Tempeh Ribs & Brisket
I absolutely love Tempeh and it reminds me of all the reasons I love BBQ. It allows sauce and rubs to caramelize on it creating a familiar bark that everyone strives for in competition BBQ. It is one of the only plant based proteins where you can get real bark by just smoking as opposed to finishing it off on the stove to get that carmalization! It is extremely healthy, readily available and so easy to prepare! I use store bought tempeh most of the time because it is so darn easy but have also made homemade tempeh on many occasions. The advantage to homemade tempeh is that you can experiment with different kinds of beans and cultures as where most store bought tempeh is made from the soy bean. Making homemade tempeh is extremely time consuming so I recommend starting with the kind you can just pick up at almost any grocery store.
Ingredients
1 package of your favorite tempeh or about 6 oz. of homemade tempeh
1 1/2 Tbsp of Fool’s Gold Original Rub
1 cup of Fool’s Gold Original BBQ Sauce
Note: Smoking times and temperatures will vary based on your smoking method, equipment, etc. The great thing about smoking plant based food is that it really can’t be ruined by cooking too long (might not be amazing but still good) unless you just forget about it, which I do not recommend, unless you like your food cremated!
Prep
Remove tempeh from package and cut into 1-2 inch strips for the brisket and thicker strips for ribs.
Very delicately massage the rub on the tempeh making sure to cover all areas. The store bought tempeh is very fragile and will crumble if you aren’t careful. It is still good but won’t have the consistency of ribs or brisket if it falls apart but is still amazing on sandwiches, burritos, tacos, etc.!
The tempeh is now ready to go into the smoker.
Although not necessary for a quick meal, for a deeper flavor let the tempeh rest in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
Note: Smoking times and temperatures will vary based on your smoking method, equipment, etc. The great thing about smoking food is that it really can’t be ruined (might not be amazing if overcooked) unless you just forget about it, which I do not recommend, unless you like your food cremated!
Smoker Cooking
Temp: 225 | Time: 45 min - 2 hours | Woods: Hickory, Alder, Cherry
Oven Smoker Bag Cooking
Can also be used on any grill or over a campfire
Temp: 475 for 10-15 minutes then 375 for 30-45 minutes | Time: 1 hour | Woods: Hickory, Alder, Cherry
Range Top Smoker Cooking
Temp: Medium heat | Time: 30-45 minutes | Woods: Hickory, Alder, cherry
Regular Range or Oven Cooking
It’s also possible to use your regular oven or stove (times and temps vary). But, using a smoker or smoker bag will yield a more authentic “smoked bbq”flavor. Do NOT under any circumstances add Liquid smoke to any of these recipes or I will hunt you down!
Finish
Again, being very careful not to break up the tempeh (unless you like it that way)finish on the stove in a hot skillet with Fool’s Gold Sauce (as much as you like) . . . and leave some sauce for dipping if that’s your thang like it is mine!
Serve
Serve with plant-based coleslaw, pit beans and a piece of bread or a bun. Smoked tempeh is amazing in sloppy joes, tempeh chikn salad, BBQ Parfaits, in breakfast burritos or for a quick cold protein snack!
Pro Tips
If you are cooking for a large group or meal prepping you do not need to do the last finishing step of the recipe. Just cool and wrap the tempeh and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to use and finish it off with some sauce at that time.
Just before finishing it on the stove, toss it in a little sauce and put in oven or air fryer to crisp it up a bit before proceeding to finish.
I love tempeh right out of the package, it is one of my favorite ways to make plant based BBQ! However, some people prefer a bit of a different texture so I will sometimes steam the tempeh right after taking it out of the package for 10 minutes before proceeding with the recipe! My family actually prefers it this way, weirdos!