Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

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SuperSaver1975
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by SuperSaver1975 »

trevorshhh wrote: Mon Aug 12, 2019 8:21 am
stoptothink wrote: Wed Jul 31, 2019 4:01 pm
trevorshhh wrote: Wed Jul 31, 2019 2:52 pm
MotoTrojan wrote: Wed Jul 31, 2019 2:32 pm
trevorshhh wrote: Wed Jul 31, 2019 2:17 pm I need to limit my red meat consumption for health reasons but I like burgers, so I've tried both Impossible and Beyond Meat Burgers at local/non-chain restaurants. Unfortunately I was not able to try both made by the same restaurant for a true comparison, but Impossible (2.0) was a much better taste and consistency. It was indistinguishable from real meat, though it was not the best burger I had. It was like a well done hamburger and I like them a little rawer. I've had Beyond twice at two locations and both times I was rather underwhelmed.
My SO makes incredible turkey burgers. May be worth exploring, but I wouldn’t recommend eating it rawer.
My SO uses ground turkey (or sometimes pork) for most meals you'd generally use ground beef for (spaghetti, meatloaf, tacos, etc.) and it's a good substitute. Not as much for burgers, but maybe I just haven't had the right recipe.
Out of curiosity, why is it believed that ground turkey or pork is a superior alternative to beef? If prepared similarly (ground), the concentration of saturated fat and cholesterol is basically equal.
That's a good question. I have issues with my liver and my doctor has specifically prescribed limiting red meat, saying turkey is a good alternative. I don't know the why.
If you are reducing red meat for health reasons, I doubt these burger substitutes are the answer because they are highly processed foods, with lots of unhealthy ingredients listed right on the label. With beef you could have a quality grass-fed version that is a real actual food that your grandmother or a caveman could recognize. These meat substitutes are not food, but food-like processed food products that are technically edible but not proper for long term health. Most doctors know very little about nutrition because nutrition is not meaningfully taught in medical school. The main foods for people to eliminate for health reasons should be processed foods, such as meat substitutes.
wolf359
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by wolf359 »

I've tried the Impossible Burger at a gourmet hamburger joint, side-by-side with an Angus burger and a Bison burger.

We could not tell the Impossible Burger apart from the beef burger. Texture, smell, and taste were dead on. The bison tasted a little different. When someone tried a blind taste test, they pegged the bison as the fake meat because of that difference.

I then tried the Beyond Meat burger from a grocery store. However, I gave it quality ingredients -- a fresh Briosh bun, Bibb lettuce, fresh tomatoes, quality cheese, etc.

Beyond Meat looks fake in the freezer pack. When thawed and cooked according to directions, it feels, looks, and tastes real. However, when compared directly to a real beef burger, you can easily determine which is which.

I thought it was overpriced compared to actual meat. It also cost us $5 for 2 patties.

I may buy it again, but it will never be a staple in our household. Too expensive for what you get.

I might buy it at a restaurant if we need a vegetarian option but I'm craving meat.
Broken Man 1999
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by Broken Man 1999 »

FWIW, I recently read that Burger King has rolled out the Impossible Burger to all locations.

I think I'll stick to traditional meats. All things in moderation.

For the strict vegans, it seems if you ask BK to cook your meatless burger on a separate grill that isn't used for chicken and beef, they can accommodate you.

Speaking of BK, anyone tried their tacos? I'm kinda surprised BK didn't tap into the taco market earlier, considering they already had the ingredients needed with the exception of the taco shells and seasoning.

I would think if tacos remain an offered item, it wouldn't be difficult to feature the Impossible Burger in a taco.

Now I do love me a whopper with onion rings occasionally. DW won't eat BK products, but she will pick them up for me if I whine some.

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bstewie
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by bstewie »

Not a fan. To say they are nearly indistinguishable is simply to say you’ve never eaten a quality burger with freshly ground meat. Comparing them with a frozen patty, sure... While I am happy to see folks reducing meat intake, I don’t think mimicking meat with processed ingredients is the way to go. There are a huge number of amazing vegetarian recipes that stand well on their own.
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Artful Dodger
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by Artful Dodger »

My wife is vegetarian, and I am not. I am not much of a red meat eater anymore, though.

