Does it really matter how long you press tofu?
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 5. 08. 2024
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After I made my Stop Pressing Tofu video I started getting a LOT of heat from tofu aficionados about how I did it wrong hahaha BUT I wasn't testing these methods for them. So I wanted to test a longer press. Does it make a huge difference? I also was told that the 30 minute marinade was not enough. I didn't think so either... SO we are marinading overnight!
I can't wait to hear about what you think of this one!
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Man, I hope that you see this post...
Just look to this seitan video that CZcams recommended to me.
czcams.com/video/uSMKHxLTpjU/video.html
Try this recipe and don't forget to mention this channel... I really love the usage of the tofu with the seitan... I will try this recipe with your touch in flavoring the seitan.
You've been using the "soft tofu" setting on the Tofu Bud with extra firm tofu. Crank it down one more notch (so the press button is flush) and you get that 3 day texture (or better) in about 20-30 minutes. Vegan 10 years, that tofu press changed my life this year. For a scramble I use unpressed, but for everything else, I use the Tofu Bud.
Was a chef at a ramen shop for years and we didn't press the tofu except for our agedashi tofu but the bigger thing wasn't pressing, it was freezing. We would press for like an hour, then freeze and thaw in a slotted tray, then marinade in miso and sake then bread with rice flour and deep fry. I did notice a texture difference post freezing and thawing. It was a random idea we had and it was better but also, sometimes we would get so busy we wouldn't be able to freeze it and literally no one except us could tell or if they could they never once said anything to me or the servers
Funny how freezing to change the texture is such a popular thing. I hate frozen and thawed tofu as I find turns very grainy and spongy. I was always p'd off when my tofu froze by mistake. Is there something I'm missing here? Do people find it more meaty? firm? what? lol
It's amazing when a content creator listens to their community and reacts to it appropriately, that's what interactive media should be all about. Thank you for all the awesome experiments!
You're raising a great point about online recipes.
Recipes shouldn't just tell you the ingredients, it should explain why the recipe works.
If you know why the recipe works, you'll be able to correct by yourself your errors.
I want to know why something taste good, not how to make some ingredients taste good.
This makes me feel better about how I do it! I never press tofu that I plan to marinade and I always marinade all day (8+ hrs). My laziness is validated. đ
Boom! Perfect!
If you don't press then you have (tofu)water. If you introduce a marinade you effectively mix (tofu)water with marinade, potentially lessening the effects of the marinade - unless you put more ingredients in the marinade to combat the dillution.
Pressing tofu isn't a waste per se if you can save more from the ingredients.
Awesome video! Iâm surprised to hear so many people are so strongly opinionated about pressing and marinading but glad you approach it scientifically.
Its wild right? hahaha you wouldnt think!
@@SauceStache I feel like you never needed to do this, but I believe that it was kind of you to respond in such a way.
Merry Christmas.
I feel like one of the main things I've learned about tofu is that if you want to marinate it, it's best to freeze and then drain it, because there's just too much moisture in a block of tofu even after it's pressed to absorb much more marinade. Frozen and pressed tofu has always absorbed sauces best for me.
Meat works like this: the fitst 40-50 minutes of marinating in a salty liquid or just a dry rub, it releases liquid (and will be dry if cooked), but after that, the meat absorbs the salty liquid/rub that surrounds it. I actually follow this with tofu too, and it works well.
You can skip all that and buy pre-pressed tofu. They are vacuum sealed and available at Whole Foods, Sprouts, and East Asian grocery stores. I use a dry rub or a concentrated marinade and simply coat the tofu rather than submerge it when I want the pressed texture.
totally
if youâre rich!
@@MrCalebgrayson the nasoya vacuum-packed "super firm" tofu is cheaper by weight than the extra firm tofu by the same brand (at least at my local walmart), and it has more protein per pound. Try to see if you can find that one!
Super firm tofu is the best!
That's right, but I can't find firm or extra firm tofu in my city, just regular tofu đ€ŠđŒââïž
I've been experimenting with freezing it in the package, and also pressing it then freezing it, and I can't tell much difference between the two, would love to see you test that stuff out too!
Same, but it defrosts much faster if pressed first. Also, you can slice into slabs for quicker freezing and defrosting
Great video. Just so you know, I did also enjoy your last video about pressing Tofu.
