BBQ Tofu Recipe - The Big Man's World ® (2024)

FAQs

Why pour boiling water over tofu? ›

It may seem counterintuitive to add water to something you're trying to dry out, but boiling water will actually cause the tofu to squeeze out more moisture, bringing it to the surface and making it easier to blot off, while the salt gently seasons the slices.

First, drain and press the tofu.

For the best texture, press the tofu using a tofu press or cast-iron skillet for 20 to 30 minutes. If you're short on time, just drain the tofu and gently press it in a kitchen towel or paper towels over the sink. The tofu won't be as firm this way, but it will still be delicious!

If you choose to marinate your tofu for a few hours before adding it to the grill, a little blotting goes a long way, too! "If you choose to marinate the tofu, make sure to blot it dry after it comes out of the marinade. The dryer the tofu, the less chance it will have to stick to your grates," Gaman adds.

What to not serve with tofu? According to studies, a high volume consumption of tofu and spinach together can increase your risk of kidney stones. Tofu and spinach contain calcium and oxalic acid respectively and the combined can form kidney stones.

Here's the thing: even though tofu might be labeled firm or extra-firm, it contains a lot of water. This excess water can cause the tofu to crumble when you cook it, and it will also have a hard time crisping up. But when you press tofu, you remove the excess moisture.

If your crispy tofu isn't getting crispy, it could be because there is too much moisture in the tofu. Another issue could be the oil isn't hot enough to fry the tofu. Or you forgot to add the corn flour. These three reasons can cause your tofu to be soggy or not crisp up as much as you'd like.

Healthier - For starters, broiling tofu is a healthier method of cooking than frying, and it requires less oil to create crispier cubes. Easy - It's also really easy to make.

But for frying or grilling, I prefer the heartier texture of a 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.

Tofu seasoning rub: Rub the pressed tofu with lots of spices like garlic or onion powder, salt and pepper, nutritional yeast or a spicy taco seasoning, KFC seasoning, Buffalo spice, etc. Tofu marinade: Soak the tofu cubes in your favorite chicken/meat marinade to infuse extra flavor.

How long should I marinate tofu? ›

You should aim to marinate tofu for at least 2 hours in the fridge. To infuse more flavour, you can leave it to marinade for up to 2 days before cooking up. Top tip: Don't ditch the leftover marinade when you come to cook your tofu.

Press tofu and cube it. Coat it in garlic, black pepper, salt (plus more of your favourite seasonings), liquid aminos and some olive oil. Then mix it into some cornstarch and toss it all together, then bake for about 20 minutes. Cornstarch also helps to draw out excess moisture so it really gets the tofu crispy.

In a mixing bowl or measuring cup with a spout, whisk together the marinade: soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, olive oil, sesame oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, ginger, and Sriracha. Drizzle over the tofu. If any pieces look bare, turn them over in the marinade a few times so all of the sides are coated.

Enjoying tofu really comes down to preparation. If it's not prepared correctly, it likely won't taste good. The key to making tofu taste good is pressing out enough of the water so it can take on the seasoning you put with it. If you want to skip the pressing step, buy a super firm option.

Heat, however, helps the flavours to permeate. Boiling tofu to obtain a more reliably solid texture and to impart flavour is not a new method, but it's not commonly used in Western styles of cooking. This method of seasoning tofu is suitable for varying levels of firmness, but not for silken or soft tofu.

Tofu is packaged in water to keep it fresh, but you need to press this water out to give it a firm bite, crisp it to perfection and allow it to absorb the flavours you are cooking with. In some cases, such as for mousse or cheesecake, pressing it will make sure your dish isn't diluted and watery.

Pressed tofu absorbs more flavor.

This technique of squeezing water out of tofu is necessary to take on new flavors. So if you're marinating tofu, you remove water to basically replace it with the marinade to add flavor to a commonly bland ingredient.

Tofu can be eaten raw, and so cooking it is completely optional and is mostly done for texture or to bind the sauce to the tofu. You can pan-sear the sides and add it to a colorful stir-fry or deep-fry it and coat it in a savory and sweet sauce.