Bloody Plant Burger Smells, Tastes and Sizzles Like Meat

Re:Bloody Plant Burger Smells, Tastes and Sizzles Like Meat by buckbova on Tuesday June 21, 2016 @01:34PM (#11947589)

> "When I tried a mini burger slathered in vegan mayo, mashed avocado, caramelized onions and Dijon prepared by San Francisco chef Traci Des Jardin at the company's headquarters in Redwood City, I was floored."

Honestly a good chef can make cardboard taste good. But as a daily meat eater I'd love a good ground beef alternative.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Bloody Plant Burger Smells, Tastes and Sizzles Like Meat by kafkaesq on Tuesday June 21, 2016 @02:15PM (#11948024)

Honestly a good chef can make cardboard taste good.

Which is exactly the core operating principle upon which the fast food industry (including much of what is put on the shelves in larger grocery chains) basically works these days:

low-quality base ingredients + sugar, spices, MSG + gratuitous fats/oils + marketing == profit

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Bloody Plant Burger Smells, Tastes and Sizzles Like Meat by gtk40 on Tuesday June 21, 2016 @02:29PM (#11948144)

But to be fair, MSG is amazing.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Bloody Plant Burger Smells, Tastes and Sizzles Like Meat by serg_chernata on Tuesday June 21, 2016 @01:39PM (#11947636)

Yeah that almost sounds like they drowned a nugget of meat in sauce. Could he even taste the meat? Why not an actual plain, grilled meat test?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Bloody Plant Burger Smells, Tastes and Sizzles Like Meat by SilasX on Tuesday June 21, 2016 @02:06PM (#11947930)

Yes, reminds me of discussions of whether I "like" alcohol:

"You don't like alcohol? Even when we dilute the heck out of it by mixing it with lots of sugar and fruit flavors? Crazy! I definitely like alcohol, although only Smirnov Ice and cosmos, for some inexplicable reason..."

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Bloody Plant Burger Smells, Tastes and Sizzles Like Meat by Jarwain on Tuesday June 21, 2016 @03:44PM (#11948846)

I feel like with these types of discussions, people like the feeling of alcohol, and conflate the feeling and the taste under the idea of alcohol. You could not like how it tastes but enjoy how it feels, and in the end it'd be a net positive.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Bloody Plant Burger Smells, Tastes and Sizzles Like Meat by JTon on Tuesday June 21, 2016 @04:32PM (#11949172)

Good point. Especially for strong drinks. Although the argument _may_ fall apart when you start talking about the taste or wines, ciders, or beers. I mean, I think they're delicious and I like the way they make me feel.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Bloody Plant Burger Smells, Tastes and Sizzles Like Meat by sp332 on Tuesday June 21, 2016 @01:40PM (#11947654)

He did say it was about the texture, which is really the hard part in imitating beef. He also mentioned the flavor was a little weaker than normal beef.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Bloody Plant Burger Smells, Tastes and Sizzles Like Meat by serg_chernata on Tuesday June 21, 2016 @01:40PM (#11947660)

Thanks I must have missed that.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Bloody Plant Burger Smells, Tastes and Sizzles Like Meat by ncknt on Tuesday June 21, 2016 @03:24PM (#11948668)

FWIW I tried an Impossible Food burger and was also impressed. I cooked it without condiments and found it a little nutty but definitely in the same category as meat.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Bloody Plant Burger Smells, Tastes and Sizzles Like Meat by moskie on Tuesday June 21, 2016 @02:23PM (#11948092)

Depending on the context, texture vegetable protein (TVP for short) is an option for things like pasta sauce that you want to add a ground beef alternative too. I'm sure there's many other ways to use it, but that's one we regularly use in our house.

http://www.bobsredmill.com/tvp-textured-veg-protein.html

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Bloody Plant Burger Smells, Tastes and Sizzles Like Meat by MrJagil on Tuesday June 21, 2016 @02:34PM (#11948177)

A really good tip is anchovies and black olives, grounded. It honestly approaches ground beef in pasta sauce (Especially the cheap, student-living kind).

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Bloody Plant Burger Smells, Tastes and Sizzles Like Meat by skosch on Tuesday June 21, 2016 @02:43PM (#11948264)

aka alla puttanesca :)

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Bloody Plant Burger Smells, Tastes and Sizzles Like Meat by adamnemecek on Tuesday June 21, 2016 @01:38PM (#11947622)

This https://lightlife.com/products/smart-ground-original is pretty good

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Bloody Plant Burger Smells, Tastes and Sizzles Like Meat by buckbova on Tuesday June 21, 2016 @01:44PM (#11947708)

Thanks, I'll give it a try.

My SO questions my use of ground turkey today. See what she thinks of this.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Bloody Plant Burger Smells, Tastes and Sizzles Like Meat by adamnemecek on Tuesday June 21, 2016 @01:52PM (#11947787)

There's one version that's like spicier and it's better. You should also check out Gardein. Their vegan crab cakes are heavenly but all their products are really good. The fish is very convincing.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Bloody Plant Burger Smells, Tastes and Sizzles Like Meat by ahoy on Tuesday June 21, 2016 @01:52PM (#11947793)

It's fairly crumbly, but I find it's good for pasta sauces.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Bloody Plant Burger Smells, Tastes and Sizzles Like Meat by adamnemecek on Tuesday June 21, 2016 @01:53PM (#11947794)

> It's fairly crumbly

Crumbles gonna crumble.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Bloody Plant Burger Smells, Tastes and Sizzles Like Meat by maxvu on Tuesday June 21, 2016 @01:48PM (#11947748)

Ground turkey?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Bloody Plant Burger Smells, Tastes and Sizzles Like Meat by eric_the_read on Tuesday June 21, 2016 @01:50PM (#11947757)

Way too dry.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Bloody Plant Burger Smells, Tastes and Sizzles Like Meat by moron4hire on Tuesday June 21, 2016 @03:33PM (#11948756)

That would be why I add bacon fat whenever a certain someone brings over ground turkey when I asked for ground beef.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Bloody Plant Burger Smells, Tastes and Sizzles Like Meat by douche on Tuesday June 21, 2016 @05:26PM (#11949528)

I do the same thing when somebody decides to buy the ultra-lean 95-93% ground beef. You've got to do something, or else burgers fall all apart and taste like shoe leather - the easiest is to just buy the cheaper, tastier, better, 75-80% hamburger...

[ Parent | on HN ]