Since going vegetarian/pescatarian 5 years ago, I haven’t craved meat all that much. Sure, the smell of bacon is alluring, fried chicken calls to me every now and then, and I miss the occasional pepperoni pizza. But it’s pretty rare that I crave beef, pork, chicken, turkey, duck, or any of the other animals I previously ate on a regular basis.
Part of the reason for this is the rise of plant-based meats. Impossible burgers, Beyond sausages, soy chorizo, and the local Vegan Deli & Butcher are all easily available. Plus, there are plenty of delicious, healthy foods that don’t resemble meat at all while still supplying a good amount of protein.
One dish that’s been off my radar for years is steak. I didn’t eat all that much steak before going vegetarian, and isn’t something I crave. At least, I didn’t think it was, and then I saw an Instagram ad for the plant-based steak from Juicy Marbles, and it awoke something in me. I must have been hungry at the time, because I placed an order for 6 cuts of “filet mignon” right away on my phone.
It arrived today, and of course I had to try it. I pan seared it with some garlic salt and pepper, plus a dash of butter at the end. I have to say, it’s one of the best plant-based meats I’ve tried yet. It really has the taste, smell, and texture of a steak (maybe not exactly a filet mignon…maybe more like a pot roast).
If you’re vegetarian or vegan (or if you’re not, but you’re curious about what life post-meat might look like), I highly recommend trying Juicy Marbles. Here’s what it looks like (this is a photo of my dinner plate):
Jamey, I have to say, for years I was skeptical and for obvious reasons…fake meat was just…bad. Flash forward to 21018 and my daughter who was attending Savannah College of Art & Design thought it best that we go to the Fox & Fig in downtown Savannah. As an aside, if you two have not visited Savannah, put it on your list of must-see places. Anyway, I ordered, much to my initial reservation, the Impossible Burger. When it arrived, t looked great; but, as we all know, looks can be deceiving. I took a bite, and I was utterly shocked at how good it tasted. When the waitress came over I said, “Okay this is great…you can tell me, it’s really beef, right?” She and my daughter laughed out loud. It was really an excellent, excellent burger.
I’m glad you enjoyed your Impossible Burger, Joe! That was similar to my first experience as well. 🙂