Bbq Baked Tofu is an all around summer-time people pleaser. Pomegranate is the star here. Tart, tangy and delicious.
Bbq Baked Tofu is a simple meal great any day of the week. It is also good for a summer bbq. Share the spicy bbq sauce with your carnivorous friends too, I bet they will enjoy it.
If you want to make your tofu on and actual bbq grill, here are some tips:
1: USE FIRM NON SILKEN TOFU – Non-silken tofu has the added benefit of being more porous, allowing it to draw more flavor from sauces and marinades.
2: CUT YOUR TOFU WIDE – at least 1/3 inches wide.
3: DRY WELL – After slicing, press with paper towels.
4: SEASON WISELY – Tofu can be bland on its own, spice it up with a rub or a marinade that contains some amount of sugar, which helps the tofu brown and crisp better.
5: PREHEAT AND CLEAN YOUR GRILL – Preheat the grill with the lid on for at least 10 minutes in order to get those grates super hot, then scrub them down with a grill brush.
6: OIL YOUR GRILL WELL – Grill grates can build up a layer of seasoning when you rub oil into them. As the oil heats, it forms a polymer that makes the surface of those grates virtually non-stick.
7: SLOW, INDIRECT HEAT = CRISPY TOFU – If you want tofu that’s really crisp with concentrated flavor all over its surface, then low, indirect heat is where you want to be.
8: REAPPLY MARINADE AFTER COOKING – By saving some of your marinade and reapplying it after the tofu is done cooking, you double up on flavor.
I served these rib like tofu rectangles over a bed of my Coconut Lime Rice. The trio of pomegranate, lime, and toasted coconut blended nicely.
You know me, I go for the extra heat. I didn’t actually intend on adding so much sriracha. To be honest, what was meant to be a drop came out a dollop. I’m glad too, because the bbq sauce came out amazingly tasty. I’m going to make up a separate batch for use as a frequent condiment.
Bbq Baked Tofu is enhanced by the addition of pomegranates. The seeds are juicy, tart, and sweet. The pomegranate molasses is not always easy to find in a big chain supermarkets though. I found my Al Wadi brand in a small Middle Eastern grocery.
You can make your own though:
Ingredients
4 cups pomegranate juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Directions
Place the pomegranate juice, sugar and lemon juice in a 4-quart saucepan set over medium heat.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Once the sugar has dissolved, reduce the heat to medium-low
- Cook until the mixture has reduced to 1 cup, about 70 minutes.
- It should be the consistency of thick syrup.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool in the saucepan for 30 minutes.
- Transfer to a glass jar and allow to cool completely before covering and storing in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
- 14 oz extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
- 3 Tbsp. peanut oil, divided
- 3 Tbsp. tamari, divided
- 2 shallots, minced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ Tsp. five-spice powder
- 2 cups water
- 2 cubes Better than Bouillon No-Chicken base
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp. smooth peanut butter
- 2 Tbsp. pomegranate molasses
- ¼ cup real maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp. sriracha
- 2 Tsp. liquid smoke
- ½ c pomegranate seeds (opt.)
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 F.
- Cut the tofu into eighths.
- Dredge tofu in 2 Tbsp. peanut oil and 1 Tbsp. tamari
- Place in a 9x13 pan..
- Bake for 15 minutes, flip, and bake another 15 minutes.
- Saute the shallots in the remaining peanut oil over medium heat in a saucepan,
- Stir, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and five-spice powder and cook 1 more minute.
- Mix in the water and soup base and bring to a simmer.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil.
- Lower the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Once the tofu is done baking, smother it with the sauce, return to the oven.
- Bake 15 minutes more. Top with pomegranate seeds if you'd like.
Cooking tunes: The Clash – Super Black Market Clash, Fugazi – Steady Diet of Nothing, Death – …for the whole world to see (1975) released 2009.
Writing tunes – Misfits – Static Age, Distillers – Coral Fang, HorrorPops – Hell Yeah!