So What is Vegan Barbecue Made of?
Types of Barbecue
Just as with meat, there is so much to consider when barbecuing the plant-based way. Do you like your barbecue wet and saucy? Dry and a little charbroiled? Smoky? Tangy? Do you want a firm texture or delicate? These are all the things to think about when deciding what you’ll be barbecuing.
Sauce Matters
Some prefer it smoky, tangy, spicy, sweet, vinegary, even white. Whether you are making your own or buying it from a store. Have an idea of what you like about barbecue sauce. The wrong amount of tang or sweetness can ruin your whole dish. Taste of Home does a great job describing the various sauces across America. The article is not about using the sauce on non-meat items, but it gives you a great breakdown of things to think about when choosing your sauce.
Types of Protein
Tofu
Tofu is great to barbecue because it soaks up all of the sauce flavor and will get a bit caramelized and chewy with grilled. The key with barbecuing tofu is marinating. You can either freeze the tofu overnight, thaw it, and squeeze out all of the water before you marinate for a few minutes or marinate refrigerated tofu it overnight.
Your marinade should include some type of soy sauce (liquid aminos, coconut aminos, tamari sauce, organic soy sauce). From there you can add any blend of spices that you appreciate. Onion powder, granulated garlic, grill seasoning or cajun spice are a few that go nicely.
Oyster mushrooms
These delicate mushrooms will immediately take on a delightfully smoky flavor when placed on the grill. You may want to barbecue them that way or deep-fry them first and the drench them in sauce.
King Oyster Mushrooms
This shreds great and has the texture of pulled pork or you can slice it thinly and place it on the grill with yummy sauce. I also use King oyster mushrooms inside of my vegan ribs to give them added texture.
Portabella mushrooms
Before oyster mushrooms and king oyster mushrooms became all the rage, portabella mushrooms were the go-to mushroom for meaty flavor. It’s still tried and true for barbecue. Slice it or barbecue the caps on the grill. Be sure to marinate in garlic and olive oil, and you will be in mushroom heaven.
Cauliflower
Barbecuing cauliflower is inexpensive and easy. Just cut the head into steaks, season and place on the grill or on broil in the oven. Once tender, slather it with sauce. Allow to caramelize, turn it over and do the other side. This is a quick and tasty vegetable barbecue dish
Seitan
Seitan is a great plant-based option which can be used as anything from fried chicken to meatloaf as a meat replacement. It is a wheat-based protein plant-based alternative made from vital wheat gluten or wheat flour.
If serving it as barbecue, it is great as a sandwich. Slice the saucy seitan and place it on the grill. Some serve is as twists, or chunks of barbecue. Much of the seasoning in seitan needs to be mixed into the vital wheat gluten mix. The dough can then be boiled in a flavorful broth. Knead for 10 mins or longer if you want a dense and firm texture. If you want a soft and delicate texture try not to knead it too much.
Jackfruit
Jackfruit is a fruit that is grown in tropical lands. It makes great barbecue sandwich when bought young, green, canned, and soaked in water or brine. If buying the jackfruit in brine, you’ll have to soak it or boil it in water to get the brine flavor out. This fruit is easy to prepare. Just saute with onion and other seasonings. Let it caramelized and enjoy. Using fresh jackfruit in this dish will give you a much sweeter flavor than the young green jackfruit.
Meat Substitutes
Yummy vegan ribs from Beyond Meat, jackfruit, and king oyster mushrooms.
Adding store-bought meat substitutes to the grill can be a great option for when you need something fast and easy. There are many great choices on the market now, all you need it your imagination and these meat substitutes can be transformed into amazing barbecued meals.
