Vegan Ribs Recipe – Seitan Ribs With Jackfruit

Smoky BBQ vegan ribs with jackfruit, vegan protein with chewy fibers and a meaty umami flavor. Amaze everyone with this vegan ribs recipe!

Tired of the same old meatless recipes? Look no further than this vegan ribs recipe made of smoky seitan with jackfruit! This delicious vegan ribs recipe packs a real punch of umami flavor thanks to the combination of marmite and mushroom powder in the vital wheat gluten seitan. Significantly, the jackfruit provides a unique texture that mimics the fibers of meat in this delectable rib recipe. Get ready for a truly savory experience that will satisfy even the most die-hard meat lovers!

These BBQ competition jackfruit seitan ribs have all the meaty flavor you love without animal products. The addition of jackfruit in the recipe gives the seitan the full texture and look of real BBQ ribs. In conclusion, these are the real deal and you’re going to love them!

What is Seitan and Why Use Jackfruit?

If you’re new to the world of vegan cooking, you may be wondering what exactly is seitan and why should you use jackfruit in this meatless recipe? Well, let me break it down for you!

To explain, seitan is a popular meat substitute made from vital wheat gluten, the protein found in wheat. What’s more, it has a dense, chewy texture that closely resembles meat, making it a great choice for creating vegan versions of your favorite meat dishes. In this case, we’re using seitan to make delicious rib-shaped pieces that will have you forgetting all about the real thing.

Now, you might be wondering why we’re also using jackfruit in this recipe. Jackfruit is a tropical fruit that, when cooked, has a fibrous texture that can mimic the fibers of meat. To that end, it’s the perfect addition to our seitan ribs, giving them that extra layer of texture that will have you convinced you’re eating the real deal.

Using jackfruit in combination with seitan not only adds to the overall texture of the dish, but it also provides a subtle sweetness that balances out the savory flavors. Together with the other ingredients, they create a winning combination that will satisfy even the most die-hard meat lovers.

So, whether you’re a long-time vegan looking for a new meatless recipe to try, or someone who’s just curious about exploring plant-based options, these smoky seitan ribs with jackfruit are a must-try.

Stop Struggling With Seitan

All things considered, seitan recipes can be difficult to get a passable meaty taste and texture. Basically, the key challenges include:

1. Getting the right moisture content
2. The correct amount of kneading
3. Seasoning and flavoring the seitan well enough.

Ingredients For The Perfect Vegan Ribs Recipe

• Canned jackfruit: This recipe uses canned jackfruit and vital wheat gluten to make a fibrous seitan that mimics meat perfectly. Drained and rinsed jackfruit pieces look like stringy chunks of off-colored pineapple. Moreover, the jackfruit strands will become the meaty fibers in the ribs giving them a pleasing texture. Adding jackfruit to the seitan will also help prevent the recipe having an undesirable texture.
• Vital wheat gluten: The base dry ingredient in seitan. There’s no gluten-free version of this type of meat substitute. It’s very high in protein, and it’s used to make a variety of plant-based meat products. I use it to make The Juiciest Seitan Chick’n Ever and Seitan Deli Turkey Slices.
• BBQ sauce: Use your favorite BBQ sauce, you’ll need some for the initial cooking and marinating and the rest for baking
• Vegetable stock: Use either homemade vegetable broth or a good quality one like Better Than Bouillon
• Soy sauce or aminos: Adds saltiness, umami, and depth of flavor to the recipe
• Marmite, Vegemite, or other umami source: These spreads provide a rich umami flavor 
• Nutritional yeast: Umami and B vitamins 
• Smoked paprika: Imparts a smoky flavor and gives the jackfruit ribs a reddish hue
• Garlic powder and onion powder: These add loads of flavor so don’t leave them out
• Mushroom powder or MSG: Brings out the umami taste in the dish
• Miso: White, red, or doenjang bring a dominant fermented umami taste that replicates pork.
• Dry mustard: Good subtle tanginess and a little extra depth 
• Cracked black pepper: Use freshly cracked black pepper for the best flavor
• Hickory smoke powder: The best ingredient for a smoky flavor with no bitterness or odd aftertaste

Adding Umami Flavor with Marmite and Mushroom Powder

Most important, adding umami flavor to your smoky seitan ribs with jackfruit is essential for creating a truly mouthwatering vegan dish. And the secret ingredients? Marmite and mushroom powder!

