This is basically the first Tofurky recipe I made, many years ago, and like the BBQ Peanut Butter Tofurky, it has stood the test of time. What makes this recipe particularly good is that you can turn the roasting/marinating liquid into a gravy once you’re done cooking the Tofurky.
Ingredients
2 bottles of nutbrown ale
1/4 cup of soy sauce
3 tablespoons of maple syrup
2 tablespoons of olive oil
8 to 12 large cloves of garlic, crushed
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons of fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon of cracked black pepper
1 Tofurky
Instructions
Combine all the ingredients, except for the Tofurky, to make the marinade. Add the Tofurky and marinade to a deep bowl. Cover this with plastic wrap. Let the Tofurky sit in the marinade for a day, refrigerated. Rotate the Tofurky half way through the marinating process.
“The marinade is a melange of slightly sweet beer, salt, and maple syrup (a much better addition than simply adding sugar) with a strong herbal note. Many marinades like this also add sage, but I find it overpowers the other herbs.”
Transfer the Tofurky and marinade to a baking dish. Bake the Tofurky at 300°F for an hour and a half. Rotate the Tofurky every 20 to 25 minutes.
“Rotating the Tofurky keeps the exposed side from drying out and helps infuse the Tofurky evenly with the marinade, which is now a roasting liquid.”
Turn the Marinade into a Gravy
Once you have roasted the Tofurky, remove it from the liquid. Remove the sprigs of rosemary. Transfer the liquid and all other contents to a blender and puree it.
In a pan over medium heat, toast 1/4 cup of whole wheat flour with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, slowly stirring it for about 5 to 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low.
“You’ll be making a roux. Typically, a roux is equal parts flour and fat, but in this case, that would make the gravy much too oily.”
Pour about 1/4 cup of liquid into the pan and whisk until the roux and liquid are evenly incorporated (this will happen very quickly.) Continue doing this 1/4 cup of liquid at a time until you have a smooth gravy.
Equipment
Marinating Bowl
Measuring Cup
Baking Dish
Pan and Whisk for the Gravy