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BBQ Tempeh

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BBQ Tempeh Recipe

Who doesn't love BBQ? Of course, in the vegan world, BBQ restaurants do not generally cater to our dietary needs. But, Paul and I love BBQ, so why not BBQ at home?  Fortunately, my husband, Paul grills like a master, so I made BBQ tempeh.

Although you can grill directly on the grill, we invested in Grill Mats a year ago; a purchase I would highly recommend if you follow a plant-based diet. You can cook anything on these mats; they are reusable, easy to clean, and require no oil or fat in cooking.

With that in mind, we BBQ often! Sometimes, people question what to BBQ if going to someone's house for a BBQ in the summer. Despite the belief that vegans only eat salad, we use our grill constantly for grilled tofu, BBQ tempeh, as well as vegetables and of course veggie burgers and dogs. 

So, the only difference between my vegan BBQ and someone's BBQ who eats meat is mine doesn't have animal carcass on it. 

BBQ temepeh sandwiches

HOW TO PREPARE AND GRILL TEMPEH FOR BBQ TEMPEH

cut raw tempeh in half

First, you need to know my best kept little secret! Tempeh, for instance, is naturally bitter and a bit tough. As a result, tempeh does not absorb the marinade and take on a BBQ grill flavor without boiling it first. 

Yes, that's what I said. Boiling tempeh, for a short 10 minutes, takes away the bitter and then absorbs marinades like a sponge. 

First, remove the tempeh from the package, and cut it in half, making two equal-sized squares. Then, place the tempeh pieces in a pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook 10 minutes, and then remove the tempeh from the boiling water to marinate.

boil tempeh

WHY BOIL TEMPEH FOR BBQ TEMPEH SANDWICH OR ANY TYPE OF MARINADE? 

  • Boiling removes tempeh’s naturally bitter taste
  • It softens the tempeh to make it easier to eat and enjoy
  • And, boiling allows for better saturation of marinate

I marinate my tempeh beforehand, so it absorbs the flavors of the sauce I plan to use. Regardless of the sauce, marinating is a must. This time, I chose my homemade BBQ sauce. Although I prefer to make my own condiments, a store-bought BBQ sauce works just as well. I make my own healthy BBQ sauce to reduce the amount of sugar and preservatives, but you can use any bottled sauce of choice.

how to marinate tempeh BBQ

BBQ marinated tempeh

But, if you want to make my homemade BBQ sauce, you need to gather the following ingredients:  

  • 1 White onion, diced
  • 2 cloves, minced Garlic
  • 2 Tablespoons Organic Tomato Paste
  • 1 15 oz. can Organic Tomato Sauce
  • 4 Tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup
  • 2 teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon Vegan Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons Molasses
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon Paprika
  • 1 /2teaspoon Pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

Since I only used a 1/4 of the BBQ sauce, you will have BBQ sauce leftover that will last up to a week in the refrigerator. Or, you can always freeze it. At my house, though, it doesn't last even a week in the refrigerator. 

Because BBQ sauce is quite sticky, it is extremely important you cook on low heat slowly, so your tempeh doesn't burn on the grill.

HOW DO I GRILL TEMPEH FOR GRILLED BBQ TEMPEH SANDWICHES? 

BBQ tempeh

Now, it’s time to grill the  BBQ tempeh. For those fabulous marks, you want the grill piping hot (450 degrees) before you put the BBQ  tempeh on the grill. Next, remove the tempeh from the marinade, but keep the extra marinade for after grilling. 

In order to get those fabulous grill marks, I turn the tempeh 4 times every 4 minutes. So, that is a total of 16 minutes of grill time. 

As a result, you get to return the BBQ tempeh to the BBQ marinade after grilling. And of course, it’s all about the char and the grill marks and soaking up the flavors of the marinade.

As a general rule, I let the tempeh cool a little, so I don’t burn my fingers. Then, I transfer grilled  BBQ tempeh for the BBQ tempeh sandwiches onto a grilled vegan ciabatta bun.