Keep up the good work, and happy holidays
Watching this while eating tofu scramble. Not pressed and I love it. đ
Merry Christmas! đČ
I drain out the packet, freeze, then defrost and squeeze. Then marinade for however long I have before I want to cook.
Love how everyone has their own tofu rituals that they absolutely swear by.
Blanching tofu in salt water for 2 minutes and then braising it has given me the best results so far.
1:28 hahaha I found a Blooper. I still love you videos. I hate that people are giving you hate. Keep up the good work.
You should make kits for your recipes. Some of you recipes require ingredients that most people are not likely to have around. And a lot of people don't want to buy a full container of something they may never use again. For example, what about a vegeburger kit that contains just the right amount of methyl cellulose, just the right amount of TVP, or whatever. It would be a great way for people to try the recipe before they buy big containers of stuff. Also, it's more convenient.
I too was skeptical on the last one, this one has made me question my methods a little bit. I'll be testing some stuff out! Maybe I have been wasting my time.
ahh I would love to hear your outcome!!
Yeah, there probably is a reason why none of the asian tofu recipes involve pressing it :D
Love the tests!!!!
This is a pressing issueđ
BWHAHAHAHA you win todays comment! hahahah
Thanks for the video. I was one of those that commented on your previous video in which you stated that pressed tofu did not soak up more marinade than un-pressed tofu. I stated that I found it hard to believe and suggested to marinade both for longer period.
The results of your test in this video showed that the tofu marinaded for longer periods did soak up more of the marinade, but didn't taste differently in the taste test. Thank you for clearing it up for us!
I think the main argument for pressing tofu is just less liquid mess when cutting and marinating.
I agree that "tofu is like a sponge," is...not accurate.
I press tofu for a short bit just so it's not as wet when I cut it and use it.
A great video...although, it seemed some pieces were cooked in the center of the pan and cooked faster than others đ
But, as always...great stuff. My wife and I always love your videos. Hell, I even have some cooking geek meat eaters following you...and they also love what you do!
The only recipe on the internet that stated press tofu are in English. The recipes in Vietnamese doesn't say anything about Press tofu. đ€·đ€Šââïž
Each package of tofu was designed for certain way of cooking. Skip the press and buy the vacuum sealed, they already did the pressed for you. Each package also indicate "soft, medium, firm, and extra firm"
Vacuum sealed tofu is not commonly available in the US which is why I assume many people press. Every supermarket here is going to have silken, firm, and extra firm blocks sitting in a container of liquid for sale. They are super spongy and full of water. Extra firm in liquid is not noticeably different than firm. If you don't press it 1) there's a TON of liquid inside and marinades aren't going to take, 2) if you are deep frying or sautéing you are going to have oil splattering everywhere due to all of the liquid coming out into the hot oil, and 3) it's going to fall apart much easier. Specialty stores and restaurant supply stores is where you start to find the types of tofu that really don't need pressed like "Special firm" and vacuum sealed, but those aren't very common outside of major metro areas.
@@thesonofdarwin2717 Not disagreeing with anything you say but if there's one thing I've learned from buying tofu for over 35 years is that when you take into consideration all the different brands and packing methods it's close to impossible to know what firmness tofu you'll end up unless you test them all yourself or stick to a specific brand. Most of them come in the silken, soft, firm and extra-firm varieties, but across brands they're not consistent. One brand's extra firm can be softer than another brand's soft.
What a great marinade! You haven't really changed my mind about the tofu pressing vs not pressing, but great marinade!
i would try pressing for three days WHILE marinating at the same time just because i am curious, but i also can never tell the difference personally. great videos!
I suspect that if you could stop the pressing while submerged in marinade, it would all get sucked in!
Great video!! đ
I was surprised that any of them showed such color absorption. I wish you had shown the marinated tofu's side-by-side to see: although they all surprisingly absorbed marinade all the way through, it looked to me like the longer-pressed tofu pieces absorbed more of the marinade color. I gave up on marinading tofu a long time ago, and have only pressed it for texture, while adding flavor on the outside. Outside flavor is best anyhow, the brain really responds to that first flavor to hit the taste buds, and otherwise goes by smell and texture in my opinion. I just had some great sesame tofu from my favorite Chinese restaurant, and the sauce is the boss - flavor penetration is irrelevant when each bite is dripping in amazing flavor. I usually press my tofu while I prep other ingredients, and I think it improves the texture, but when I plan ahead and press it a few days in advance, then throw it in the freezer until the day I use it, the texture is absolutely amazing. Pressed and frozen/thawed tofu is unbeatable. *However*, while freezing is the best, I've started using "Super Firm" tofu, which gives a very close effect without the hassle.
