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Barbecued Tofu

Barbecued tofu coated in a mustard, ketchup, soy, garlic, molasses, sesame oil, and chipotle sauce, then broiled until browned.

From the Recipes Wiki (Fandom) · 10 ingredients
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Why it works: Tofu and sesame match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 250 recipes. Both carry 2,4-decadienal, which smells seaweed. The science ↓

Barbecued Tofu

Ovenbroiler, rack about 5 inches from the element
Time4 to 6 minutes per side

Ingredients

Directions

Prepare

  1. Wrap the tofu in several layers of a clean, absorbent kitchen towel and set a 1-pound bag of dried beans on top.

  2. Set the tofu aside until you are ready to slice it.

  3. Line a broiler pan or baking sheet with aluminum foil.

  4. Place the oven rack about 5 inches from the broiling element, and turn on the broiler.

  5. In a pie plate or large, shallow bowl, prepare the barbecue sauce by blending together the remaining ingredients.

Slice and coat

  1. Unwrap the tofu and set the block on a cutting board with the longer side facing you.

  2. Cut the block crosswise into 9 slices, each slightly less than 1/2-inch thick.

  3. Dip the slices into the sauce to coat both sides heavily.

  4. Arrange the slices on the broiler pan as you work.

  5. Reserve any remaining sauce.

Broil and serve

  1. Broil the tofu until flecked with dark brown spots, 4 to 6 minutes.

  2. If your broiler cooks unevenly, rotate the broiler pan halfway through.

  3. Turn the tofu over with a spatula and slather any remaining sauce on the second side with a pastry brush or knife.

  4. Broil until deeply browned on the second side, 4 to 6 more minutes.

  5. Serve with the darker side up.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

290Calories
10 gProtein
19 gFat
23 gCarbs
What these numbers assume: 9 portions
IngredientPortion assumedkcal
Sesame1 tbsp (14g)120
Tofu100g firm76
Molasses1 tbsp (20g)58
Soy Sauce1 tbsp (15ml)9
Chili1 tsp (2.7g)8
Cayenne1 tsp (1.8g)6
Black Pepper1 tsp ground (2.3g)6
Garlic1 clove (3g)4
Mustard1 tsp (5g) yellow3

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Recipes Wiki (Fandom).

Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

  1. Tofu + sesametop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together250 recipes

    Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).

  2. Clove + peppertop 5% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together17,451 recipes

    Shared aroma: ethyl octanoate (fruity, wine).

  3. Garlic + sesametop 5% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together2,000 recipes

    Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).

  4. Mustard + sesametop 5% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together180 recipes

    Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).

  5. Mustard + garlictop 6% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together4,053 recipes

    Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Extra-firm tofu
Provides the sliced block that becomes firm and chewy when pressed and broiled.
Dijon-style mustard
Adds sharp tang and emulsifying body to the sauce that clings to the slices.
Catsup
Supplies sweetness and tomato acidity to build the barbecue glaze.
Soy sauce
Adds salty savoriness that seasons the tofu through the sauce.
Blackstrap molasses
Contributes dark sweetness and color that encourages browning under the broiler.
Toasted asian sesame oil
Adds fat and a roasted aroma to the sauce.

The step that matters

Broil until deeply browned on the second side. Sugars in the catsup and molasses caramelize and darken under high heat, but they can burn quickly, so watch closely and rotate the pan if the broiler heats unevenly.

Swap the clove

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (tofu, mustard, sauce, garlic, molasses, sesame, pepper):

  1. Gingerfits better
  2. Turmericfits better
  3. Capersfits better
  4. Clovethe original

Fit is the average pairing score against tofu, mustard, sauce, garlic, molasses, sesame, pepper. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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