Vegan BBQ sandwiches

I’m hopping on the Veganuary train and sharing a tofu recipe for a great vegan pulled pork substitute! “Great” probably isn’t a word you would think to use to describe a “meat substitute.” But I’m telling you, the barbecue flavor is spot on, and the technique I use makes the texture nearly identical to the real thing.

I think a lot of people don’t use tofu because they don’t know how to prepare it (do I need to press it?) and they think it tastes funny. But actually tofu has a pretty neutral flavor that is masked by the barbecue seasoning and barbecue sauce. Also, the preparation is truly foolproof using the box grater method. What’s that you ask? All I do is take a piece of extra firm tofu and shred it on the large holes of a box grater. Once the moisture from the tofu cooks out, the tofu shreds very closely resemble the look and texture of pulled pork.

You can pile the barbecue tofu in a bun and eat it like a pulled pork sandwich with slaw on top. Or you can use it in a taco or burrito or over nachos. It’s very versatile.

Vegan BBQ sandwiches

Yield: 4 servings

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the tofu

• 1 Tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
• 1 Tablespoon avocado oil
• 1 Tablespoon barbecue rub (or 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder)
• 450 grams extra firm tofu
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce

For the slaw

• 2 Tablespoons lime juice
• 1 Tablespoon avocado oil
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups red cabbage, shredded
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

Directions

For the tofu

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Mix tamari, olive oil, and seasonings in large bowl. Set aside.
3. Pat tofu dry. Grate tofu on large holes of box grater over bowl with seasonings.
4. Gently stir to evenly coat tofu.
5. Spread shreds evenly over baking pan. Bake 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.
6. Remove pan from oven and move tofu to medium bowl.
7. Pour barbecue sauce over shreds and gently stir to evenly coat tofu in sauce.

For the slaw

1. In large bowl, mix lime juice, avocado oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, garlic, salt, and black pepper.
2. Add red cabbage and cilantro to bowl and stir to evenly coat.
3. Prepare sandwiches by dividing BBQ tofu between four bottom buns. Evenly divide slaw over tofu and top with bun.

Recipe adapted from Up Beet Kitchen