The only time I noticed a difference in marinating time was when I forgot some tofu in marinade for almost a full week. It was significantly saltier but it was also starting to go bad, so it's probably not worth the time.
I love your food science videos man! I'd love to see more content like this with other kind of foods and tricks
btw, I simply loved this song you used on your video, mind if I ask you what's the song name? Thanks a lot man!
Great to finally get a verdict on this :D Loving the background music btw đđ±
Thank you!!!!
â@@SauceStache Not sure if I should thank you for the game too.... have just lost an hour of time playing it....haha
You didn't leave a link for the freezing tofu method in the description.
It's great that you take feedback from commenters, mad respect!
Wow. Fantastic video. All the âïžs !!
Thank you so so much!
I usually cook tofu in the air fryer so I do press a little just using my hands and paper towels. This is just to remove enough eater so it's not dripping to keep it from sticking. I prefer to leave some moisture to keep the tofu a bit lighter inside.
For tofu scramble I don't press at all. I don't cool with oil so the water helps to sautee it. Why take the water out then add more water to sautee?
Thank you for posting this video. I'd never tried pressing in the fridge overnight. After watching this video, I tried an overnight press, we had the overnight-pressed tofu this weekend, and the consistency was fabulous. Solid and chewy in a chicken-like way. Also, knowing I can let it press for up to 3 days gives me flexibility in planning or not-planning ahead on meals :D
My sister got me a book on fermenting veggies for xmas. Not sure where to start, but a throw away comment said it's a good way to make your own seasonings. Saucy, what do you know about such things?
why didn't you do a double-blind, peer reviewed taste test, complete with control and placebo groups?! Unacceptable.
Very educational video. Iâd agree with the last statement that the firmness is reduced by marinating it. Although you can make great coatings. I personally like a nashville tofu, which is just way easier to work with when pressed. Following the logic that you can coat the outside whilst keeping the firmness, I think you could achieve great things, besides just nashville tofu.
I couldn't find a decent looking tofu press where I live, so I went and bought two small cutting boards and two small wood clamps. The most common tofu variety in shops here is a medium firm tofu and I can fit one or two pieces of that between the cutting boards. It takes a couple uses to find the right amount of pressure to use in order to avoid squishing, and I have to re-tighten the clamps 2 or 3 times in the process, but I can now press that tofu to about half its thickness in about 30 minutes. It quite literally soaks up the marinade.
Maybe press freeze press then marinate... since tofu tends to get spongy after freezing it. but honestly it never mattered to me. I just buy the super firm tofu and cook with that đ€·đŸââïž Great video btw đđœ
I liked the press n freeze method but it all boils down to what texture/flavor your are trying to get. great comparison. I started using pumfu more often no squeezing and takes on flavor/marinade very quickly.
Maybe marinade first for taste and then a long press for texture
That was great! Iâm going to add âPress or marinate tofuâ to my nightly reminders. (I already have one for âSoak beansâ)
I tend to press mine at least over night but it is a texture preference because my son likes it best that way. We also barely marinade ever. We tend to brush and bake because it will cook into the baked tofu which is his favorite way to eat it. Makes a tasty sandwich too
What if you press out the liquid, marinade, and then press again to squeeze out the excess liquid?
Would it have the marinated taste with a firm texture?
I m wondering what would happen if you first marinate over night and than press it for 3 days?
Great video! Please keep it up. I want to know how to copycat plantspiredâs flavored tofu texture. Seems like a similar texture to a few restaurants use too. Iâm super puzzled at how firm they can get it. Would baking for a really long time and a low temp provide a super thick texture or maybe dehydrating it?
lmao the new video gotta be on the freeze press marinate order
I just slice it up, fry it on high heat, little oil, until both sides are nicely browned and crisped up and then I drown it in umami-loaded sauce which thickens up and coats the tofu nicely. garlic and paprika are your friends. addictive stuff.
Great video,but I just get extra firm Nasoya Tofu and it is so delicious! I just dry with a paper towel and marinade for less than 30 minutes. I do use lots of ginger and garlic and coconut aminos, just perfect on the skillet or air fryer!