I've tried the hamburger patties and bratwurst, and like both a lot. Honestly, I've had worse real meat products in my day than the Beyond Meat alternatives.

We're having the brats tonight with grilled veggies and sauerkraut
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nisiprius
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by nisiprius »

bstewie wrote: Mon Aug 12, 2019 11:13 am...Not a fan. To say they are nearly indistinguishable is simply to say you’ve never eaten a quality burger with freshly ground meat...
wolf359 say it was a "gourmet hamburger joint."

I would give serious consideration to the possibility that there is a flavor in Impossible Burgers that not everybody tastes. This sort of thing is common enough. For example, my wife loves raw broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage, and I cannot stand them, although I like all three of them when cooked. There appears to be a flavor present in things described as having a "green" taste, which I cannot stand, and which is either not tasted, or tasted in a different way, by others. This is the only way I can explain how an Impossible Burger could be described as indistinguishable from beef when my wife and I both noticed an obvious "non-beef" odor instantly. To be accurate, no, we did not do a side-by-side--a single Whopper of any kind pretty much uses up a whole day's Weight Watchers' points and neither of us wanted to buy one of each and share both. Even with that flavor I can see someone enjoying an Impossible Burger, just as one can enjoy a meatloaf sandwich, but that's not the same thing as "indistinguishable."
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MrBobcat
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by MrBobcat »

4nursebee wrote: Wed Jul 31, 2019 2:12 pm My following of the markets had me not being able to ignore the post IPO action of BYND. Today I had the chance to try a burger and do not get it.
8 oz = $4.99, two small patties
Lots of packaging, plastic tray, plastic wrap, cardboard over wrap. Seems like consumer reports could feature the packaging in the back.
Long ingredient list did not come across as natural.
The odor when cooking was quite unappealing, enough so we had to cook some spices to clear the air in the house.
Taste and texture okay, better with ketchup.
I do not think we will buy this product again.
I am biased against vegetarian products mimicking meat products.

What is your experience with this product? Are there more products from the company that I should try?
I do not get the run up in company price, would rather short it than buy it. No shares available to short.
The one's I tried were just awful. This is one of those times the hype of how great something is going backfire when reality sets in. I immensely prefer regular veggie burgers.
wolf359
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by wolf359 »

nisiprius wrote: Mon Aug 12, 2019 1:12 pm
bstewie wrote: Mon Aug 12, 2019 11:13 am...Not a fan. To say they are nearly indistinguishable is simply to say you’ve never eaten a quality burger with freshly ground meat...
wolf359 say it was a "gourmet hamburger joint."

I would give serious consideration to the possibility that there is a flavor in Impossible Burgers that not everybody tastes. This sort of thing is common enough. For example, my wife loves raw broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage, and I cannot stand them, although I like all three of them when cooked. There appears to be a flavor present in things described as having a "green" taste, which I cannot stand, and which is either not tasted, or tasted in a different way, by others. This is the only way I can explain how an Impossible Burger could be described as indistinguishable from beef when my wife and I both noticed an obvious "non-beef" odor instantly. To be accurate, no, we did not do a side-by-side--a single Whopper of any kind pretty much uses up a whole day's Weight Watchers' points and neither of us wanted to buy one of each and share both. Even with that flavor I can see someone enjoying an Impossible Burger, just as one can enjoy a meatloaf sandwich, but that's not the same thing as "indistinguishable."
Specifically, it was Bare Burger in Columbus, Ohio. They made excellent burgers, but more than I'd usually pay. They also sold the Beyond burger, but I didn't buy their version because I knew I could get it from a grocery store later.

I do want to try out the Impossible Whopper to see if it is any different. It's probably a lot cheaper.

It's quite possible that there is an aftertaste or something that other people can taste that I can't.

Or it could be that when one KNOWs that it's fake meat that they can taste its fakeness. (Like what happens with cheap and expensive wines. If you try a blind taste test, you'll discover that good and bad wines have nothing to do with price. But if you know the price, the expensive wines suddenly tend to taste better, and the cheap wines tend to taste poorly made.)

