Why didnt my tofu absorb my marinade?

Question

i used just a sause....it didnt get the flavor AT ALL

Answer 1

After you've drained and pressed your tofu on some napkins you need to poke holes through- out the block with a fork. Then you cut it into srtrips, place them in a bowl and pour the marinade over the strips. Let the strips sit in a bowl overnight in the fridge.  Try this.  This is fail proof.  The key is to make your tofu pourous so that it will absorb your marinade.  If you want a soft texture follow the directions above explicitly.

If you want a chewy texture than definitely freeze the block after draining it. Make sure to take it from the container and put it in a sealable bag.  Place it in the freezer.  Then let it thaw out, poke holes in it and pour the sauce on. Let it soak for a couple hours. Cook it and eat it.

Answer 2

Marinade is used to break down Tissue`s like muscles, as it breaks the tissue down it softens the meat and is further absorbed, Tofu is not a tissue its a bean processed into a brick (or whatever form you buy it in) so the marinade will not break it down (not in any time frame you would want to cook it in) so try just a flavoring instead.

Answer 3

Depends what you used in the marinade?

I use the following marinade for tofu and it works a treat:

Organic sesame oil

Soy sauce or Tamari

Chili (from a jar)

Grated fresh ginger

Grated fresh garlic

Touch of honey to bind everything together

Leave for anywhere from 10 minutes to a few hours.

This marinate also goes well with chicken.

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Answer 4

Because you didn't press all the water out of the tofu before soaking it in your marinade. You have to cut it into thin slices and put something heavy on it like a pan or cutting board.  

Answer 5

What I find very effective is browning the tofu which boils off all the water, then adding some sauce. It will soak it up fast.

Here's how:

Using a wok or frying pan, heat over medium heat.

Add a very thin layer of oil.

Add the tofu. Stir frequently, letting the tofu brown on all sides. Increase the heat as needed.

When the oil stops sizzling because the water's gone, add your sauce. I like soy, teriyaki, or black bean. It should soak the tofu right through, and sizzle at the bottom of the pan. Stir it around to completely cover the tofu, and remove from heat.

Answer 6

Did you press your tofu?  Tofu is much like a sponge, if there is too much liquid already in it the tofu will not readily soak up your marinade.

To press your tofu cut it into the serving sizes that you want, I usually cut it into 4 or 8 pieces. Place tofu on a clean kitchen towel or a few paper towels atop a cutting board. Fold the cloth over to cover the tofu (or cover with more paper towels), and place a flat, clean object, such as a heavy skillet, a few cook books, or cutting board on top of the covered tofu for 30 to 60 minutes.

Also, another option is to cut the tofu and freeze it. Then thaw and squeeze out the excess moisture. Freezing it gives it a meatier, chewier texture with more space to soak up the marinade.

After pressing marinate like usual from 15 minutes to overnight.