Where's the link to the frozen tofu episode?? You didn't actually leave it anywhere D:
I was hoping you had tried that when I saw the last tofu video but I hadn't seen it anywhere
This was very interesting, but I'm still sticking with my method. If you cut it really small or even scramble it, it literally doesn't matter. Just increase the surface area and the sauce already gets all over the tofu anyway. I guess if you like that seared cube texture, you wouldn't want to do that, but you can cut them into pretty tiny cubes and get the same effect.
Can you make a white bean tofu ?
Would you season it after soaking ?
If pressing then marinating undoes the texture reversing the order should give you the flavour and texture?
I wonder if marinating it, then pressing it for a couple days might give a meatier texture along with flavor from the marinade.
This was fun! Thanks for another great video
Thank you!!
I also really enjoyed that you experimented based on suggestions/ideas from comments
Question... So (and I realize this isn't an every time type of thing) do you think it might be good to press the tofu overnight, put it in an insanely strong marinade overnight, and then (carefully) press it again for 3 hours?
That sounds like it would solve the problem and then see to what degree the tofu remained with the marinade flavor.
I'd like to watch the freezer vid but im not seeing the link
Out of curiosity, does the tofu you buy come in water or is it vaccuum sealed?
Water!
â€ïžIâm a big fan of eating and cooking with tofu. Tofu is seriously underrated. It is so versatile. I want to try this recipe. I make cooking videos too. So many people are shocked with how we can make tofu look & taste so good! đđ» thank you for sharing your delicious recipe! â€ïž
I was never big into baked silken tofu. I only liked firm or pressed, but Recently I bought silken tofu and froze and then thawed/ drained. I seasoned it with dry seasoning and soy sauce/ maple and used some evoo and baked it for a while on a lower temp and I swear it was some of the best Tofu I've eaten. It had the perfect texture and taste. I had two issues with the silken, the first one was after I drained the tofu it seemed to be falling apart a little, but I just baked all the pieces and they all came ouy good. The other one was when I baked it, a lot of the sauce/ seasoning drained out of it and burned on the side of the tofu, I think because of the water that was left in it before I seasoned it. I still like firm tofu, but I'll def use silken sometimes for baking. One other issues is none of the stores near me ever seem to have the silken tofu anymore, only firm. Unless I want to buy the shelf stable version, which I don't like doing. I definitely recommend to anyone who never uses silken tofu to try it.
Very good. Thanks
I usually press it directly on the pan.. not sure if it's correct but I think it kinda works
What if you marinate first then overnight press? Since pressing then marinating loses it's pressed firmness.
I love that you "debunk" too easy recipe, like letting a marinade for only 1hour, if you want it to taste good you got to take the time right
Finally! You covered a topic pertinent to a person's everyday. Any chance you'll make this a trend?
The shortest I have ever done it is 24 hours and marinated (possibly fermented... aged?) for months, even over a year. But that is in about an 8% salinity with a fair amount of acid. I did it because I was bored and heated to see if I could preserve things for a year. Totaly works, just add enough salt and acid and make sure it stays submerged and you can keep stuff indefinitely with no refrigeration.
Should you then marinate first then press?
I slapped the like button, thanks for all the useful info. Have you ever tried to use methylcellulose as a binder on something and have it not work?
Thank you so much!!! I've definitely had recipes not work, but not because of methylcellulose. Its a gelling agent, so as long as you have the correct ratio then you shouldn't end up with any problems!
@@SauceStache when I asked Modernist Pantry about whether meat glue (regular or vegan version) Would work as a binder for finely diced mushroom pieces, they said no because it doesn't contain the correct proteins for it to bind together.
Consider doing a video on meat glue to see if it works with your homemade beyond meat recipe (from 5 months ago) to see if it's a better binder. It might actually be better, but the reason Beyond and Impossible may not use it is just negative media spin on the term meat glue
@@ZaneKyber It's listed as an ingredient in some places in the JUST Egg product as transglutaminase.
Excellent đđ» Greetings from Scotland đ Have a wonderful day everyone đ»
Greetings!!! Thank you
I stopped trying to make tofu taste and feel like meat years ago my only tip is corn starch makes all the difference
Agree, just liking tofu as is, is a great awakening. And yeah, the corn starch will definitely add to a crisp.
Do you have videos of mixing tofu into seitan? I saw a recipe once where someone made a big seitan log for vegan deli meats and they blended tofu into it, and it seems pretty common but I've never tried it.
Vanessa, have done and it makes a good textured loaf.
