Cooking Methods

Because many of the meats in this book are gluten based, you’ll learn a lot about the unique properties of this ingredient. When you’re making seitan, you’ll first mix vital wheat gluten with liquids and seasonings. From that point, you have a few choices for preparation.

The most basic technique is to simply drop the dough into simmering liquid and poach it until it’s cooked through. Depending on what else is in the dough, this will usually result in a puffy, porous product. This texture is great for using in stir fries and soups, as it’s tender and soaks up sauces and tasty broths. The result is a lot like falling-apart stew beef.

For products like salami or bacon, the texture should be dense and firm. If you wrap them tightly, so they can’t expand, and keep them from absorbing extra liquids, they’ll stay in the form you desire. Bologna and hot dogs are expected to have a smooth texture, with no air bubbles. To make them, we puree some plant-based foods like carrots or tofu for a smooth texture, and mix in some vital wheat gluten.

To keep expansion and puffiness to a minimum, you must compress the meat as it cooks. You can do this by wrapping it in either parchment paper and foil or cheesecloth and binding it tightly in a sausage or roast shape.

Each recipe has specifics that create the desired texture. Gluten-based meats must be cooked to an internal temperature of 180°F. An instant-read thermometer is an inexpensive way to make sure your meat is cooked through.

FRY AND BRAISE: The food is browned in oil over medium-low heat to set its shape and then either poached in the same pan by pouring out the oil and adding liquid or transferred to a baking pan, adding liquid, and baking, tightly covered until it reaches an internal temperature of 180°F.

BAKE AND SIMMER: The food is baked to set its shape, which seals the outside of the meat and dries it out a bit, and then simmered to moisten it and cook it through to the center.

BAKE: The food is wrapped in parchment paper and foil and then baked on the top rack of the oven to obtain a firm, dense style of meat.

STEAM: The food is wrapped in cheesecloth or parchment paper and foil and then steamed to keep it moist and cook it through without browning.

SLOW COOKER: The food is wrapped in parchment paper and foil or formed into a loaf or cutlets and then slow-cooked in a liquid for a long period of time. This method is handy when you are busy doing other things.

PRESSURE COOKER/INSTANT POT: The food is wrapped in parchment paper and foil and then pressure cooked with a smaller amount of liquid. This method is fast and effective.

I have found that I can reuse the foil from cooking sausages and roasts if I unwrap it carefully, blot it dry with a kitchen towel, and then let it air dry. Once it gets too torn, I just recycle it. Parchment paper can go in the recycle bin, and used cheesecloth is compostable.

How to Set Up a Steamer

Steaming is a gentle, moist way to cook your meats without immersing it in liquid as you would with braising or poaching.

I bought a big stainless-steel stacking steamer for steaming big batches of dumplings, and it is the best tool I have for steaming large quantities of mock meats. If you aren’t ready to commit to buying and storing a two-tier steamer, there are other options.

A standard folding, collapsible steamer is big enough to make a batch of Hot Dogs (page 42), if you stack them, or Chicken Breasts (page 28) if they are balanced. This type of steamer works best if you position it over a big pot, like a soup pot or Dutch oven, so there can be plenty of water in the bottom and the meats can hang over the edges of the steamer.

Any round cake rack can be placed in a large pot and used to hold a steamer or plate above simmering water. The longer the rack’s legs are, the better, because you need to be able to steam for long periods of time. As such, you’ll need to replenish the water often if you only have half an inch of water to start with. At an Asian market, I found a great solution: very inexpensive round metal racks with 2-inch legs, just for this purpose. On Amazon, do a search for steamer racks—you’ll find a large selection.

I’ve even improvised a steamer by simmering water in a large, wide skillet and putting a plate on top of tightly wadded-up balls of foil inside it. Take a look around your kitchen—you’ll be able to put something together.

Most Mock Meats Are Better the Next Day

When you make a big batch of sausages or mock chicken, you’ll probably end up eating it at several meals. Many of these mock meats are better after having time to fully chill and set up in the refrigerator overnight. Using them in recipes is like using prepared meats—you don’t need to cook them, just heat them up. Sausages and hot dogs will have a better “skin” after they’re sautéed in some oil, but if you prefer to steam or microwave them, that’s fine, too. Adding meats to stir fries, soups, spaghetti sauce, and other dishes is easy: just brown the pieces as you would meat, but much more briefly. As soon as you see color, proceed with the recipe. You won’t need to cook or simmer as you would with raw meat.

Shredded Chicken