Kansas Barbecue Tempeh Skewers

July 19, 2017

Slathered in a rich homemade barbecue sauce that’s super simple, the tempeh and sweet potatoes are the perfect complement. Keep it varied by swapping in any vegetables that you have on hand. Along with this recipe, you will also need 10 wooden skewers soaked in water for about 30 minutes.

By: Shelly Westerhausen

INGREDIENTS
1 sweet potato, chopped into 1-in [2.5-cm] pieces
1/2 cup [160 g] molasses
1/4 cup [50 g] packed brown sugar
1/4 cup [60 ml] apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp smoked paprika
2 Tbsp peanut oil
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp fine sea salt
1/2 Tbsp onion powder
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
One 8-oz [227-g] package organic tempeh, cut into 12 square slices
1 large yellow onion, quartered

DIRECTIONS
ONE: Fill a medium pot with 1 in [2.5 cm] of water and bring to a simmer over high heat. Place the sweet potato in a steamer basket and set the basket over the simmering water. Cover and steam the potatoes until slightly softened but not mushy, about 3 minutes.

TWO: In a large bowl, whisk together the molas- ses, brown sugar, vinegar, paprika, peanut oil, tomato paste, salt, onion powder, chili powder, lemon juice, garlic powder, and cayenne into a thick glaze.

THREE: Pour the glaze into a resealable plastic bag, add the sweet potato, tempeh, and onion, and gently toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

FOUR: Preheat a charcoal or gas grill to medium heat. Remove the tempeh, sweet potato, and onion from the marinade. Thread the tempeh, sweet potato, and onion onto the wooden skewers, spacing them about 1/2 in [12 mm] apart for even cooking.

FIVE: Arrange the skewers on the grill and cook, flipping them every 3 or 4 minutes to keep them from burning, until the sweet potatoes are cooked all the way through, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

This recipe is an excerpt from Vegetarian Heartland, a celebration of life’s adventures in every season. Shelley Westerhausen is a food stylist, photographer and recipe developer who also writes and creates at Vegetarian ‘Ventures.