Vegan barbecue recipes

Chicago-Style Not Dogs

6 large carrots, peeled and ends cut off

¼ cup white balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon yellow mustard

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

½ teaspoon liquid smoke

¼ teaspoon onion powder

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

6 sesame seed buns

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the carrots and cook for approximately 10 to 15 minutes or until they are fork tender. They should be soft but not mushy. Remove from the water and put the carrots in a deep baking dish and score them with a knife, about six times across.

Whisk the vinegar, Worcester sauce, soy sauce, mustard, paprika, liquid smoke, onion powder, salt, garlic powder and black pepper until completely blended. Put the sauce over the carrots and roll them so they're completely coated. Cover and refrigerate overnight so the sauce soaks in. Roll occasionally so all sides soak up the marinade.

After the carrots are finished marinating, take them out of the refrigerator and bring them to room temperature, approximately 30 minutes.

Oil a grill pan or skillet on medium heat. Cook the carrots for about 4-5 minutes per side or until they have dark grill marks or are seared and heated through to the center.

Put the carrots in the buns and top with mustard, relish, onion, tomato, pickles, sport peppers and celery salt.

Serves 6

Pulled Shiitake Mushroom BBQ

2 cups BBQ sauce

22 ounces shiitake mushrooms

22 ounces baby portobello mushrooms

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 large white or yellow onion, finely diced

Salt and pepper to taste

4 hamburger buns

Toppings:

Arugula

Tomato slices

Sliced dill pickles

Thinly slice the mushrooms. They should look shredded. Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Depending on the size of the pan, you may need to cook the mushrooms and onions in two batches. When the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and onions and stir frequently until the mushrooms lose their water and the onions become translucent and soft, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Turn up the heat to medium-high and add salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the onions caramelize and the edges of the mushrooms begin to crisp up, approximately 5 minutes. When the mushrooms and onions are done cooking, add the BBQ sauce to the pan and sit until the mushrooms are completely coated in the sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil on medium heat and then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce is thick and sticky. Serve the mushrooms on the buns and top with arugula, tomato and sliced pickles.

Serves 4

Easy Meaty Portobello Steaks with Chimichurri

½ cup 10-Minute Homemade Chimichurri (recipe follows)

3 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup teriyaki sauce

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

½ teaspoon ground sea salt

4 large portobello mushroom caps, stems removed

Make the chimichurri sauce and allow the flavors to infuse while you prepare the portobello steaks. Whisk the garlic, teriyaki sauce, olive oil, paprika, pepper and salt together in a medium bowl until fully combined. Place the mushroom caps on a large platter and brush the garlic mixture over both sides. Let sit for 20 minutes. Heat a grill plan or a skillet on medium-high heat and grill the mushrooms for 10 to 12 minutes per side, or until they're slightly charred and are fork tender. Put a liberal dollop of chimichurri sauce over the steaks.

Serves 4

10-Minutes Homemade Chimichurri

1½ cups flat leaf parsley, stems removed

1 cup cilantro leaves, stems removed

2 cloves garlic

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon ground sea salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

Ground black pepper to taste

Place the parsley, cilantro, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, sea salt, olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar and black pepper in a blender or food processor and blend for one minute or until the parsley and cilantro are finely ground. If you like a thin sauce, you can add a bit of water until you get the consistency you like. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Makes 1/3 cup

Savory Veggie Skewers

2 medium zucchini

1 medium red onion

2 medium orange bell peppers

1 small eggplant

1 medium summer squash

1 cup aged balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon liquid smoke

¼ cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian oregano leaves

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Chop the zucchini, red onion, bell peppers, eggplant and summer squash into ½-inch cubes and place in an airtight container. Combine the balsamic vinegar, liquid smoke, soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, oregano, brown sugar, salt and black pepper and pour over the veggies. Place the veggies in the fridge for 2 hours, tossing them every half-hour. Skewer the veggies while heating up a grill pan or skillet to medium-high heat. Cook the veggies for approximately, 5 to 8 minutes per side, or until they begin to brown and have dark grill marks. You can also roast these in a 375 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are caramelized.

Serves 4

All recipes from "Great Vegan BBQ Without A Grill" written by Linda and Alex Meyer, the duo behind veganosity.com