Yuba Sliced Lunchmeat

(vegan, gluten-free)

I recently discovered yuba, also known as tofu skin or beancurd skin, and I have fully embraced its potential as a gluten-free meat analog. Although yuba doesn’t work well in recipes that require a large block of meat-like material, it works incredibly well as shreds or slices. Like seitan or textured vegetable protein, yuba has a meaty chewiness, but it is very mild tasting, so it soaks up marinades incredibly well.

There are countless recipes on the interwebs for making homemade yuba, and it is definitely worth trying once or twice as a class project. However, any decent international market should carry yuba in sheets, sticks, or knots, and I highly recommend buying it commercially if you plan to use it in bulk.

The recipes below are for a mock corned beef and mock ham, both of which look like the mass of shreds one gets from the deli meat counter serviced by a burly balding guy in a stained white apron. Please take a number, sir.

INGREDIENTS

• 5 ounces dried yuba soy skin (sheets or sticks)
• “corned beef” marinade
  • ½ cup dill pickle juice
  • 2 tablespoons tamari
  • 2 teaspoons beetroot powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground caraway seed
  • ¼ teaspoon dried dill weed
  • ¼ teaspoon ground fennel seed
  • ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground mustard seed
• “ham” marinade
  • 4 tablespoons tamari
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • ½ tablespoon brown sugar
  • ½ tablespoon liquid smoke
  • ½ tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • 2 teaspoons beetroot powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground mustard seed
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground clove

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Break up yuba into medium-sized pieces. Simmer in water for 10-20 minutes or until it is just soft and the color turns from pale yellow to white.
2. Drain yuba in colander and press out any excess water.
3. Make “corned beef” or “ham” marinade by combining all the ingredients and simmering over medium heat for 5 minutes. Let marinade cool.
4. Mix drained yuba with marinade and place in a sealable plastic bag. Press out as much air as possible and leave in refrigerator a couple hours or overnight.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F.
6. Remove yuba from refrigerator. Drain out as much liquid as possible. Cover a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper, spread out the yuba, and bake for 10-20 minutes. Check the yuba every five minutes, and flip the pieces periodically to ensure even drying. The goal is to dry off the liquid and very slightly brown the edges of the yuba.
7. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Makes about 2 cups yuba

NOTES

1. Refrigerating the yuba in the marinade is essential. This both gives the yuba time to soak up the flavors, but also stiffens the yuba so it isn’t too soft.
2. Baking the yuba in an oven is also essential to remove the moisture and get rid of the slightly rubbery texture. You can even slightly brown the yuba in a nonstick pan right before serving to make it slightly crispy.
3. The bag of yuba shreds in a dark red marinade looks like a gross biohazard bag of guts. If you share a refrigerator with anyone, you might want to warn them. Or don’t. You know your roommates’ tolerance for pranks better than I do.