Jerk-Spiced Soy Jerky

This jerky was item #2 that I cooked for our Vegas trip. We were all a little
skeptical about the idea of jerky made from tofu but we were pleasantly surprised! It tasted really good and the consistency of the tofu was very similar to meat jerky. Be prepared however. This jerky takes nearly all day to cook in the oven. I didn't realize this when I started and ended up making the rest of my dishes for the trip around midnight. I got this recipe from Robin Robertson's 1,000 Vegan Recipes.



Jerk-Spiced Soy Jerky
2 tsp allspice
2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp sugar (I used raw cane sugar)
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 Tbs soy sauce or tamari
2 Tbs ketchup
1 Tbs maple syrup
1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp liquid smoke (I left this out as I'm not convinced liquid smoke is healthy)
1 (16-ounce) package extra-firm tofu

First you need to drain your tofu. To do this place the tofu in a bowl with some paper towels underneath it. Take more towels and soak the water from the top of the tofu. Then place a layer of dry towels on top of the tofu and place a couple of cans or bowls (anything somewhat heavy) on top and let the tofu drain for about 15 minutes. Once the tofu is drained, cut it into 1/4-inch thick strips.

In a small bowl, combine the allspice, thyme, garlic powder, sugar and pepper. Stir in the soy sauce, ketchup, maple syrup, olive oil, and liquid smoke (if using). Combine well.

Dip the tofu slices into the marinade to coat both sides. Place the marinated tofu on a non-stick baking sheet and refrigerate for 1 hour in order for the tofu to soak up the flavors of the marinade.

Place the oven rack in the lowest position of the oven. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and bake the tofu for about 8 hours or until it is very firm and a deep reddish brown color. The jerky will keep in the fridge covered for about a week.

Serves 8.