I'm not sure what the market is for these meat-like non-meat products, even if they pull it off successfully. If I'm craving meat, I want meat. Producing a meatless meat-like product is going to just gateway the vegetarian back into a prime rib.

Are there a lot of vegans who pride themselves on not eating animal products, but are craving meat? My best vegetarian meals were not pretending to be anything else. They were just good dishes that happened to not have any meat in them.
Last edited by wolf359 on Mon Aug 12, 2019 1:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
TallBoy29er
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by TallBoy29er »

Tried an impossible burger at Grindhouse (a burger chain). It was not my thing, I could not finish it. Didn't taste nearly as good as the hype made me to believe. I'll stick to the real stuff for now.
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sunnywindy
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by sunnywindy »

Beyond Burger is just fine to me. I don't think it tastes like meat, but that is ok, too. Their Italian sausage is better than the burger. (I also agree the excessive packaging is ridiculous.)
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arsenalfan
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by arsenalfan »

I think they're great for the environment and might be a fun stock pick if you had a "play account"

I had one at an upscale food chain a year ago. It was ok. I'm not a burger "purist" - so I'm interested to see what those folks think (people like undressed burgers).

IMHO
Environment: Lower impact, don't have to raise a cow.
Personal Health: Same as red meat - sat fat, sodium seem on par.
Taste: Highly personal. For me, if you crumble anything with same texture (tofu, chicken) and add sage and fennel, you get breakfast sausage. For burgers, I love them fully loaded with pickles, tomatoes, onions, lettuce, mayo/ketchup/mustard. So beef is more a textural component - a good hearty portobello is just as good.

I think it would be incredible if they ever make a viable Impossible Steak.
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by bstewie »

wolf359 wrote: Mon Aug 12, 2019 1:49 pm
nisiprius wrote: Mon Aug 12, 2019 1:12 pm
bstewie wrote: Mon Aug 12, 2019 11:13 am...Not a fan. To say they are nearly indistinguishable is simply to say you’ve never eaten a quality burger with freshly ground meat...
wolf359 say it was a "gourmet hamburger joint."

I would give serious consideration to the possibility that there is a flavor in Impossible Burgers that not everybody tastes. This sort of thing is common enough. For example, my wife loves raw broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage, and I cannot stand them, although I like all three of them when cooked. There appears to be a flavor present in things described as having a "green" taste, which I cannot stand, and which is either not tasted, or tasted in a different way, by others. This is the only way I can explain how an Impossible Burger could be described as indistinguishable from beef when my wife and I both noticed an obvious "non-beef" odor instantly. To be accurate, no, we did not do a side-by-side--a single Whopper of any kind pretty much uses up a whole day's Weight Watchers' points and neither of us wanted to buy one of each and share both. Even with that flavor I can see someone enjoying an Impossible Burger, just as one can enjoy a meatloaf sandwich, but that's not the same thing as "indistinguishable."
Specifically, it was Bare Burger in Columbus, Ohio. They made excellent burgers, but more than I'd usually pay. They also sold the Beyond burger, but I didn't buy their version because I knew I could get it from a grocery store later.

I do want to try out the Impossible Whopper to see if it is any different. It's probably a lot cheaper.

It's quite possible that there is an aftertaste or something that other people can taste that I can't.

Or it could be that when one KNOWs that it's fake meat that they can taste its fakeness. (Like what happens with cheap and expensive wines. If you try a blind taste test, you'll discover that good and bad wines have nothing to do with price. But if you know the price, the expensive wines suddenly tend to taste better, and the cheap wines tend to taste poorly made.)

I'm not sure what the market is for these meat-like non-meat products, even if they pull it off successfully. If I'm craving meat, I want meat. Producing a meatless meat-like product is going to just gateway the vegetarian back into a prime rib.

