The jerky It is a typical dried meat food in the United States, also diffused with different variations in countries such as Canada, Australia, Latin American and European countries, but especially popular in the former. Due to its texture and format, it is consumed almost like a snack And it is very easy to imitate using tofu for a vegan version rich in plant proteins.
Today marketed as any aperitif in packages for sale in any store, originally it was a technique for preserving beef, venison or deer, which was cured by salting it and left to dry in the sun until practically dehydrate it completely. Let’s say it is closer to tuna mojama than to Iberian ham.
In the United States, it is very popular for the seasonings that are applied and the smoky barbecue flavor, sometimes spicy, which makes it a low-fat snack, revalued in recent years for its protein content. This version that we signed in the newsletter from Mark Bittman It uses firm tofu with a sauce that is very easy to adapt to taste, with the smoky and spicy intensity of chipotle adobo.
Preheat the oven to 110ºC with heat up and down. Drain the tofu very well between several layers of kitchen paper, and carefully cut into thin rectangles about 3 mm thick. Place in a greased baking dish or with parchment paper.
Bake 30 minutes, and while preparing the sauce. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of water and prepare a brush. Paint the top of tofu with this sauce and bake 15 more minutes.
Flip the tofu pieces, and bake for 20 minutes. Brush with the remaining sauce and bake for another 15-20 minutes. The tofu should be reduced in volume and slightly dry, but still tender inside, not brittle. Let cool completely.
With what to accompany the tofu jerky
Like its original version of meat, the tofu jerky has the virtue of adapting to any time of day due to its pecking or pecking format snack to replenish energy between hours anywhere. We can serve it as appetizer with a sauce to taste, for example yogurt -or vegan version- that reduces the spiciness if the chili dressing has gotten a little out of hand. It is also excellent as a filling for sandwiches, sandwiches or, better, vegetable fajitas and tacos, and can enrich any salad.
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