How to Make Vegan BBQ "Pulled Pork" Style Jackfruit

Have you tried jackfruit yet? It's the ultimate vegan substitute for shredded pork. I was so surprised by how similar the texture is to pork. And even though it's a fruit, it doesn't have a strong flavor by itself and will take on the flavor of the sauce or seasoning you use.

I love finding fruits or vegetables like this that make perfect vegan alternatives for meat. (Oyster mushrooms is another example worth checking out.) While I love the Beyond Burger and how popular faux meats are becoming, it's nice to have less processed options too.

I'll walk you through how to make bbq "pulled pork" style jackfruit. It's also great in tacos or other recipes that would use shredded pork or chicken. I want to try tamales or enchiladas next.

You can buy the whole fruit at some grocery stores, but it's easier to buy it canned. You can find it at Trader Joe's. One can made four sandwiches for me.

Drain and rinse the jackfruit and pat it dry with a towel. It will look like triangles.

Shred the jackfruit pieces. It's easiest to use your hands. You can also use a fork or knife. Now it should look more like shredded pork.

Saute the jackfruit with a little bit of oil, salt, and pepper. You can also add garlic and onions or other seasoning at this stage if you want. Cook it on medium-high heat until it starts to brown a little bit, about 10 minutes.

Add your favorite barbecue sauce. If you're cooking for other people who are vegan, check that the barbecue sauce is vegan because not all of them are. Lower the heat and cover. Simmer for about 20 minutes (15 is ok if you're really hungry).

Now it's time to build your sandwich. This is good by itself or you can also top with vegan coleslaw.
It's good leftover too, just reheat in the microwave.

Review: Gardein Seven-Grain Crispy Tenders

Gardein has a ton of vegan products, so I tried these seven-grain crispy tenders next. Similar to the Gardein fishless filets, I probably would have liked these more if I was blindfolded. They tasted good, but the seeing the squishy texture of faux meat was too distracting for me. 

These were much smaller than I expected, about half the size of their fishless filets. But this is a good thing in my opinion, because it helps the texture. I prefer most faux meat to be small and thin in order to have a higher breading to meat ratio and keep the texture as crispy as possible. I think that's why the Boca chick'n patties are still my favorite plant-based chicken alternative.

Speaking of the breading, I didn't realize these where seven grain when I bought them. It surprised me at first, and you can see some oats and seeds in the breading. It reminded me of seven-grain bread with the seeds pressed into the top. But it still tasted like regular breading, and I didn't notice a difference in the breading texture. It was still crispy and crunchy. 

Gardein Seven-Grain Crispy Tenders ingredients: Water, Enriched Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid). Soy Protein Isolate, Canola Oil, Vital Wheat Gluten, Rice Flour, Ancient Grain Flour (Khorasan Wheat, Amaranth, Millet, Quinoa), Methylcellulose, Oat Bran, Oats, Yeast Extract, Salt, Organic Yeast Extract, Sea Salt, Potato Starch, Organic Distilled Vinegar, Organic Cane Sugar, Sugar, Natural Flavors, Soybean Oil, Spices, Yeast, Color Added. Leavening (Sodium Bicarbonate, Cream Of Tartar). Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Organic Soy Sauce Powder, Extractive of Paprika (Color). Pea Protein, Turmeric Extractives

Review: Gardein Seven Grain Crispy Tenders
Taste: These tasted pretty good. I would give them a 5 for flavor but 3 for texture. 
Texture: The outside is crunchy but the inside is a little too mushy for me. It helps that they're smaller pieces though, compared to the Gardein fishless filets which were too big in my opinion. 
Can you tell it's vegan? Yes, like most faux meat, the texture gives it away. 
Better than other vegan versions? I liked the Boca chick'n nuggets more. 
Worth buying again? I would eat them again if someone else was serving them, but probably wouldn't buy them again on my own.
Overall: 4 out of 5

Review: Gardein Golden Fishless Filets

It seems that Beyond Burgers have spoiled me and my expectations were too high when I tried Gardein Fishless Filets. Too be fair, it's easier to imitate the texture of ground beef than fish.

These were not bad, but the texture was too obviously processed. They would probably be better in tacos than by themselves. I think I would have also liked them more if I tried them blindfolded, because I was too distracted by how the texture looked on the inside.

These might be ok for people who are less texture sensitive, or people who are used to eating faux meat and not expecting the texture to be like real fish. But for people who are not fully vegan and trying to choose more vegan options, this is not what I would recommend.

