How to Press Tofu

A little more than 10 years ago I began cooking with tofu. I never really followed a recipe and I always just sort of experimented with different things that I thought would taste good. It didn't take me very long to figure out that there are several different types of tofu, and that there is a huge difference between soft and firm. I've been cooking ever since I was young child, so seasoning the tofu was easy, but I could never get the texture quite right. That's because I didn't know how to press tofu.

For years I was frustrated because my tofu never came out the way I wanted it to, even when I bought the firm or extra firm tofu. Whenever I'd order tofu at a restaurant, I'd always wonder how they got their tofu to be so firm and tough, like meat. I thought that maybe they just used a special kind of tofu or cooked it a certain way that I was unfamiliar with. Later, I discovered that the secret was they pressed their tofu before they cooked it.

What is Pressing Tofu?

Basically, pressing tofu is when you squeeze the water out of the tofu before you cook it. It makes a world of difference in how the tofu comes out and serves some practical purposes. For starters, pressing the excess water out of the tofu reduces spattering when you fry it in oil. Secondly, it makes the tofu tougher. Tofu has a tendency to crumble and break apart when you cook it. By pressing the water out, the tofu is able to retain its shape and consistency. The end result is a piece of tofu that is dense and chewy, like a piece of meat.

Different Types of Tofu

Before I talk explain how to press tofu, I feel it's necessary for me to describe the three basic types of tofu you can buy at the supermarket.

Silken: Silken tofu is a popular type of tofu that you typically see in the grocery store. It's usually packaged in a box and it's very soft and fragile. Silken tofu is ideal for emulating scrambled eggs and making deserts. It's meant to break apart easily. You do not want to use silken tofu for stir frying, deep frying, grilling or any other type of dish that you are using tofu as a meat substitute for. There's no point in pressing silken tofu because it's not intended for that style of cooking.

Tub Tofu: Tub Tofu is another type of tofu that you almost always see in the grocery store. It's the kind that comes in a plastic tub full of water and it can range from soft to extra firm. Even the extra firm tub tofu is usually a bit softer than you would imagine. Tub tofu is good for stir frying and deep frying, but you definitely want to press it before you cook it.

Brick Tofu: Brick tofu is a little harder to find. Some grocery stores carry it, but don't be surprised if you can only find it at a health food store or Asian supermarket. Brick tofu comes in a vacuum sealed package and it is very firm. Well, it's as firm as you would expect extra firm tub tofu to be. Brick tofu is the best tofu for frying and grilling. Some varieties are very dense and firm, so there's no need to press it. However, if it feels damp when you open it, you'll still wanna press it.

How to Press Tofu

Okay, so finally, let's get to how you go about pressing tofu. It's actually quite simple and requires very little effort. It's a game of patience more than anything else.

Step 1. Remove your tofu from the package and drain any water.

Step 2. Set the tofu on a plate. You can wrap it in a towel or paper towels if you like, but it doesn't make a huge difference.

Step 3. Place another plate on top of the tofu and set something really heavy on it. A thick book, a 5 lb. dumbbell or a heavy pot usually work pretty well.

Step 4. Wait. Basically, the longer you wait, the firmer your tofu will end up. 30 to 60 minutes is a pretty good standard. If you have a lot of patience, you can wait a couple hours. After you've waited, dump any water that's accumulated on the plate down the sink and then cut up your tofu however you like it.

The Quick and Easy Method

If you're really in a rush, you can just stack a bunch of paper towels underneath and on top of your tofu and press down on it until you feel like you've squeezed most of the water out of it. This method doesn't work quite as well, but it gets the job done when you're in a hurry and you can't be bothered to wait around for an hour.