Making BBQ tempeh sandwiches

HOW DO I  MAKE VEGAN  MAPLE  DIJON SLAW TO TOP MY BBQ TEMPEH SANDWICH? 

Maple diojn slaw

I topped the sandwiches with  Maple Dijon  Slaw to compliment the taste of the BBQ sauce. Not only is this recipe simple, but it tastes fabulous on top of a sandwich, on the side or as an entree salad topped with tofu or tempeh. 

Again, the Maple Dijon Slaw is a compliment to the BBQ tempeh recipe; it isn't required, but certainly yummy.  If you are interested in making a slaw to accompany the BBQ tempeh, you will need: 

SALAD

  • 1/2 small napa cabbage, chopped
  • 1/2 small purple cabbage, chopped
  • 2 Fuji apples, sliced and then cut in half (soaked in 2 Tablespoons lemon juice to prevent browning)
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1 bunch green onions

DRESSING

  • 1/2 cup raw cashew, soaked overnight and drained
  • 1/4  cup pure Maple Syrup
  • 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 3 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
  • 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
  • 1/4 cup water

maple dijon slaw dressing

SUMMER IS COMING! IF YOU LOVE TO GRILL, TRY THESE FUN AND EASY VEGAN GRILL RECIPES:

BBQ tempeh sandwich
Yield: 4 servings

BBQ Tempeh Sandwich with Maple Dijon Slaw

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 16 minutes
Total Time: 26 minutes

Craving BBQ? These sandwiches combine the sweet and spicy of BBQ tempeh with a tangy slaw, between a crunchy toasted bun...the perfect combination!

Ingredients

  • 4 Vegan Ciabatta Buns, sliced and toasted (You can use gluten-free bread, a wrap, or any desired bread) or skip the bread
  • 2 packages Tempeh; each package sliced in half

HEALTHY BBQ SAUCE

  • 1 , diced White Onion
  • 2 cloves, minced Garlic
  • 2 Tablespoons Organic Tomato Paste
  • 1, 15 oz. can Organic Tomato Sauce
  • 4 Tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup
  • 2 teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon Vegan Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons Molasses
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon Paprika
  • 1 /2teaspoon Pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

Maple Dijon Slaw

  • 1/2 small Napa cabbage, chopped
  • 1/2 small purple cabbage, chopped
  • 2 fuji apples (or any sweet apple you like) julienned and soaked to 2 Tablespoons of neon juice to prevent browning. 
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1 bunch green onions, chopped

Slaw Dressing

  • 1/2 cup cashews, soaked  overnight and drained
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 3 Tablesppoons dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
  • 1/4 cup water

Instructions

BBQ SAUCE

  • Sauté the onions and garlic in a medium in a saucepan until translucent.
  • Combine all other ingredients.
  • Bring to a boil.
  • Reduce to simmer.
  • Pour on tempeh.
  • Cook 20 minutes on simmer.

TEMPEH

  • Cut each tempeh block in half
  • Pout 1/8 cup BBQ sauce into a refrigerator safe container
  • Place pieces of tempeh on top of the BBQ sauce.
  • Add more BBQ sauce; repeat until the top of the tempeh is covered.
  • Marinate overnight.

GRILL

  • Heat the grill to low heat.
  • It is all about cooking it low and slow.
  • Use a grilling mat, or directly on the grill place a single layer of marinated tempeh on the grill.
  • Reserve the BBQ sauce in the container.
  • Cook 8 minutes on each side, using a spatula to flip pieces
  • Put tempeh back into the container for an extra coating of BBQ sauce.

SALAD

  1. Cut apples and place them in 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice and set aside.
  2. Cut all ingredients and place them in a bowl.
  3. Drain apples and add them to the bowl.

DRESSING

  1. Drain cashews
  2. Add all ingredients in a high-speed blender
  3. Blend until smooth
  4. Pour over the slaw ingredients and toss.
  5. Refrigerate until ready to use.

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© Kathy Carmichael
Cuisine: American / Category: Sandwiches
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