Gardein Fishless Filet ingredients: Water, Canola Oil, Textured Vegetable Protein Product (Soy Protein Concentrate, Color Added), Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Tapioca Starch, Potato Starch, Methylcellulose, Yeast Extract, Degerminated Yellow Corn Flour, Natural Flavors, Sea Salt, Salt, Wheat Gluten, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Leavening (Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Paprika, Soy Flour, DHA Algal Oil, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Spice, Sugar, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Spices, Turmeric. Turmeric Extractives.

Review: Gardein Golden Fishless Filets
First impressions: They smell more like fish than I thought they would, and the breading looks good. But when I cut one in half, the inside looked more like processed chicken nuggets. 
Taste: It tastes better than I expected, and it does taste more like fish than chicken. 
Texture: The outside crunch is good but the inside is too mushy and not flaky. It might be better if it was thinner. 
Can you tell it's vegan? Yes, the texture gives it away. 
Better than other vegan versions? I haven't tried any other vegan fish yet. 
Worth buying again? I probably won't buy these again.
Overall: 3 out of 5.

Faux Meat: Friend or Foe?

When it comes to faux meat, there are now more options than ever before. Gardein, Boca, and many other companies offer a wide variety of plant-based alternatives to most traditional meat favorites. And new faux meat products like the Impossible Burger and Beyond Burger are making it even more convenient and accessible to choose vegan options. The popularity of some of these products has also sparked curiosity in those who might otherwise not have tried faux meat.

For people who are not already vegan or vegetarian, this wide availability makes it easier to try these products and possibly choose them more often. And for kids and picky eaters, having more options that are closer to their favorite foods is always advantageous.

As faux meat gets closer to imitating real meat, some vegans might be turned off by how much it resembles real meat. But I feel this is outweighed because tasting more like real meat will help more non-vegans try it.

"But it's so processed," you might wonder. While I'm not making nutritional claims on this blog, it's common knowledge that it's generally better to eat less processed food. I personally prefer to replace meat in most dishes with more vegetables, but this doesn't work for everyone, or for every recipe.

Take burgers for example. On my journey to eating vegan more often, burgers were my last holdout for land-animal meat products. Until I tried the Beyond Burger. I still crave burgers, but the Beyond Burger and Impossible Burger are close enough for me that they satisfy my craving without needing to eat beef. I haven't had a beef burger since.

To be fair, it's not like non-vegans don't eat their share of processed food too. Yet for some reason the nutritional aspect is questioned more when it's vegan. I wouldn't recommend eating faux meat every day, the same way I wouldn't recommend eating any heavily processed food every day, but that's up to each person to decide for themselves.

And are all processed foods equally "bad" for being processed? I would guess that some vegan faux meat options are more nutritious than some of their fast food, "real meat", counterparts. Consider chicken nuggets, which are highly processed whether they're made from meat or plant-based protein.

So is the rising trend of faux meat products a good thing or a bad thing? While it's up to individuals to balance the amount of processed food in their diet, having more plant-based options is always a good thing in my opinion - and it benefits everyone from vegans to vegan adjacents, and even carnivores.

Have you tried any plant-based meat alternatives? Which is your favorite?

Review: Beyond Sausage

I love the Beyond Burger, so I was excited when I heard that Beyond Meat came out with Beyond Sausage.

You can find this plant-based sausage at Whole Foods and it's also served at some restaurants. Beyond Sausage is available in 3 varieties: Brat, Sweet Italian, and Hot Italian. I tried the Sweet Italian.

Like the Beyond Burger, it's soy and gluten-free. The main ingredient is pea protein and the casing is made from algae.

I didn't like these quite as much as the Beyond Burger. They are really big, and that draws more attention to anything that gives away that they're vegan. The texture is a little soft, so I grilled them and then cut them in half and grilled the insides too. That helped to keep the texture crispy. I don't know if I would like it hot-dog style though.

Review: Beyond Sausage - Sweet Italian
Taste: It tastes like pork sausage but is missing something I can't put my finger on. 
Texture: It was nice and crispy on the outside when I grilled it. But I think the inside would be too soft if I hadn't cut it in half. I don't know if I would like it whole in a bun. 
Can you tell it's vegan? Yes, but I might be tricked if it was prepared differently. It would be good to try with a sauce. 
Better than other vegan versions? I haven't tried any others. 
Worth buying again? I'm not a big sausage eater, but if I was craving sausage I would buy this again. 
Overall: 4 out of 5.

Review: Impossible Burger vs Beyond Burger

Impossible Burger

Beyond Burger

You might have heard a lot of buzz about the latest wave of veggie burgers - the Beyond Burger and the Impossible Burger. But do they live up to the hype? 

