This vegan glazed ham is meaty, smoky and sweet with delicious brown sugar and mustard glaze that creates the most amazing crust. It’s a holiday staple that’s not to be missed on any vegan holiday table.
What Is Vegan Ham?
Vegan ham is essentially roasted seitan with a sweet glaze. It’s juicy, meaty, smoky and, most importantly, it doesn’t fall apart when you slice it (even if you’re after those really thin slices).
Important note! Even though this vegan ham is absolutely delicious and has the best texture, it doesn’t taste like actual ham, so it won’t really fool any meat eaters in the family.
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Vegan Glazed Ham
Nutritional yeast - adds depth of flavour but it doesn’t make the chicken taste cheesy.
Brown sugar - for a kick of sweetness.
Liquid smoke - this is a natural product made from condensing the smoke from burning wood. It gives the ham a very subtle but needed smoky aroma and I wouldn’t recommend skipping it. You can find it in specialised stores, or you can order it from Amazon, where there are plenty of options to choose from.
Vegetable oil - any type of vegetable oil with non-distinct flavour.
Soy sauce, salt, ground cloves, ginger powder, white pepper - for extra flavour.
All-purpose flour - to bind the ingredients together.
Onion and garlic powder - feel free to adjust to your liking.
Vital wheat gluten
What Is Vital Wheat Gluten?
Vital wheat gluten, sometimes called gluten flour, is a naturally occurring protein found in wheat. It’s essentially wheat flour stripped of everything except the gluten, such as starch.
You can easily find it in health stores or the healthy/vegan section of some shops. Or, you can order it on Amazon. Depending on your location, there should be a variety of brands to choose from.
Please note, if you suffer from Celiac disease or have gluten allergies, then you must avoid consuming gluten in any form.
How to Make Vegan Ham with Brown Sugar and Mustard Glaze
STEP ONE - PREPARE THE SEITAN DOUGH
Pour water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Add the remaining brine ingredients and stir until the sugar dissolves. Set aside and let it cool to room temperature.
To make the dough, place all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix to combine. Strain the brine through a fine sieve into the dry ingredients and discard any strained solids. Combine with a spatula to develop the gluten (no need to knead the dough), and let it rest for 10 minutes for the liquid to absorb.
Lay an 18-inch-long sheet of aluminium foil on a work surface, put the dough directly on the foil and form it into a round mass. Lift an edge of the foil over the dough and begin rolling it into a cylinder while pinching the ends closed. Twist the ends tightly to seal and bend the twisted ends in half to lock them tight. Wrap with a second sheet of foil in a similar fashion.
STEP TWO - BAKE THE SEITAN
Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Put the foil package directly on the middle oven rack and bake for 2 hours. Once baked, remove the foil and let the ham cool.
STEP THREE - GLAZE THE HAM
Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. Put the brown sugar, mustard, soy sauce or tamari, and liquid smoke in a small dish and heat until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
Place the vegan butter in a large skillet over medium heat until melted. Add the whole ham and lightly brown it all over. Transfer to a baking dish and brush with the glaze until evenly coated. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350F (175C).
Vegan Glazed Ham FAQs
How many servings does this make?
The ham should serve about 6-8 people, depending on serving sizes. If you are making it for a large crowd or want a lot of leftovers, I would make 2 roasts.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes, you can bake the seitan 1-2 days before, cool to room temperature, wrap and refrigerate. On the day, let it sit out on the counter for 20 minutes, make the glaze and follow the second set of baking instructions.
Can it be frozen?
Yes. It will keep covered in the fridge for up to 5 days and it freezes great. You can slice it and freeze individual slices in plastic wrap to take out whenever the craving strikes.
More Vegan Meats to Try Out
- Vegan Roast Chicken
- Meatless Meatballs with Sauerkraut
- Vegan Shrimp
- Authentic Vegan Schnitzel
- Vegan Pulled Pork Sandwiches
- Vegan Fish Fingers
Vegan Glazed Ham
ingredients
For the Brine
- 2 ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tablespoons liquid smoke
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon dry ginger powder
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups vital wheat gluten
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
For the Sugar and Mustard Glaze
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter or margarine
instructions
- First prepare the brine. Pour water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Add the remaining brine ingredients and stir until the sugar dissolves. Set aside and let it cool to room temperature.
- To make the dough, place all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix to combine. Strain the brine through a fine sieve into the dry ingredients and discard any strained solids. Combine with a spatula to develop the gluten (no need to knead the dough), and let it rest for 10 minutes for the liquid to absorb.
- Lay an 18-inch-long sheet of aluminium foil on a work surface, put the dough directly on the foil and form it into a round mass. Lift an edge of the foil over the dough and begin rolling it into a cylinder while pinching the ends closed. Twist the ends tightly to seal and bend the twisted ends in half to lock them tight. Wrap with a second sheet of foil in a similar fashion.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Put the foil package directly on the middle oven rack and bake for 2 hours. Once baked, remove the foil and let the ham cool.
- Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. Put the brown sugar, mustard, soy sauce or tamari, and liquid smoke in a small dish and heat until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
- Place the vegan butter in a large skillet over medium heat until melted. Add the whole ham and lightly brown it all over. Transfer to a baking dish and brush with the glaze until evenly coated. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350°F (175°C).
- Transfer to a cutting board or serving platter for slicing.
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