Baked Jerk Tofu Recipes

HOW TO MAKE CRISPY BAKED TOFU

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the tofu from sticking.
• To prepare the tofu: Drain the tofu and use your palms to gently squeeze out some of the water. Slice the tofu into thirds lengthwise so you have 3 even slabs. Stack the slabs on top of each other and slice through them lengthwise to make 3 even columns, then slice across to make 5 even rows (see photos).
• Line a cutting board with a lint-free tea towel or paper towels, then arrange the tofu in an even layer on the towel(s). Fold the towel(s) over the cubed tofu, then place something heavy on top (like another cutting board, topped with a cast iron pan or large cans of tomatoes) to help the tofu drain. Let the tofu rest for at least 10 minutes (preferably more like 30 minutes, if you have the time).
• Transfer the pressed tofu to a medium mixing bowl and drizzle with the olive oil and tamari. Toss to combine. Sprinkle the starch over the tofu, and toss the tofu until the starch is evenly coated, so there are no powdery spots remaining.
• Tip the bowl of tofu over onto your prepared baking sheet and arrange the tofu in an even layer. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing the tofu halfway, until the tofu is deeply golden on the edges. Use as desired.

TOFU JERKY II

Steps:

• Place tofu block between paper towels on a plate. Set another plate on top, and put a weight on top of the plate such as a can to press the water from the block of tofu while you prepare the sauce.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the soy sauce, maple syrup, liquid smoke, garlic powder, black pepper, barbeque sauce and brown sugar until smooth.
• Slice tofu into 1/4 inch thick slices, and dip them in the sauce to coat. Place in a tightly sealed container. Place in the refrigerator, and let marinate for one to two hours.
• Preheat the oven to the lowest temperature, around 200 degrees F (95 degrees C). Line the oven rack with heavy duty aluminum foil, and place in the lowest position of the oven. Place the tofu slices on the foil.
• Bake for about 8 hours, checking and turning over tofu slices every few hours. Tofu jerky is done when it is hard and uniformly dark in color.

BAKED TOFU

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil a large baking sheet.
• Gently press tofu pieces to release as much water as possible. Arrange tofu on the prepared baking sheet.
• Whisk soy sauce, agave nectar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger together in a bowl until marinade is evenly combined. Brush half of the marinade over tofu pieces.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Flip tofu and brush remaining marinade over tofu. Sprinkle sesame seeds over tofu. Continue baking until tofu is crisp, about 30 minutes more. Transfer tofu to a wire rack using a spatula; cool.

BAKED TOFU

Steps:

• Slice your block of tofu into 2 or 3 even slabs (depending on the shape of your tofu block, each slab should be about 3/4 to 1-inch thick). Lay some paper towels or a clean tea towel on a flat surface, and place the slabs side by side on top of the paper towels. Cover with another layer of paper towels. Then place a cutting board on top of the tofu, and stack a bunch of heavy cans or pots or whatever you can safely balance on the cutting board. The idea is to put a lot of pressure/weight on the tofu, which will help the excess water to press out into the paper towels. Let the tofu drain for at least 15-30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat your oven to 400°F.
• Once the tofu has drained, remove the weights and paper towels. And use a knife to cut the tofu into your desired shapes. I typically just make little cubes (about 3/4-inch each), but you can cut any size of triangles, rectangles, or other shapes that you'd like.
• Add your tofu to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, and toss until evenly coated. Sprinkle evenly with cornstarch, salt, garlic powder and black pepper. Gently toss until the tofu is evenly coated.
• Turn the tofu out onto a parchment-covered baking sheet, and arrange it so that the tofu is in an even layer (not touching).
• Bake for 15 minutes. Then remove the baking sheet from the oven, and flip each of the tofu bites so that they can cook evenly on the other side. Return to the oven for 15-20 more minutes, or until the tofu reaches your desired level of crispiness. Remove baking sheet from the oven.
• And enjoy!

BAKED JERK TOFU

Steps:

• Press the tofu by placing it between two plates or baking pans. Weigh the top down with something heavy such as a tin of beans or a book. You want it heavy enough that the sides of the tofu bulge out a bit, but not so much that they split - you're just trying to press some of the water out. Let this sit for at least 30 minutes, longer if you can.
• While the tofu is pressing, make the jerk sauce by combining the rest of the ingredients in a processor or blender, puree until smooth and then set aside.
• Drain the pressed tofu and cut each cake into three slices. Stack the slices and then cut through all three layers diagonally (making an x). This will make 12 triangles from each block of tofu. If you're grilling on the BBQ, these squares might be too small to work with, so you can make larger triangles or strips.
• Gently toss the tofu in the jerk marinade. If time permits, let this sit for half an hour, longer if you can, tossing now and again.
• Oven baking - When ready to bake, place the triangles in a baking dish and bake for one hour at 400 degrees, carefully turning each piece every 20 minutes.
• Grill - Medium heat is best on the top rack so as not to burn. Grill them for about 25-30 minutes.