Absolutely. 

These aren't your average veggie burgers. They manage to go beyond that and somehow impossibly taste like real beef. (Has that already been done by every blogger who's written about this?)

I've seen both of these popping up all over at different restaurants lately. Find locations for the Impossible Burger here, and Beyond Burger here. You can also get the Beyond Burger at Whole Foods. The Impossible Burger is not currently available by retail. 

So what are these actually made out of? 

The main ingredients of the Impossible Burger are textured wheat protein, coconut oil, potato protein, and heme. The heme is made from soy and is the secret ingredient to making this burger taste like real beef. Heme is a molecule found in animals (hemoglobin) and plants (leghemoglobin). It naturally occurs in much higher concentrations in animals than plants, and is what makes meat taste like meat. 

[UPDATE: The new version of the Impossible Burger, Impossible 2.0,  does not contain gluten]

The protein source in the Beyond Burger is pea protein. Unlike the Impossible Burger, the Beyond Burger is gluten free. It also has beet juice which give it a red color that looks like beef. It's made by Beyond Meat, a company that makes a variety of vegan meat products available in stores. But in my opinion the Beyond Burger tastes much better than their Beyond Meat Crumbles.

Impossible Burger Cut in Half

Beyond Burger Cut in Half

If I had to choose, I would say the Impossible Burger has a better flavor and the Beyond Burger has a better texture. But they're both delicious and I would eat them both again. In fact, I haven't had or craved a beef burger since I first tried the Impossible Burger (although it helps that I have easy access to both). These even beat my previous favorite meat substitute, Boka Spicy Chik'n Patties.

Also worth noting is that how the burger is cooked makes a difference. If it's overcooked it can be too dry. But it also needs to be cooked enough to give it the caramelized grill flavors. If you try it once and don't like it, that could be why. 

Have you tried either or both of these? Which is your favorite? 

Impossible Burger Review

First impressions: "Woah it looks like a real burger and not a veggie burger!"
Taste: To me, the Impossible burger does a better job tasting like actual meat because of the heme. It has a fuller umami flavor. 
Texture: When you look closely it doesn't look as much like real meat compared to the Beyond Burger. It also falls a part a little bit when you eat it. 
Can you tell it's vegan? Yes, but only when you look closely. I was surprised how much it tastes like beef. 
Worth buying again? Definitely! I'm going to try it at other restaurants and see who prepares it the best. (Photo above at Bruski Burgers & Brew)
Overall: 5 out of 5

Beyond Burger Review

First impressions: "Is this the Beyond Burger or did I accidentally get a beef patty?"
Taste: It does taste more like beef than I expected, but when comparing directly to the Impossible Burger, it's missing that extra flavor from the heme. 
Texture: Before you cut it open, it looks just like a beef burger. The beet juice makes it look red like beef. The texture is also closer to beef than the Impossible burger. 
Can you tell it's vegan? Like the Impossible burger, I was surprised that it really does taste and look like beef. 
Worth buying again? Yes, I've been getting this for lunch about once a week. (Photo above at my work's cafeteria)
Overall: 5 out of 5

Product Review: Trader Joe's Meatless Meatballs

Shown with Vegetable Marinara Sauce

Spaghetti is one of my favorite foods. Since I grew up eating it with ground beef, I am always looking for ways to make it vegan. I thought vegan meatballs would be a good way to go and so I tried Trader Joe's Meatless Meatballs. 

These are made from Texturized Soy Protein. 

I really wanted to like these. They didn't look weird...

But when I took a bite I was overwhelmed by the mushy texture. It might have tasted good, but I couldn't tell because I was so put off by how gross the texture was. 

I waited a little bit and tried another bite thinking, "It couldn't have been that bad." And yes, it was that bad. I couldn't finish one meatball. 

Review: Trader Joe's Meatless Meatballs

First impressions: When cooking: "looks good and smells good." After first bite: "omg gross." 

Taste: Honestly, I can't give an accurate taste description because I couldn't get past the texture. 

Texture: Disgustingly soft and mushy. I couldn't finish a whole one. 

Does it look like the picture on the package? Yes.

Can you tell it's vegan? Absolutely. 

Worth buying again? No. 

Overall: 1 out of 5. If you are not texture sensitive and don't mind the mushiness of some veggie burgers, then you might like these better. 

Product Review: Boca Original Chik'n Nuggets

Because of how much I liked Boca's Spicy Chik'n Patties, I tried their vegan chicken nuggets next. They were very similar to the patties, but the original breading is a little boring compared to the spicy. 