Yes makes the resulting seitan more tender and less rubbery than using 100% gluten alone.
Iâm not vegan and I donât eat tofu, but wouldnât it be more beneficial to marinate it first and then press it?
thanks for making this very inventive content
Dehydrate first then add marinade. Then cook.
I got a ricotta ad and a French beef ad before this video, youtube you good? lol
I just cut my tofu and freeze it. It comes out perfect every time and the freezing causes slight perforations through which allow for high amounts of flavor to absorb within the center of the tofu.
ok... now i'm curious what would happen if you pressed the tofu for 3 hrs, marinated overnight, then threw the entire batch into the freezer for a freeze/thaw/freeze/thaw cycle.
I want to know how you fry your tofu and not have it stick. I kind of deep fry it with lots of oil, but you are not using that much oil. Maybe you covered this in another video.
the only way i like tofu is in really thin strips and fried with soy sauce and worcester sauce - and fried till it goes like strips of beef - takes a while but at least then the texture and taste is great.
Why don't you marinade it first and then press it? I am not familiar with tofu preparation, but I feel like that would leave taste in the Tofu while extracting moisture!
What if you marinate and press afterwards? đ€
So what happens when you press tofu for 3 days?
I agree that pressing for different periods of time doesnât make a huge difference. However as somebody who eats tofu at least three times a week. I will tell you what does make a difference and that is freezing it. Can you buy tofu and bring it home through it straight into the freezer right in the package. Makes a huge difference
What do you like about frozen-thawed tofu? I find the texture too grainy/spongy.
Could you marinate, then press?
If I'm not suing a super-firm tofu I'll press it in my Tofuture tofu press. I find it makes a big difference in what I'm making. I cook a lot of tofu dishes so I've done quite a bit of experimenting.
Hope y'all have a nice Christmas
informative video.
follow up questions though : why people like pressing their tofu so much ? Where does it came from ?
i leave my tofu un covered in the fridge and the fridge sucks the moisture out and makes the tofu a nice meaty texture
Marinade then press?
Perhaps you could marinate with strong flavors BEFORE you press it for three days so that you get some of those flavors infused AND get to keep some of that firmness.
wouldnt you be pressing out the marinade
@@LuckyLondon62 That's what I thought, too, but theres no way to avoid having some moisture in the tofu other than curing it, so, why not cure it with the salt inside the marinade? That salt pulls out moisture and in doing that, the porous tofu soaks up those liquids with salts that have bound to the flavor molecules. Once you press it, a lot of that residual moisture that would have just been water, is now the marinade.
I've never pressed my tofu; nobody in my (extended) family has ever pressed their tofu. When I first heard about it, I thought it was for getting rid of excess water and now, I think it might be to change the texture so that it's chewier (meatier)? I don't use tofu as a meat substitute as this isn't how tofu is commonly used or thought of in Asian cuisine (which is why you'll see dishes like mapo tofu made with pork), so I'm not sure I need to press. So... What is pressing for?
Your suspicions are correct
Reasons:
1. More meaty texture. Western people want to replace meat with tofu, we donât. Asians tend to prefer the silkiest kinds of tofu.
2. Getting rid of excess water for some recipes.
Super firm tofu by Nasoya đ
Havenât looked back or bought any other kind of tofu
Maybe try to marinade at first and press over night afterwards. So you should get the flavor and firm texture
Okay class, repeat after me: DIMINISHING RETURNS.
Still not doing it. If I want super extra firm, Iâll buy the high protein one from TJâs. But for most recipes I just let the water cook out.
I don't use a marinade on my tofu lol. I just press it for a few hours and then use my dried seasonings and spices with lots of olive oil, then let that sit for hours and then cook it up. I'm gonna assume mine maintains the drier texture since I don't reintroduce moisture from a marinade. It's important that after I press the tofu to season it liberally and use lots of olive oil and let it sit for hours, like at least 5 hours to overnight and that makes the best tofu for me.
I donât even eat tofu. And Iâm not vegan. But Iâm so invested in this channel, I find it so innovative and fascinating đ§ đđŸ
I pressed my tofu for 24hrs and the acid I use is the water from the kimchi that I make and taste fantastic, love and light for all đđđ
Lolol don't about the hate... people sucks anyway... you make good recipe !!
I quit pressing tofu cause i just love the taste!!
Great contant!!!
Unless I need the tofu to stay well formed, I always just really aggressively SQUEEZE some of that water out without destroying it