Tofu Jerky
photo by Sandi From CA
- Ready In:
- 12hrs 15mins
- Ingredients:
- 8
- Yields:
-
12 pieces
ingredients
- 1⁄2 cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons liquid smoke
- 1⁄8 cup water
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 crushed fresh garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 lb extra firm tofu (not silken type)
directions
- 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.
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Reviews
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I made this with low sodium soy sauce and several people sampled it and liked it. I'll try regular soy sauce when I make it to take backpacking. I used a dehydrator for 7 hours at 195 F, and the texture came out nice -- not really chewy, but not crispy either. It made the house smell smoky for a couple days, but it's a pleasant smell. When I laid it out to dry, I made sure some of the marinade solids (garlic and pepper) was on each piece.
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This was my very first time using tofu in anything other than miso soup! I figured something like this recipe would be a good introduction for this carnivore as I love beef jerky and all things salty. I followed the directions and used the dehydrator, which, after 2 hours, resulted in all but one piece being completely crispy! The last one had a chewy texture, but I'm not really sure which I like better. They were definitely extra salty, even for me, but with a good flavor. I can see experimenting with the marinade ingredients. All in all, a nice alternative to beef jerky and not-so-healthy snacks. Thank you, Aunt Cookie!
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This is the same recipe I've been using for years (from an old Meal-Master recipe posted by Mike Richichi). It won't quite cut it if you're craving beef, but it has a great taste and is one of the better "good-for-you" treats I've found. I use a dehydrator so I don't have to flip them over every hour. Definitely use low-sodium soy sauce if you're watching your salt. A little chili powder or tabasco can also be added to spice things up.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
I wandered onto Recipezaar less than a year ago, looking for a lentil soup recipe. I'm pretty sure I haven't left the computer since then...I've been completely sucked in by this site! Of course, I do take the occasional break to actually cook the recipes I find.
When I'm not at my computer or in the kitchen, I'm working toward my PhD in clinical psychology from Kent State. I also work as a therapist at the campus clinic, teach a class (Social Psychology this semester), and work as a research assistant. I'm a little bit busy. I do usually find time every day to cook something for myself with the help of this site, and to exercise (to counteract the effects of the great recipes I find here).
I don't have much time in my life for hobbies at the moment (sigh), but I seem to recall that I used to like reading, going to see musical performances, and watching movies. I still do my best to travel as much as possible. My sister, Kate, my boyfriend, Jake, and my friend, Kris, are my favorite travel partners. Kate and I go on an "eatacation" every year.
The picture above is (from left) Andrea, me, and Kris, on our first annual Tacky Tourist Weekend.