Just like the patties, these are ridiculously easy to prepare. They would be great for a quick snack or meal. 

Review: Boca Original Chik'n Veggie Nuggets

First impressions: "This is good."

Taste: Like the Boca Spicy Chik'n Patties, but a little boring without the spice. 

Texture: The inside texture reminds me of McDonald's chicken nuggets. 

Does it look like the picture on the box? Yes.

Can you tell it's vegan? No.

Worth buying again? Yes, I will probably always have these or the patties on hand for when I don't feel like cooking. 

Overall: 4.5 out of 5

Vegan Tacos with Beyond Meat Beef-Free Crumbles

The vegan beef crumbles made by Beyond Meat are better in recipes where they can be complimented by other flavors and textures. Of course I thought of tacos first. 

This is an easy taco recipe my boyfriend uses for regular beef. Use the measurements as a guideline, not a rule, and adjust to your taste. 

Vegan Tacos with Beyond Meat Beef Crumbles

Ingredients:

• 1 package of Beyond Meat Beef-Free Crumbles (or another faux beef)
• 1/4 cup of your favorite salsa
• 1/2 packet of your favorite taco seasoning
• Juice from 1 lime
• Tortillas
• Avocado
• Tomato
• Lettuce

Directions:

1. Saute the crumbles until warm. Add salsa, taco seasoning, and lime juice. Stir and cook until heated through. 
2. Add to tortillas and assemble tacos with your favorite taco veggies and toppings. I used iceberg lettuce, tomato, avocado, and a taco sauce packet I stole from taco bell. You could also try rice, beans, bell peppers, onions, or vegan sour cream. 

Product Review: Beyond Meat Beef-Free Crumbles

Beyond Meat has been in the news a lot lately, does it live up to the hype? The short answer is yeah, pretty much. 

It could replace beef some recipes but not all. It comes in tiny crumbles that do not stick together. It's kind of like buying precooked ground beef, as opposed to a pound of fresh ground beef. You couldn't use it to make meatballs or burger patties. It's better for recipes like tacos or goulash.

One thing that worried me is the package says not to overcook it. I don't know what happens if you do, but it might not be good in recipes that use the oven or crockpot. 

Review: Beyond Meat Beef-Free Crumbles

First impressions: "It really looks like beef."

Taste: It tastes like beef, but isn't quite as satisfying. More like beef broth than a hamburger.

Texture: Small, dry crumbles.

Does it look like the picture on the package? Yes.

Can you tell it's vegan? Yeah, something about it just seems different. 

Worth buying again? I probably won't. If you are strictly vegan, this is probably the closest thing to beef you will find right now. 

Overall: 3.5/5

Product Review: Boca Spicy Chik'n Patties

Updated 9/6/2020

This was the first plant-based meat I ever tried - ahh, scary! Right?!

Well, maybe my fear was unwarranted. These were delicious. My picky-eater boyfriend liked them so much we are adding them to our rotation. I'm more optimistic about trying the other varieties now too. 

These are great with vegan ranch, bbq sauce, or sriracha if you want more spice. They are a little bit spicy. Maybe a 4 on a scale of 1 to 10. 

 

If you're skeptical about trying faux meat, I suggest starting with these or another vegan chicken patty. I guess it makes sense, "real" chicken patties and nuggets are already mostly made from soy. If anything, the vegan version is better tasting and probably less processed. 

This was my favorite plant-based meat for a while until I tried the Beyond Burger and Impossible Burger. Those would also be good to start with if you're new to plant-based foods and craving a burger. 

Boca Spicy Chik'n Veggie Patties ingredients:

Water, wheat flour, soy protein concentrate, soy protein isolate, corn oil, contains less than 2% of salt, yeast extract, wheat gluten, methylcellulose, spices and herbs, sugar, onion powder, yeast, vinegar powder, paprika extract (color), dried garlic, natural flavor (non-meat), corn, malted barley, rye, succinic acid. 

Review: Boca Spicy Chik'n Veggie Patties

First impressions: "Wow. This is much better than I expected." "I am so pleasantly surprised."

Taste: Like a Spicy Chicken Sandwich from Wendy's. 

Texture: Like the inside of a chicken nugget. Obviously there will be no "grain" like a real chicken breast, but you don't get that from any chicken nugget or patty.  

Does it look like the picture on the box? Yes.

Can you tell it's vegan? No

Worth buying again? Definitely. We have them on a regular basis because they are a quick, simple meal. They bake in about 12 minutes. It's so easy to throw them in the oven with some fries or another side. 

Overall: 5 out of 5