AT justthefood DOT com so I can send you your book ASAP!

Barbecue Seitan Ribs

3 cups (432 g) vital wheat gluten flour

1 cup (120 g) whole wheat flour

1/4 cup (30 g) nutritional yeast

2 tablespoons (16 g) onion powder

1 tablespoon (8 g) garlic powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups (470 ml) water

1/2 cup (125 ml) barbecue sauce, store-bought or homemade

1/4 cup (60 ml) steak sauce

2 tablespoons (30 ml) soy sauce

2 tablespoons (30 ml) liquid smoke

2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil

2 cups (470 ml) additional barbecue sauce for baking and grilling

6 bones (See note below)

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4).

Line a 9×13-inch (23 x 33-cm) baking pan with foil or parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl, mix together wet ingredients.

Add wet ingredients to the dry and knead for 5 minutes.

Let mixture rest for 20 minutes.

Shape mixture into a large rectangle, to fit in the pan, with at least an inch of space around the edges.

Push the bones through the mixture, at equal distances from each other.

Pour additional 3/4 cup (180 ml) barbecue sauce into the bottom of the baking pan.

Place “rack of ribs” in the pan.

Spread another 3/4 cup (180 ml) barbecue sauce over the top.

Cover pan tightly with foil and bake for 90 minutes.

You can enjoy these as is, or refrigerate for later use.

To reheat, fire up the grill to give ribs extra smoky flavor and grill marks. Brush with 1/2 cup (125 ml) even more barbecue sauce while grilling!

Finger Lickin' Good: Disposable bamboo chopsticks or even Popsicle sticks work wonders here, but if

you want to kick it up a notch, try food-grade cedar cut into 1/2-inch x 6-inch (1.27 x 15-cm) “bones,” makingsure to sand down any rough edges. Whichever you choose, start by soaking them in a mixture of 2 cups (470 ml) warm water mixed with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) liquid smoke to add some smoky flavor to the ribs. For an edible set of bones, try taro root. Although this method will yield edible “bones,” they will be more flimsy after cooking, thus requiring a fork and knife for eating.

Yield: 6 large ribs