Down Home Barbecued Tofu Food

FOLAMI'S BBQ TOFU

Steps:

• Two and a half hours before serving, start drying out the tofu: Place the slices in a single layer between clean, dry dish towels or double layers of paper towels. Press to remove water from the tofu, and let stand for 2 hours, replacing the soaked towels once or twice, until there is very little water left in the tofu. (You can press and dry the tofu quickly, and use it immediately, but it will be less crisp.)
• Heat a broiler to its highest setting. Heat a large skillet over medium and add the oil and butter, swirling to cover the bottom. Pour the tamari into a small, shallow dish. Press the tofu one last time. Quickly dip both sides of a single slice in the tamari and place it in the skillet. (Be careful as the liquid may lead to hot pops from the oil.) Repeat with the remaining tofu slices and tamari.
• Cook until the tofu gets the same beautiful golden brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. While the tofu browns, spread half of the barbecue sauce on a small rimmed baking sheet. Transfer the tofu to the barbecue sauce on the sheet, then cover with the remaining sauce. Broil, turning once, until the sauce thickens and bubbles, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve hot.

BARBEQUED TOFU

Steps:

• Preheat grill to medium. Heat up a pan over the grill and add olive oil. In pan, combine the garlic, onions, bell pepper and celery. Add salt and a pinch of curry. Add tofu to the saucepan and cook for 12 minutes. Add barbecue sauce to tofu, cover the grill and let the tofu simmer for 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

THE BEST CRISPY TOFU

Steps:

• Wrap the tofu in a clean dish towel and place on top of a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Place a heavy pan on top of the tofu and let it sit for 5 minutes to release as much moisture as possible. Unwrap the tofu and slice lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick by 1 1/2-inch-wide planks.
• Whisk the soy sauce, lime juice, agave syrup, scallion whites and sriracha together in a small bowl and set aside. Mix the panko, sesame seeds, cornstarch, garlic salt, onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper in a pie dish or shallow bowl. Press the tofu planks into the panko mixture to coat on all sides.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and cook, undisturbed, until deep golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip the tofu with a metal spatula and continue cooking undisturbed until a deep golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes more. Transfer to a platter.
• Reduce the heat to low and add the soy-sauce mixture to the pan. Cook until bubbling and slightly thicker, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour the sauce over the tofu planks and sprinkle with the scallion greens.

OWENSBORO BARBECUED MUTTON

Steps:

• Generously season the mutton with about 1 tablespoon each of salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Make the basting sauce:
• Combine the vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, salt, lemon juice, and pepper with 1 1/2 cups water in a nonreactive saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Make the dipping sauce:
• Combine the Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, lemon juice, brown sugar, pepper, coarse and onion salts, garlic powder, MSG, if using, allspice, and 2 cups water in a large nonreactive saucepan, bring to a boil over high heat, and cook until richly flavored and slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a nonreactive serving bowl to cool.
• Set up the grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium-low. If using a charcoal grill, preheat it to medium, then toss 1 cup of the wood chips or chunks on the coals. If using a gas grill, place all of the wood chips or chunks in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and run the grill on high until you see smoke, then reduce the heat to medium.
• When ready to cook, place the mutton, fat side up, in the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan and away from the heat, and cover the grill. Cook the mutton until it is fall-off-the-bone tender, 4 to 6 hours.
• To test for doneness, insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the thickest part of the mutton but not touching the bone: The internal temperature should be about 190 degrees F. Baste the mutton with the basting sauce every half hour. If the mutton starts to burn, cover it loosely with aluminum foil. If using a charcoal grill, every hour you'll need to add 12 fresh coals and 1/2 cup of the wood chips or chunks to each side.
• Transfer the grilled mutton to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes. Slice the mutton thinly across the grain or finely chop it with a cleaver. Spoon half of the dipping sauce over the meat. Serve the mutton on toasted or grilled hamburger buns or slices of white bread or all by itself, passing the remaining dipping sauce on the side.
• Variation: You can substitute a 5- pound leg of lamb for the mutton. The cooking time will be closer to 4 hours. To test for doneness, insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the thickest part of the leg but not touching the bone: The internal temperature should be about 190 degrees F.

"BARBECUED" TOFU

Steps:

• Cut tofu cake horizontally (slicing parallel to work surface) into 4 rectangles and press.
• Cover the bottom of a small pan with half of barbecue sauce. One by one, rub both sides of each tofu rectangle with chile powder; place in a single layer on sauce. Top with remaining sauce. Let stand for 30 minutes.
• Preheat broiler with rack 6 inches from heat. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil; place a baking rack on top. Spray rack with cooking spray. Take tofu slabs out of the barbecue sauce and place on rack with space between pieces. Reserve leftover barbecue sauce. Broil until top of tofu is browned and bubbly, about 5 minutes.
• Turn tofu over and brush with reserved sauce. Broil until browned and bubbly, about 5 more minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature, on bread with coleslaw if desired.

BARBECUED TOFU WITH PEPPERS AND ONIONS

Steps:

• Press tofu. See Anne Sainz's notes above for more detailed instructions.
• Sauce: Mince garlic and place in medium bowl. Add peanut butter, ketchup, soy sauce, chili powder, mustard, molasses, vinegar and cayenne pepper. Wisk together until blended. Set aside.
• Cut up green pepper, onions and mushrooms. Add peas and set aside.
• Cut pressed tofu into 1/2 inch cubes and add to sauce. Toss gently with rubber spatula and set aside.
• Coat large covered frying pan with oil. Add peppers, onions, mushrooms and peas. Sauté until onions start to soften, adding small amounts of water if needed to prevent sticking.
• Add tofu, walnuts and sauce mixture to frying pan and cook a few more minutes, stirring frequently. Add small amount of water if it gets too dry.

BARBECUE TOFU

Steps:

• Rinse and pat the tofu dry, then slice it horizontally into 5 long rectangular slabs. Wrap in a dishtowel and press GENTLY all over to remove excess moisture.
• Stack up the tofu slabs again and slice them in half diagonally so you now have 10 triangular slabs. NOTE: If you are planning to grill them, you may want to leave the tofu in rectangles and slice them in half last thing, so they'll be easier to flip on the barbecue.
• Mix all other ingredients together and pour into a 9-by-13 baking dish. Spread the tofu slabs in the dish and turn them carefully, using a basting brush to make sure all sides are coated with sauce.
• Let rest for 15 minutes. NOTE: If time permits, you can prepare this a few hours early (even the night before) and let it marinate for stronger flavor.
• Bake for 20 minutes at 350°F, turning halfway through.
• If grilling, it's basically the same as anything else, but you have to be more careful about burning tofu than meat! Just grill till it reaches your desired done-ness (my crazy family likes it burned), basting occasionally with leftover sauce.
• Serve with baked potatoes, fries, steamed/grilled veg, salad -- endless possibilities! Leftovers taste GREAT crumbled in a sandwich with a little mayonnaise (or vegan version :-)!