Barbecued Seitan Ribz

Seems like everyone has tried these seitan ribz — and with good reason. They are super easy to make and a terrific vehicle for your favorite barbecue sauce. Yum! Here's my variation on the recipe found at Fat Free Vegan Kitchen, which we served with mashed potatoes whipped with Tofutti vegan sour cream and a simple side salad of garden lettuce and chopped carrots dressed with some leftover Picatta Sauce.

1 cup vital wheat gluten
2 teaspoons paprika
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons tahini or other nut butter (I used plain ol' peanut butter tonight)
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 tablespoon soy sauce
about 1 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease an 8x8 baking dish with oil. Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a separate small bowl, blend all the liquid ingredients except the barbecue sauce. Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir to mix well and then knead lightly in the bowl for a couple of minutes. Put the dough into the baking dish and flatten it so that it evenly fills the pan. Take a sharp knife and cut it into 8 strips; then turn the pan and cut those strips in half to form 16 pieces. Put it in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. Generously brush with barbecue sauce and return to oven for another 10 to 15 minutes (or grill on an outdoor barbecue).