How to Make Tofurkey

More and more people are turning to vegetarian and vegan lifestyles. These diets make planning family gatherings, such as traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, difficult, because these get-togethers typically feature veritable cavalcades of meat. It is therefore advisable to provide a meatless entree to include vegetarians in the meal. Because these meat-avoiding guests cannot partake of the standard turkey fare, serve a flavorful tofurkey to tickle vegetarian taste buds. You may find that your nonvegetarian guests are curious to try this meat-free entree as well. Does this Spark an idea?

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60 oz. extra-firm tofu
1 tbsp. savory
1 tbsp. rosemary
1 tbsp. sage
1 tbsp. basil
2 tbsp. vegetable stock power
Cheesecloth
Grate, rack or sieve
3 cups prepared herb stuffing
1 tsp. barbecue sauce
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. orange jam
1 tsp. orange juice
3 tbsp. sesame oil

Instructions

- 1
  
  Mix 60 oz. tofu, 1 tbsp. savory, 1 tbsp. rosemary, 1 tbsp. sage, 1 tbsp. basil and 2 tbsp. vegetable stock powder together in a large bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. It is best to use your hands to knead and mash the mixture so the spices are evenly distributed. Although the tofu is extra firm, it will still mash easily, so it is not necessary to slice it before mixing it with the spices. Alternately, you can use a blender or food processor to thoroughly mix the tofu and seasonings.
- 2
  
  Scoop the tofu mixture onto cheesecloth. Bundle the cheesecloth around the mixture, and then place it on a grate, rack or sieve atop a large, empty bowl. Squeeze as much liquid as you can out of the tofu mixture through the cheesecloth. The excess liquid will seep through the grate into the bowl. Put a weight or something heavy on top of the cheesecloth holding the tofu, and place everything in your refrigerator overnight to allow more of the liquid to ooze out.
- 3
  
  Remove the tofu mixture from the refrigerator. Scoop out the middle portion, leaving a couple of inches along the sides and bottom of the cheesecloth, and set the scooped-out tofu aside. The tofu should now look like a bowl. Fill the bowl-like cavity with 3 cups prepared stuffing, then cover the top with the tofu mixture you previously set aside.
- 4
  
  Place the stuffed tofu ball on a baking dish, and bake it for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.
- 5
  
  Mix 1 tsp. barbecue sauce, 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp. orange jam, 1 tsp. orange juice and 3 tbsp. sesame oil while the tofurkey is baking to serve as the glaze for the tofurkey. After the tofurkey has baked for 30 minutes, remove it from the oven. Baste or pour the glaze over the tofurkey, and then return it to the oven to bake for another 20 minutes at the same temperature. Then broil the tofurkey for three minutes, or until it begins to turn brown. Serve the tofurkey warm.