Cherry BBQ Tofu (And How to Bake Tofu RIGHT)

So I had acquired some fresh cherries and was wondering, What could I do with them? Well, most of them just got eaten... but, then I found this recipe for cherry barbeque sauce.

It worked terrifically with tofu. As time goes on, my tofu baking skills are improving... Here's what I've found to be a good way to get chewy, nicely-textured and flavorful tofu:

1. Press your tofu in a cloth to get out excess water (no need to be a stickler about this)
2. Cut or tear the tofu into bite size pieces
3. Spray a baking sheet with oil, then place the tofu on it. Splash soy sauce over the pieces, then spray the tofu with oil.
4. Bake at 425 F (or 400 in a convection oven setting) for 20 minutes. Stir and flip the tofu pieces. Bake for another 20 minutes, or until edges of tofu look hardened. 
5. Put your tofu in a heat-safe bowl with the sauce you plan to use, stir to coat, then place in the oven for another 5-10 minutes, or until the sauce is heated through.

Alternatively, after step 2 you can do the following:
3a. Place the tofu in a container and add a marinade. Cover the container with an airtight lid, then turn the container around to coat all of the tofu pieces. Stick in the fridge, turning occasionally, for at least two hours, or overnight.
4a. Bake as directed, reserving any excess sauce in a bowl (otherwise your tofu will be mushy). You can pour the extra sauce over the tofu once it's all done baking. (This is a good idea especially if you're putting the tofu over rice.)

For barbeque sauce, I follow the first set of steps. For "saucier" or more liquid-y marinades, I'll follow the second set.

Onward tofu bakers!