Cajun Tofu Jerky Food

CAJUN TOFU

Steps:

• In a shallow dish (I used an 8x8 baking pan), combine the olive oil, soy sauce, maple syrup, and cajun seasoning.
• Add the tofu and turn each piece over to coat it in the marinade. Arrange the tofu in a single layer and let marinate at least 15 minutes, turning once.
• Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment or aluminum foil.
• Transfer the tofu to the prepared baking sheet making sure you leave room between each piece so they're not touching. Bake 45-60 minutes, turning once, or until browned and crisp on the outside.

MARINATED TOFU JERKY

Steps:

• Take a 1-pound cube of tofu and drain it. Cut it in half, and then slice it into strips on its short side. Strips should be about 1 1/2 to 2 inches in thickness. They may look big, but they will shrink to about half their size.
• In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 cup soy sauce, 3 to 4 tablespoons liquid smoke, 1/8 cup water, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper and 1 teaspoon honey together until well combined.
• Place the tofu strips in a single layer in a shallow baking pan or cookie sheet and pour the marinade over it. Let soak for several hours or overnight.
• Drain excess liquid (may be reused) and dry tofu in a food dehydrator or warm (200 degrees F) home oven. This will take 4 to 8 hours, depending on the weather. If you live in a sunny, hot, dry climate, you can sun dry it outdoors. It will take all day.
• Flip the tofu over hourly so it dries evenly. Dry the jerky until it is very chewy, but not crispy. Tofu jerky is delicious and keeps indefinitely.
• Be creative. Use low-sodium soy sauce if you want less salt (the tofu jerky is rather salty). Use Tabasco sauce or ground cayenne pepper if you want it hot. Chili powder makes chili tofu jerky. Oregano and basil make pizza tofu jerky. Recipe Source: Mike Richichi. Reprinted with permission.

SPICY BEEF JERKY

Steps:

• Whisk together soy sauce, hot water, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, Creole seasoning, and Cajun seasoning in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for about 1 minute; stir well. Add beef and toss to evenly coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap; marinate in the refrigerator, 8 hours or overnight. Remove meat from marinade and rinse with hot water.
• Preheat oven to 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Place a pan on the bottom of oven to catch drips.
• Place meat strips on a rack about 1 inch apart from each other; dehydrate in the oven for 5 to 6 hours, or until desired consistency is achieved.

TOFU JERKY

Steps:

• Cut the cube of tofu horizontally into four pieces, and then slice it into strips (I had a total of 12). The strips should be about 4 millimeters in thickness. They're going to shrink a lot in the oven, so they should start out pretty thick.
• Mix all the other ingredients together.
• Arrange the tofu in a single layer in a shallow baking pan or cookie sheet and pour the marinade over it.
• Let it soak for several hours or overnight.
• Drain excess liquid and dry tofu in food dehydrator or 200 F oven. This will take 4 to 8 hours, depending on the weather (it took six hours for me in the oven).
• Flip the tofu over hourly so it dries evenly.
• Dry the jerky until it is very chewy, but not crispy.

BARBECUE TOFU WITH CAJUN RICE

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery; cook, stirring, until softened, 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the rice and Cajun seasoning and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Increase the heat to medium high; stir in 2 cups water and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low; cover and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Uncover and set aside.
• Wrap the tofu in paper towels and set on a plate. Weigh down with a bowl; let drain 10 minutes. Cut in half lengthwise, then slice 1/2 inch thick.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, the bell peppers, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, until the peppers start browning, 4 minutes; transfer to a plate.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and the tofu to the skillet in a single layer. Cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Stir in the bell peppers, barbecue sauce and scallions. Stir the parsley into the rice; top with the tofu.

CAJUN TOFU JERKY

Steps:

• Cut the drained tofu into long narrow strips(about 1/4" thickness). They may look big, but they will shrink during baking.
• In a bowl, whisk the Braggs(or soy sauce), liquid smoke, water, cajun spice, and honey.
• Place the tofu strips in a shallow baking pan or cookie sheet and pour the marinade over them. Let marinate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight for best results.
• Cook the tofu in a food dehydrator, using directions, or bake in the oven for about 4-6 hours at 200*F.
• Turn the tofu over once every hour to bake it evenly. Continue until the texture is very chewy, but not crispy. This will keep indefinitely. Store in a container with a tight fitting lid.
• Enjoy!