Tofu is so much more than a meat substitute, it’s a protein source that stands on it’s own, and the perfect base to soak up tasty sauces, like this chipotle and guajillo chili marinade inspired by a popular Mexican street food,
tacos al pastor. Serve the skewers as an appetizer or make it dinner by de-skewering the chile-spiced tofu and charred pineapple right into tortillas for taco night.
Watch the grill heat for a slower roast.
Traditional taco al pastor cooks on a spit, slowly cooking as the spit spins. To achieve a similar deeply rich caramelized note without charring the chile sauce, grill the skewers over medium heat, turning them a few times. Assessing heat on the grill can be a bit more difficult than the stovetop. If the food is charring on contact, move it to a cooler part of the grill to slow down the cooking. The end result, tender tofu and juicy caramelized pineapple with a bit of bite in the center.
Drain and press the tofu for maximum marinade absorption.
Packed in liquid, draining and pressing the tofu is a crucial step for maximum marinade absorption, which means more flavor. Less liquid also allows the tofu to cook rather than steam on the grill. Follow the instructions in this recipe and do it up to the night before, you’ll be glad you did.
Choose the right type of tofu.
Typically grocery stores will carry many types of tofu, ranging from silken to extra firm. For grilling, stick with firm or extra-firm tofu, which holds up on the grill.
Ingredients
- 1 lb.firm or extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into 1″ cubes
- 3guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed and torn into small pieces
- 1cup boiling water
- 1/2medium white onion, chopped
- 1/4 c.white vinegar
- 4garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp.annatto paste (also called achiote paste)
- 1chopped chipotle chili en adobo (2 ½ tsp. from 1 can)
- 2 tsp.dried oregano
- 1 1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
- 1/4 c.extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 c.pineapple chunks (cut into 1″ cubes)
- Lime wedges, for serving
Directions
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- Step 1
Arrange tofu cubes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with several sheets of paper towel. Place more paper towels on top of tofu and another rimmed baking sheet. Weight top baking sheet with a few cookbooks or cans of food. Let drain, changing paper towels when saturated with water, at least 30 minutes or up to overnight in refrigerator.
- Step 2Meanwhile, in a medium heatproof bowl, cover guajillo chiles with boiling water and soak 15 minutes until chiles are softened. Drain, reserving a few tablespoons of soaking liquid.
- Step 3Place drained chiles into a blender and add onion, vinegar, garlic, annatto paste, chipotle, oregano, and sugar. Pulse until pureed.
- Step 4Heat a large skillet over medium and add olive oil. Pour in chile puree and cook, stirring constantly, until puree thickens and darkens slightly in color, about 5 minutes. Pour marinade into a heatproof medium shallow bowl or baking dish. Add drained tofu to bowl with marinade and toss to coat. Let marinate, turning tofu a few times, for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours refrigerated.
- Step 5 Alternate marinated tofu with pineapple chunks on 10-inch skewers. Reserve extra marinade for serving.
- Step 6Preheat grill or grill pan to medium heat. Arrange skewers evenly on grill and cook, turning every few minutes, until tofu is golden and pineapple is lightly charred, about 10 minutes total. Remove from grill and serve with lime wedges and extra marinade as a salsa.
- Step 1