Marmite, a yeast extract spread, is a staple in many vegetarian and vegan kitchens. It adds a rich, savory flavor to dishes and is a fantastic meat substitute. When combined with mushroom powder, the umami flavor in your seitan ribs recipe is taken to a whole new level.

Mushroom powder, made from dried mushrooms, is a versatile ingredient that enhances the depth of flavor in your dishes. Its earthy taste complements the jackfruit and seitan, creating a perfect balance of flavors.

To add these umami powerhouses to your smoky seitan ribs with jackfruit, simply mix the marmite and mushroom powder into the vital wheat gluten and other seasonings. The combination of these ingredients creates a savory base that will make your taste buds sing.

So, next time you’re craving that savory, meaty flavor in your vegan dishes, don’t forget to reach for the marmite and mushroom powder. They’re the secret ingredients that will take your seitan ribs recipe from good to absolutely incredible. Trust me, you won’t be able to resist going back for seconds!

More links you might be interested in:

• How To Use Jackfruit As Meat – Jackfruit Meat Substitute Recipe
• Easy Seitan Lunch Meat – Elevated Plant-Based Deli Turkey
• Easy and Juicy Vegan Seitan Chick’n
• Easy Vegan Jackfruit Birria Tacos
• Chicken Salad Chick Copycat – Elevated Plant-Based Chick’n Salad

Instructions For Making The Perfect Vegan Ribs Recipe

1. Start by opening the can before draining, rinsing, and drying the jackfruit

2. Smash the jackfruit pieces to expose the fibers and break them apart

3. Put the jackfruit pieces on a parchment lined cookie sheet and cook on oven low (200 ℉/90 ℃) for one hour then let cool and pull apart

Making The Seitan Dough

4. Put all of the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl with the pulled jackfruit and combine lightly
5. Mix the Marmite and miso with a little stock to break up lumps then mix half of the rest of the liquid ingredients together, reserving stock and BBQ sauce for baking liquid

6. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, mix thoroughly to make sure all of the dry ingredients are incorporated

7. Knead the dough on the countertop, or in a stand mixer or food processor with dough function, until the gluten develops elasticity and stringiness (your food processor might handle all of these steps at once as shown here)

8. Cover and rest thirty minutes for gluten formation and texture
9. Shape into a rib slab rectangular shape, sandwich patties, or rib tip pieces

Cooking Jackfruit Seitan Vegan Ribs

1. Pan fry in a couple tablespoons of oil on medium high heat in a non stick skillet, 3 to 4 minutes per side until the gluten is seared and browned well then remove to cool

2. Put the ribs into a baking dish with the reserved BBQ sauce, stock, and enough water or beer to just cover (approximately one cup) and bake covered in foil at 350 ℉/175 ℃ for one hour, turning and flipping the pieces halfway through

3. Let the ribs cool then cover and refrigerate overnight to develop texture and bite
4. The next day the ribs can be cooked in the skillet for a couple of minutes per side or they can go on the grill or cold smoker for a final brief cook also

Substitutions

Some flavors are more easy to interchange with other ingredients than others. If you are missing an umami ingredient like miso, Marmite, or MSG you can double up on something else as a substitute.

Tips For Making Seitan Jackfruit Vegan Ribs

Only pan cook two or three patties at a time depending on your skillet size. A large slab is best cooked on a flattop griddle or by holding the other half of the slab out of the skillet. Overcrowding will prevent getting the nice sear and caramelization crucial for the flavor and texture.

Don’t skip the resting. Resting is important to develop a firmer, meatier texture.

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