Are there a lot of vegans who pride themselves on not eating animal products, but are craving meat? My best vegetarian meals were not pretending to be anything else. They were just good dishes that happened to not have any meat in them.
Not saying they taste bad or wolf didn’t have a great burger, but there is a discerning difference between the two IMO. If you don’t think so, good on you, but I will never ask you for cooking advice or restaurant recommendations. I very much agree with wolf’s last comment. If I want a burger I’m going to eat a burger. If I want vegetables, I’m going to eat vegetables. They’re both great depending on appetite and mood. If I remember the nutritional breakdown correctly I would probably be better off eating a small burger with vegetables on the side.
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JoeRetire
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by JoeRetire »

wolf359 wrote: Mon Aug 12, 2019 1:49 pmOr it could be that when one KNOWs that it's fake meat that they can taste its fakeness. (Like what happens with cheap and expensive wines. If you try a blind taste test, you'll discover that good and bad wines have nothing to do with price. But if you know the price, the expensive wines suddenly tend to taste better, and the cheap wines tend to taste poorly made.)
Bingo!

Sometimes you see (or taste or smell) only what you expect to see, rather than what is actually there. It can be hard to have an open mind.
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MathWizard
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by MathWizard »

My wife and I tried these last weekend for lunch, making them ourselves.
We had hoped they would be something we could eat, since our sons are vegetarian/vegan resp.

For me, the consistency was different, too "smooth" if that makes sense.
I did not mind it, but would prefer regular hamburger.

It did not agree with my wife. She took Pepto and actually skipped supper because her
stomach felt bad. Ok the next day. No idea why though. She is fine with most foods.

We will not be repeating the experiment. We'll give the rest of the pack to
our sons.
PhilosophyAndrew
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by PhilosophyAndrew »

I enjoy both Beyond and Impossible burgers. Our teenage daughter is a vegan, and we’ve enjoyed eating many plant-based meals with her.

Andy.
lightheir
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by lightheir »

I've had both. Not vegetarian/vegan here, but I do eat vegan style for 90% of my diet and would prob go all the way if it weren't for the kid who hates vegan food. :?

I like the Beyond Meat burger and sausages. Of course, nobody is going to accidentally confuse it with a true meat burger, but it's juicy, salty, and has the right texture for panfrying and grilling. Nutritional value similar in profile to meat, including the fats/salt so am not sure it's a nutritional win.

HOWEVER, I did read that it is much more environmentally friendly to make the beyond burger rather than grow cows for meat. In addition, there is the very real upside that the Beyond Burger CEO is pround of his facility and openly invites chefs and suppliers to tour his facility. It's sad but true that the unethical treatment of livestock in most large-scale meat facilities means that most suppliers are not allowed to see the premesis where the livestock is kept/killed - not a good sign.

The impossible burger was mushy but surprisingly decent as well, and (unfortunately) as calorically dense as a normal burger - lots of fat calories!
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by tchoupitoulas »

I'm someone who eats meat but would like to eat less to reduce environmental and ethical impact. I generally like meat substitutes (tempeh, trader joe's soy chorizo, etc.). I made the Beyond Burger at home and it had a funny taste. Would not buy it again.

I ordered the impossible burger for the first time at Red Robin last week. When the server brought it she said "burger" and I thought what a bummer they gave me a regular burger by mistake. But no, after extremely close inspection we decided it was the impossible burger after all. The taste was so close that it was honestly hard to tell. I will absolutely be getting it again.

My own two cents is that if you love burgers and compare the impossible burger to your platonic ideal of a high-end well-made medium rare burger the taste will never match up. But if you compare it to 90% of the burgers people actually eat (from places like Burger King), it is just as good.

I imagine the prices of these things will come down as they scale up. Regular hamburger production has a huge head start.
abyan
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by abyan »

I recently tried the Beyond Burger just for fun. It cooked up funny, ended up looking like a burnt salmon cake. The taste was surprisingly delicious, but then my stomach flipped for several hours, which rarely happens to me, and usually means something is chock full of oil. So I gave the second patty away. But it was delicious. Just made me sick! LOL
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nisiprius
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by nisiprius »

JoeRetire wrote: Mon Aug 12, 2019 5:09 pm
wolf359 wrote: Mon Aug 12, 2019 1:49 pmOr it could be that when one KNOWs that it's fake meat that they can taste its fakeness. (Like what happens with cheap and expensive wines. If you try a blind taste test, you'll discover that good and bad wines have nothing to do with price. But if you know the price, the expensive wines suddenly tend to taste better, and the cheap wines tend to taste poorly made.)
Bingo!

