Applewood Smoked Vegan Breakfast Sausage Recipe

If smoking the sausages, soak the applewood chips in water for at least 30 minutes to an hour.
In a food processor bowl, combine ground seitan or vegan beef crumbles with oats, all-purpose flour, crushed fennel seeds, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic powder, smoked paprika, chipotle powder, nutritional yeast, miso paste, tomato paste, olive oil, and liquid smoke (if not smoking with wood chips).
Mix the ingredients until well combined and a shaggy, somewhat coarse dough forms.
Divide the dough into 2 tablespoon portions and shape them into small breakfast sausage patties. If you are making breakfast sandwiches with these, you can make slightly larger portions so that they fit nicely on an English muffin. Using wet hands, form the portions into smooth round patties.
Place the portioned sausage patties onto a lightly oiled, parchment paper-lined baking pan and roast for 12-15 minutes at 350°F (175°C) until well bound and just very slightly firm to the touch.
If smoking the sausages, drain the wood chips and set your oven to 225°F (105°C).
Warm the wood chips over medium heat in a dry Dutch oven until smoking. Then place a small wire rack or steamer basket into the Dutch oven above the smoking wood chips. Place the sausage patties onto the wire rack and place a lid on the Dutch oven.
Place the Dutch oven into the oven and cook for 20 minutes. Once smoked to your liking, remove the sausages from the smoker or Dutch oven and let them cool slightly before serving.