Simple Barbeque Tofu

Simple Barbeque Tofu

Tofu is very versatile, but can be scary for first-time users. This recipe is very simple and straightforward- great for an introduction to tofu.

Tofu BBQ Sandwich 

4 servings

Ingredients:

• 16 oz package of extra firm or firm tofu (not silken)
• 1 cup barbeque sauce*

 

Directions:

1. Freeze block of tofu in package, and take out of the freezer to let thaw in fridge the day before you plan to make the recipe. This is not a necessary step, but I highly recommend it! Freezing tofu creates little ice pockets, so when it thaws, it is more porous, and gives the tofu better texture in recipes.
2. Take the tofu out of the package and drain off the liquid. The official way to “press” tofu if you don’t have a tofu press, is to place the tofu block between two cutting boards lined with paper towels to get rid of excess moisture. Here is my hack: Cut the tofu into four equal size pieces. Take one of those pieces, and hold it over the sink. Gently squeeze the water out of the tofu with your hand- like a sponge! You want to get as much water out as possible while maintaining the shape of the tofu (you probably don’t want it to be crumbly for this recipe). Repeat for each of the tofu pieces. Ta-dah!
3. Cut the tofu into ½ to 1 inch thick slices. I had a total of 16 roughly equal sized tofu squares. You can cut into smaller cubes if you would like.

   

   Tofu before marinating

4. Place tofu into a container that has a lid, and add barbeque sauce. Close the lid and gently move the container all around to fully coat the tofu.
5. Let marinate for as long as you’d like- the longer it marinates, the better the flavors are absorbed by the tofu. For this particular recipe, I was a bit impatient and it only marinated for about 10-15 minutes (still good, but could have been better with more time!). You can even let it marinate overnight in the fridge!
6. When ready to cook, heat a non-stick skillet on medium.
7. Gently wipe off excess bbq sauce from a tofu slice with a spoon or spatula, and add tofu to the skillet. Continue with the other slices, making sure to keep the tofu in a single layer on the skillet surface (I ended up doing a few batches because my skillet couldn’t fit it all).  
8. Cook the tofu squares for about 2-3 minutes per side, making sure not to burn. Remove from heat and it’s ready to eat!

 

To assemble:

Put tofu between two slices of whole wheat bread, and add more BBQ sauce to taste! Can also be made into cubes and put on salad, or eaten as is.

*If using store-bought sauce, try to find organic, oil free and refined-sugar-free varieties. A lot of brands use high fructose corn syrup and artificial ingredients. I also check labels to make sure there aren’t animal-derived ingredients. If you have some time, there are also some good homemade barbeque recipes like this one.