Sometimes you see (or taste or smell) only what you expect to see, rather than what is actually there. It can be hard to have an open mind.
This guy tried to do a blind taste test, and assuming he's telling the truth it sounds like a decent effort to me. And what he found was that
Nine people tried them, eyes closed, with someone else putting first one on their fork and then the other. I didn't do the same order for each person, but also didn't bother flipping coins.

Everyone correctly identified which was which immediately.
Shrug. The comments of the nine people are interesting, but hard to summarize, read them for yourself.
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johnnyc321
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by johnnyc321 »

Haven’t tried the Beyond burger but the Impossible Burger tastes like soy. I found it unappetizing and it had a strange after taste.
il0kin
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by il0kin »

Tried the Beyond Meat burger, was impressed with the texture and appearance, very beef-like and the taste was good while eating it but didn’t taste like beef per se and had a bit of a chemical aftertaste, I thought.

All that to say, I’m not going to buy any $BYND (not that I buy individual stocks anyway) because I didn’t think it has the oomph to truly compete with a quality burger.

Not to mention, my Aldi stocks 3 lb of pre-made 85-15 pure beef burgers for $7 or so... so the value proposition just isn’t there for $BYND. I’d buy imitation burgers if they cost the same or even within 20% of ground beef but $10/lb just isn’t gonna happen.
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beyou
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by beyou »

Just had their sausage tonight. Very good.
Had Impossible Burgers that tasted good initially, then made me sick later.

I would not short Beyond.
rj342
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by rj342 »

dm200 wrote: Mon Aug 12, 2019 9:11 am Most, if not all,l of these "meatless burgers" tend to have things in them that are not all that healthful - such as high salt/sodium and fat. I have not tried any of the fast food chain ones - yet. I plan to, however.
And the fats are plant based which tend to be unhealthy (high in omega 6s) unless their name begins with olive or coconut or avocado.
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JoeRetire
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by JoeRetire »

nisiprius wrote: Mon Aug 12, 2019 9:18 pm This guy tried to do a blind taste test, and assuming he's telling the truth it sounds like a decent effort to me. And what he found was that
Nine people tried them, eyes closed, with someone else putting first one on their fork and then the other. I didn't do the same order for each person, but also didn't bother flipping coins.

Everyone correctly identified which was which immediately.
Shrug. The comments of the nine people are interesting, but hard to summarize, read them for yourself.
LOL!

1. Old version of Impossible

2. Do those cut up pieces look like the same shape to you?

3. Unless you tend to eat your burgers plain and cut up into small pieces, it's a pretty ridiculous "test".

4. This guy wrote "Going into this my expectation was that people would be able to tell them apart"


I'l do my own "taste" at Burger King when I get the chance. I'll leave the "tests" to others.
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by nisiprius »

No point in arguing about third-hand reports, so this will be my last comment, but I will say this much. Just about every description I've read mentions a difference in texture between Impossible burgers and beef, and mostly they match the impression my wife and I had: somewhat "mushy."

Texture is hard to describe and might depend on cooking, to say nothing of how the patties are ground, pressed, etc.--but it is hard for me to reconcile "different texture" with "indistinguishable."

With regard to flavor and expectation, let me acknowledge that when we went to McDonald's with the kids, I once ordered "three Cokes and one root beer"--with straws and lids--and said to myself "this Coke tastes funny" but kept drinking it until one kid said "Hey! You gave me a Coke instead of my root beer."
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JoeRetire
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by JoeRetire »

nisiprius wrote: Tue Aug 13, 2019 5:43 ambut it is hard for me to reconcile "different texture" with "indistinguishable."
Certainly that's true. If the textures are different, then by definition they are distinguishable.

Of course the same is true with many meat patties.

Imagine "testing" to see if a hand-formed hamburger patty, a typical frozen supermarket patty, and a Bubba Burger are "indistinguishable".
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Artful Dodger
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by Artful Dodger »

We had the brats last night. I've had the burgers, but have been wanting to cut down on bread, so don't eat them very often.

