Memorial Day weekend is approaching at the time I’m writing this. Everyone thinks of BBQ this time of year as we’re getting into the warmer weather. Eating plant based, you might not consider eating any barbecued foods. But it’s all in the sauce anyway, so why not eat some healthy plant-based food instead, and make your own smoky sauce to go with it. Tempeh is a fermented soy food and packed with protein. Simmering the tempeh first before cooking takes away a bit of the bitterness that tempeh has on it’s own. It also opens it up to soak up more flavors. If you don’t have time to make the sauce, Annie’s Natural Organic BBQ Sauce is great (vegan + glutenfree).
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place the tempeh in a pan and add the tamari, garlic and vegetable broth to cover the tempeh. You can add water to cover it if it’s not enough liquid. Simmer in this broth for about 20 minutes, turning to coat both sides. While the tempeh is simmering, you can make the sauce. Mix all BBQ sauce ingredients in a bowl until well blended.
Next, take the tempeh out of the marinade with tongs and cut into 10 chunky strips. Place the strips on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the tempeh from the oven and brush all sides heavily with the barbecue sauce, coating all the sides. Place the pan back in the oven and bake for another 15 minutes.