I tried my hand at making homemade seitan the other night, and it was pretty good - my only complaint was that it wasn't as firm as I would have liked it to be.

These are the steps I followed (based on "Basic Seitan Recipie" instructions on the back of a vital wheat gluten box)

1. Mixed vital wheat gluten with water, kneaded for 5 minutes until it was elastic.
2. Formed into 2.5" log, let sit for 5 minutes.
3. Cut log into 0.5" pieces.
4. Heated vegetable broth over medium flame, added seitan pieces.
5. Brought broth to a boil.
6. Reduced flame, let seitan simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

So what could I do to improve this, and get firmer seitan pieces as a result? Less water in initial dough? Cut smaller pieces before boiling/simmering? Longer simmering time? Different type of vegetable broth?