I usually cook the brats on the grill, and eat without bread or bun. They cook up great and look similar to a meat brat while cooking. I usually pair with lots of grilled veggies; last night it was onions, zucchini, peppers, and mushrooms. I added Dijon mustard and sauerkraut, and a half portion of garlic mashed potatoes. Wow. Were they good. Awesome. The epitome of comfort food. I'm salivating now just thinking about it. Paired with a session amber ale from one of our local micro breweries.

I will say the texture is different than a normal brat. More like a hot dog vs the grainier texture of ground organs and meat parts.
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by stoptothink »

Interestingly, just found out this morning that one of my former interns is now a bioengineer for Beyond. Still have no interest in trying the product.
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by boglerdude »

Impossible Whopper is available nationwide.

Free Beyond Burgers at Carls Jr. Today, Thursday 8/15: https://www.reddit.com/r/Albuquerque/co ... mous_star/
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by carolc »

I love a really good hamburger but am trying to reduce the amount of red meat I eat (not that it is a lot). I tried these and although the taste was pretty good, I found the smell to be awful. I’m going to stick with regular veggie burgers (they aren’t bad from Trader Joe’s though I do need to put a lot of homemade salsa on them as they’re dry).

carolc
sid hartha
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by sid hartha »

I thought it was pretty good. Tasted like a salmon burger to me.
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by Houe »

I'm a vegetarian for many years.
Beyond Meat has two versions of their "burger" that I've tried. The new recipe (red label with "now even meatier") is, in my opinion, much better than the previous version. I'm not sure if they are going to keep producing both or replacing the older with the new one. In any case I do like them. I've had a few impossible whopper's at burger king in the past few days and they have been pretty good as well. Its been so long since I've had a real burger I don't feel like I'm able to comment on if they taste similar or not - I really don't know.
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by Houe »

nisiprius wrote: Tue Aug 13, 2019 5:43 am No point in arguing about third-hand reports, so this will be my last comment, but I will say this much. Just about every description I've read mentions a difference in texture between Impossible burgers and beef, and mostly they match the impression my wife and I had: somewhat "mushy."
The mushy one is probably the older recipe. That was my complaint with the older beyond meat burger too. The new red labeled "now even meatier" version is not nearly as mushy and much better in my opinion.
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by nisiprius »

Houe wrote: Thu Aug 15, 2019 8:26 am
nisiprius wrote: Tue Aug 13, 2019 5:43 amNo point in arguing about third-hand reports, so this will be my last comment, but I will say this much. Just about every description I've read mentions a difference in texture between Impossible burgers and beef, and mostly they match the impression my wife and I had: somewhat "mushy."
...The mushy one is probably the older recipe...
It was "Impossible," not "Beyond..." We had it in a Burger King last week, I have to believe this must have been the current recipe.
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FireSekr
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by FireSekr »

It’s a complete scam. Only fake people in california who want to make it appear as if they are doing good for the environment will buy them to show off to the world that they’re eco friendly, ignoring the terribly harmful packaging and making excuses for the terrible taste.

I love vegetarian food but I’m not in favor of vegetarian food trying to imitate meat. Given all the processing and huge ingredients list, I can’t see this being healthy at all
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by wolf359 »

FireSekr wrote: Thu Aug 15, 2019 4:23 pm It’s a complete scam. Only fake people in california who want to make it appear as if they are doing good for the environment will buy them to show off to the world that they’re eco friendly, ignoring the terribly harmful packaging and making excuses for the terrible taste.

I love vegetarian food but I’m not in favor of vegetarian food trying to imitate meat. Given all the processing and huge ingredients list, I can’t see this being healthy at all
Some time has passed since I last visited this thread. Some things have changed, specifically that Impossible Burger is now available at grocery stores.

Impossible Burger and Beyond Meat are vegetarian products that are advertised to look and taste like meat without being meat. By definition it is fake meat. A scam means deception is involved. I'm pretty sure someone buying these products knows that it isn't meat.

As for customers buying the product to signal that they're eco-friendly -- the product looks, smells, and tastes like meat. Anyone seeing someone eating it will think they have a normal burger. It's a lousy product to signal eco-friendliness. A solar panel on the roof is one thing, but a solar panel doesn't look like an oil refinery.

