By Jessica Scott-Reid
Jessica is a Canadian writer, animal advocate and plant-based food expert. Her work appears regularly in media across Canada and the US.
I’ve been asked by many-a-backyard visitor why I have a barbeque if I don’t ever cook or eat meat. It’s a common misconception that plant-based eaters have no use for grilling over flame. While we may want to cut our eco-impact in half by keeping animal products off our plates, that doesn’t mean we don’t love a good charred and smoky piece of protein. It’s really just about those decadent BBQ flavours, right? And that doesn't actually have to mean meat.
In fact, once traditional burgers and dogs were off my menu, that’s when my grilling skills really heated up. From sweet and sour skewers to peppered tofu steak, Beyond Burgers to Korean BBQ, plant-based grilling can be just as fun and flavourful, maybe even more creative, and certainly better for the planet, the animals and our health.
The folks over at Beyond Meat state that compared to a quarter pound of traditional American beef, their pea-based patty requires 99% less water, 93% less land, 43% less energy to make, and produces 90% fewer GHG emissions. That sounds like a no-brainer for my barbeque, especially since Beyond has gone beyond in perfecting plant-based meats. To make my plant-burgers just right, I always add a big dollop of vegan Big Mac sauce, which is not such a secret anymore. (The Edgy Veg has a perfect copy-cat recipe.)
Beyond Meat’s sausages also make for a great addition to the summer BBQ, served dog style in a bun, or especially in my super simple sweet and sour shish kabobs. These always impress my backyard guests with a mix of sweet pineapple chunks, layered with tangy onions (shallots if you’re feeling fancy), orange peppers, creamy potatoes, and really any other skewerable veg you like.
Photo: Jessica Scott-Reid
Then I smother it all in a sweet BBQ sauce — typically labelled for chicken or ribs. While I do call this meal simple, there are four tips to keep in mind: 1. Always pre-soak your skewers if using wooden, so they don’t burn away. 2. Use pre-cooked canned whole potatoes. Just trust me! 3. Oil your grill to prevent sticking. This is a good idea whenever grilling plant-based foods as they typically contain less fat. 4. Check to see if your sweet sauce contains honey in case you want to leave that for the bees.
For a meaty-like meal of the more whole-foods variety, follow popular chef Derek Sarno’s lead and look to mushrooms. Sarno, who is also a co-author of the Wicked Health Cookbook, loves to grill massive mushrooms, typically lion’s head and king oyster, drowning them in sauce and pressing them into irresistible steaks. On one Instagram post showcasing his no-T bone steak, Sarno says that once you try mushrooms grilled this way, “you quickly smartin [sic] up to how we don’t need to be killing animals for meat anymore.”
And if you are really feeling adventurous and craving a mouthful of rich, charred, peppery protein, give my barbequed tofu a try. It does take some extra prep, as I have found it works best using the freezing and thawing trick (freezing and thawing firm tofu twice to create a notably meatier texture). Also, the block, cut into two thinner pieces, will need a little time to sit in a mixture of melted vegan butter and liquid smoke. After that, it’s time to char the crap out of it. Get those grill marks on each side, then pour on the steak sauce, flipping and cooking until the sauce caramelizes and crispens. Before serving, coat the filets in salt-free Montreal steak spice. I highly recommend enjoying with in-husk-grilled corn on the cob.
Photo: Jessica Scott-Reid
Let’s also not forget the all-important summer wine pairing. Jennifer Huether, a master sommelier and co-author of the forthcoming book “The Social Herbivore, Perfect Pairings for Plant-Based Cuisine”, says to look for a slightly different wine than you would when pairing with BBQ’d beef steak. Rather than a heavy red, she suggests a red with lighter tannins to compliment grilled, charred or smoked plant-based foods. “I love the Le Vieux Pin, Syrah,” she says of the vegan-friendly wine from the Okanagan, “a rich, luscious and age-worthy elegant red that is so beautiful and balanced, and would work excellent with the smoky, savory rich flavours of barbequed tofu.”
The ultimate underdog in plant-based barbequing though, is grilled veggies. No more! Gone are the days of relegating blackened bell peppers, bock choy, mushrooms and onions to side dishes. Toss them in Korean barbeque sauce and cook in a grill basket, then top with sesame seeds and a lot of toasted cashews for a truly tempting deck dinner. Large eggplants can also be sliced, coated in cornmeal and seasoning, then grilled and served as meaty medallions with a side of marinara sauce or dairy-free tzatziki.
Cooking over flame may be rooted in our early years of evolution, but no longer are we cave dwellers. Today, the needs of our planet are changing and our knowledge of animal sentience grows. Plant-based grilling can help us all indulge in that ancestral fascination with fire, while also adapting to modern day wisdom, and enjoying that classic summertime taste.