This is the tofu “turkey” I have been making since 2006. It will work with pretty much any marinade or favorite stuffing, but this is how I do it.

Ingredients: “Turkey”

5 lbs. firm tofu
2.5t salt

Ingredients: Marinade

.5c double-strength veggie broth
4T soy sauce
3T olive oil
2T brown rice syrup (or honey)
2T sesame oil
2T white wine
1T lemon juice
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
handful each fresh sage, rosemary, and thyme

Ingredients: Brown-Butter Sage Stuffing

1 head celery, chopped (including interior leaves)
1 stick (.5 c) butter or earth balance
1 lb. dry bread chunks
3T rubbed sage
3-3.5c veggie broth
couple pinches salt

Step 1: Create the Vessel (The Night Before)

Take 4 of the tofu blocks and 2t of salt, and mash them together with clean hands in a bowl. Place a large collander on a plate with a folded tea towel underneath, and line the large collander with another tea towel. Arrange the 4 lbs of tofu evenly along the edges of the collander, and press a small- to medium-sized mixing bowl down so you have an even layer of tofu between. Place a heavy weight (I use a quart jar filled with something dense) in the interior mixing bowl, and allow the tofu to press overnight.

Step 2: Mix Marinade (The night Before)

Combine marinade ingredients in a pint jar so that flavors can mix.

Step 3: Stuffing (The Morning Of)

Saute celery in butter or butter replacement until soft and butter is browned. Add rubbed sage and a couple pinches of salt. Stir in bread chunks carefully, allowing butter and celery to distribute pretty evenly. Slowly drizzle in 3-3.5c vegetable broth, allowing evaporation to evenly coat the bread chunks. This recipe makes extra stuffing — you can halve it, or bake the remainder in a casserole pan for 20 minutes at 400F.

Step 4: Assemble the Tofu “Turkey” (2.5-3 Hours Before Eating)

Preheat oven to 400F. Remove Tofu Turkey from refrigerator, and gently ease out the mixing bowl. Rinse off the bottom of the mixing bowl and use it to mash up the final block of tofu with .5t of salt. Set aside. Scoop stuffing into the hollow part in the collander, packing down to medium firmness. Cover the stuffing with the final block of mashed tofu (this will be more moist than the tofu that has been pressing — this is by design! It will sustain a lot of heat as the bottom of the loaf, and will need that extra moisture. Line a half-sheet pan with parchment, place that over the top of the collander, and carefully, with help, overturn tofu turkey onto sheet pan. Remove tea towel, gently. Brush with marinade.

Step 5: Bake the Tofu “Turkey” (2-2.5 Hours Before Eating)

Cover basted tofu turkey with parchment or foil and bake at 400F for one hour. Remove parchment or foil, baste again, and allow to bake for another 30 minutes. Baste one final time, and bake another 15-30 minutes, until tofu “tukey” is a delicious golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes.

Step 5: Slice & Serve

Slide tofu “turkey” onto a large, flat serving plate using a wide spatula and a bit of care. Slice into wedges, and serve.