There's a lot of buzz about these products right now, but I think it's probably more of a fad than a long-term trend. They need to pivot a bit to make their business model sustainable. According to their own (Impossible's) data, 75% of their customers are meat eaters, not vegetarian. As nutrition goes, you might as well eat the beef burger. See https://www.huffpost.com/entry/beyond-m ... 6ca57cc3ed

So I'm not sure who their market is. People are trying it because it's new. But vegans aren't craving meat. Meat-eaters would rather eat the real thing. It can't be used for signaling. So after the hype dies down, who is going to buy it?
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by muddgirl »

I am a vegetarian. I can assure everyone that we know that these aren't real meat products (otherwise we wouldn't buy them). We also know they are processed and aren't "healthy" - they are what Sesame Street would call a "sometimes food." Sometimes when you are at a backyard barbeque with friends, you don't want another underdone portabella mushroom burger or mushy veggie patty. Or if you are on a road trip it is nice to be able to stop at a fast food restaurant that isn't Taco Bell (until now, the only option that consistently serves vegetarian/vegan options). People should not eat Impossible Burgers every day, but they shouldn't eat real burgers every day either. I don't see what the problem is.

My favorite meat substitute for taste and consistency is Trader Joe's soy chorizo. It is a little drier than meat chorizo so a bit more oil in cooking is helpful.
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by abuss368 »

Announcement today that McDonald's is testing with burgers in 20+ restaurants in Canada.
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by angelescrest »

JMacDonald wrote: Thu Aug 01, 2019 10:09 am I try to avoid eating meat. I had a taco with Beyond Meat at Del Taco when it was first offered. I didn't care for it and won't order it again. Also the ingredients don't seem to be very healthy.
Del Taco...did you expect any of the ingredients would be healthy? :oops:
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by angelescrest »

This is not a short term fad. Major meat companies like Tyson are making significant strategic investments in meatless foods. Restaurant chains are making lots of money off this.

There seem to be a wide variety of different patties made by Beyond, and Impossible, no? I’ve tried a number at different places, and they all tasted a bit different, some executed better than others. Similarly I’ve had awful beef burgers and I’ve had amazing ones. The impossible whopper patty is a special interaction intended to be similar to a beef whopper, and is quite different from the regular impossible patties (not as interesting).

I prefer the patties we make at home. But the fact that I can now get meatless burgers at way more places means I have more options eating out, and this I spend more money on burgers than in the past. This opens up the market.
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by dm200 »

The various farm lobbies are "concerned" about many of the food products becoming more popular - that are not "animal based".

I follow these things, in part because I grew up on a family farm as well as that I have moved towards plant based eating (little or no animal products).

I am sure my late father is turning over in his grave that his son is staying away from animal products.

These farm lobbies (dairy, beef, pork, etc.) contend that it is unfair or misleading or even fraudulent that the word "meat" be used for any food that does not contain animal flesh and the same contention that the word "milk" be used for any food product that does not contain the actual milk of an animal. I suppose the cheese lobby feels the same about "cheese" that does not contain anything coming from animal milk.
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by FireProof »

SuperSaver1975 wrote: Mon Aug 12, 2019 10:27 am
trevorshhh wrote: Mon Aug 12, 2019 8:21 am
stoptothink wrote: Wed Jul 31, 2019 4:01 pm
trevorshhh wrote: Wed Jul 31, 2019 2:52 pm
MotoTrojan wrote: Wed Jul 31, 2019 2:32 pm

