Directions To Smoke Tofu

Directions To Smoke Tofu

Posted on: January 13, 2023



Yes! I have smoked tofu many times. I have a vegan friend who asked me to smoke tofu for her. The trick is to get extra firm tofu packed in water and freeze it for several days.

Yes! I have smoked tofu many times. I have a vegan friend who asked me to smoke tofu for her. The trick is to get extra firm tofu packed in water and freeze it for several days. Some like to freeze it in its original packaging, but I like to remove it from the liquid, place them in freezer Ziploc bags and then freeze for at least one day. I prefer to freeze for 4 – 7 days.

Don’t get concerned when it turns a yellowish color. The freezing changes the texture, and because water expands, it creates many sponge-like cells throughout the tofu.

Next, you need to thaw them. Then, lay them on several sheets of newspaper covered with a couple of layers of paper towels. Place more layers of paper towels on top of the tofu, then place a sheet pan on top of that. Add some weight, such as books or cans of food. This forces out most of the water. About 30 minutes should be good.

Preparing Tofu for Smoking

Now find out your favorite tofu marinade, and use that recipe to prepare the tofu for smoking. Once marinated, pat dry. Now you can cut it into smaller blocks, but how you cut it up depend on how it will be used in the final recipe. I generally cut it into half or thirds. If you plan on using it in salads, or going to fry it, it is best that you cold smoke it. But you can also hot smoke at 220°F – 260°F. When cold smoking, you don’t have to detach the generator, because if you go over 100°F, it will not harm anything. I generally apply about 2 hours of smoke, and my go to bisquette for vegetable and tofu is pecan. Unlike cheese, it doesn’t require any time for aging, but I find 24 – 48 hours does improve the flavor. Once smoked use it as indicated in your recipe.

Here is a recipe for Tofu Bacon. It’s fairly good, just don’t over fry the tofu, or it will become dry and powdery when you bite into it. You don’t have to slice it and fry it. You can use it as directed in recipes calling for tofu.
Smoked Tofu Bacon