Pull Apart Vegan French Dip Sliders

0 First, you want to freeze the tofu. I just freeze the whole block, unopened. Then thaw the tofu. Drain it and then press the tofu.*
1 Once the tofu is prepped, slice it very thin, either with a mandoline or a very sharp knife. 
2 Now, prep the marinade. In a large bowl, add the grated onion and garlic. The broth, liquid smoke, salt and pepper. 
3 Add the tofu to the marinade, press the tofu down so it is submerged  in the marinade. 
4 Marinate for at least 2 hours, but you can do this ahead of time and marinate as long as you want.
5 Once you are ready to make the sliders, preheat the oven to 400 degrees(F).
6 Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray. Then remove the tofu from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Then lay the slices of tofu onto the sheet pan in a single layer. 
7 Bake the tofu for 10-15 minutes or until the tofu is golden brown and firm. 
8 Remove the tofu from the oven, reduce heat to 350 degrees(F).
9 Slice the slider buns in half, trying to keep the buns together on the top and bottom.
10 Place the bottom buns onto a sheet pan. Layer half the cheese onto the bottom buns, spread it out evenly. Then layer the sliced tofu over the cheese, spread it out evenly. Then layer the rest of the cheese on top of the tofu.
11 Place the top buns on top, press them down. 
12 Brush the tops of the buns with the melted butter and sprinkle with sea salt. 
13 Bake the sliders for 10-15 minutes or until they are golden brown and the cheese is melted.
14 While the sliders bake, pour the marinade into a saucepan, add the fresh thyme and then heat on medium high. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and let simmer while the sliders bake. 
15 Taste the au jus and adjust seasonings.
16 Once the sliders are done, serve immediately with the jus. Just pull them apart and dip!