My SO makes incredible turkey burgers. May be worth exploring, but I wouldn’t recommend eating it rawer.
My SO uses ground turkey (or sometimes pork) for most meals you'd generally use ground beef for (spaghetti, meatloaf, tacos, etc.) and it's a good substitute. Not as much for burgers, but maybe I just haven't had the right recipe.
Out of curiosity, why is it believed that ground turkey or pork is a superior alternative to beef? If prepared similarly (ground), the concentration of saturated fat and cholesterol is basically equal.
That's a good question. I have issues with my liver and my doctor has specifically prescribed limiting red meat, saying turkey is a good alternative. I don't know the why.
If you are reducing red meat for health reasons, I doubt these burger substitutes are the answer because they are highly processed foods, with lots of unhealthy ingredients listed right on the label. With beef you could have a quality grass-fed version that is a real actual food that your grandmother or a caveman could recognize. These meat substitutes are not food, but food-like processed food products that are technically edible but not proper for long term health. Most doctors know very little about nutrition because nutrition is not meaningfully taught in medical school. The main foods for people to eliminate for health reasons should be processed foods, such as meat substitutes.
Don't worry, bloggers know a lot more about health than doctors, and the opinion of a caveman is a valuable medical data point.

"Processing" is a totally meaningless concept. Cooking is processing, Making flour is processing. Unhealthy is one thing, "natural" is meaningless, and "real food" is just another eating disorder pushed by pseudo-scientific kooks.
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by JMacDonald »

angelescrest wrote: Thu Sep 26, 2019 10:39 pm
JMacDonald wrote: Thu Aug 01, 2019 10:09 am I try to avoid eating meat. I had a taco with Beyond Meat at Del Taco when it was first offered. I didn't care for it and won't order it again. Also the ingredients don't seem to be very healthy.
Del Taco...did you expect any of the ingredients would be healthy? :oops:
It depend what you order and how much you eat. Del Taco had this item on their menu, and I wanted to try it. I won't be ordering beyond meat again.
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by WhiteMaxima »

I eat either meat burger or tofu. No fake meat tofu or tofu burger. I use pork or ox bone to make soup to add meat flavor. Then add fried tofu as my main protein source.
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by BeanCity »

dm200 wrote: Fri Sep 27, 2019 9:22 am The various farm lobbies are "concerned" about many of the food products becoming more popular - that are not "animal based".

I follow these things, in part because I grew up on a family farm as well as that I have moved towards plant based eating (little or no animal products).

I am sure my late father is turning over in his grave that his son is staying away from animal products.

These farm lobbies (dairy, beef, pork, etc.) contend that it is unfair or misleading or even fraudulent that the word "meat" be used for any food that does not contain animal flesh and the same contention that the word "milk" be used for any food product that does not contain the actual milk of an animal. I suppose the cheese lobby feels the same about "cheese" that does not contain anything coming from animal milk.
I'm an average American, and I agree. I am very skeptical of products I can't easily figure out what the ingredients are. I do not subscribe to the food industry having our best interest in mind.
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by Random Musings »

Don't eat a lot of burgers, but when I do, with fresh ground meat and no fast food chain stuff. The Beyond Meat Burger is meh compared to a good burger and has a lot of sodium. Plus, it's more expensive.

I love veggies, so I'll eat real fresh ones rather than veggies embedded in a faux burger.

For vegetarians, perhaps it will appeal to some.

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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by beehivehave »

Unless you have moral objections to eating animals, I see little reason to substitute a more expensive, inferior-tasting processed food for actual meat. Not all "vegan" foods are nutritionally superior to meat - Beyond Meat has more sodium, more artificial ingredients and the same amount of saturated fat and calories as hamburger. The fact that MacDonald's is foisting it on their sucker customers is proof enough.
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by fatcharlie »

Random Musings wrote: Fri Sep 27, 2019 2:58 pm Don't eat a lot of burgers, but when I do, with fresh ground meat and no fast food chain stuff. The Beyond Meat Burger is meh compared to a good burger and has a lot of sodium. Plus, it's more expensive.

I love veggies, so I'll eat real fresh ones rather than veggies embedded in a faux burger.

For vegetarians, perhaps it will appeal to some.

RM
Once they get to enough scale, you might expect them to be cheaper than beef - that's an excellent selling point.
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Re: Beyond Meat Burger? Do you like?

Post by Zonian59 »

Haven't tried the "Beyond Meat Burger", but have bought veggie burgers at Costco.
Didn't care for the taste or texture. Also falls apart easily.

What gets me is that these veggie-burgers are more expensive than the real meat burgers.
Why is that? Is this "Green Greed"?
If the powers-that-be want people to eat healthy, then the incentive should be to sell it at lower price, not higher.
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