OT: Burger King TO TEST MARKET THE IMPOSSIBLE WHOPPER

[alancw3]

kudos to Burger King. hope it is successful and will bring down the price of impossible burgers:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/01/business/burger-king-impossible-whoppers/index.html

[rnhood]

I wish they would also offer a lean burger, much like McDonalds did a number of years ago with 93% lean beef. They were good. But its good to see BK testing out the vegetarian burger and I also hope they are successful. It would be good to see healthier options from the larger fast food outlets.

[charliedid]

This is good news in the sense that they would be offering a healthier option to markets that have little option. I've had Impossible Burgers and they are okay. I also don't recall the price, are they really that expensive?

That said, if I am after a healthier alternative i am not heading to a burger place generally, more likely to find fresh veggies at a salad bar etc. It would be nice though when in certain places to have that option, especially if you are in a group or family and not everyone agrees or has the same eating habits.

I applaud them.

[chiasticon]

NICE! impossible burgers are good. not a huge fast food fan but it's nice to have the option when you need it. Burger King has been doing veggie burgers for years (like, at least a decade) so I'm glad to see they've moved on to the Whopper. hopefully it makes it to more stores...

[oldpotatoe]

This is good news in the sense that they would be offering a healthier option to markets that have little option. I've had Impossible Burgers and they are okay. I also don't recall the price, are they really that expensive?

That said, if I am after a healthier alternative i am not heading to a burger place generally, more likely to find fresh veggies at a salad bar etc. It would be nice though when in certain places to have that option, especially if you are in a group or family and not everyone agrees or has the same eating habits.

I applaud them.

I guess, lotsa of chemicals in them.

$12 a pound on NPR yesterday when they tested one(and another brand, can't remember the name).

The testers said, 'not bad'..I guess not a ringing endorsement either. For no other reason, fewer cows farting methane...:eek:

[54ny77]

The Carl's Jr. version of it on the west coast (using the Beyond Meat "burger") is tasty. At least the one I tried was--the restaurant was slow that evening and everything was cooked perfect, it looked like the cook had time to prepare it just right. Even the lettuce was piled on thick and it was chilled. Fan-friggin'-tastic!

I also happen to like that particular "Beyond Burger" product and have cooked it often. Buddy of mine (who is a vegetarian) convinced me to give it a whirl, I was VERY skeptical since every veggie patty I've ever had prior tasted like a close cousin to cardboard, and I've been a fan since. Cook it just like a burger (and it can be cooked from being frozen, which takes about 10 min or so total on medium heat), add whatever sauce or spices float yer boat.

It's a once in a very blue moon event for me to eat hamburger (simply don't have the craving for it), so this kind of thing is a really compelling alternative when the craving hits.

[eddief]

duly unimpressed. you put enough cheese and bacon and mustard and ketchup on just about anything and it will taste pretty good. i am thinking if you don't want beef once in a while then you might try a portobello shroom burger.

[makoti]

For home use... has anyone tried Beyond Meat? I've had the sausage & burger, and they are pretty good. The sausage was very good, and the burger not bad. Cooking was different for the burger (never gets "done" looking, and because it isn't very firm you can't load it up with stuff like sauces before cooking or it gets mushy). I was surprised at how tasty they both were.

Oops. I see it was mentioned above.

[joosttx]

Blows my mind this stuff works....

GMO bacteria used to make soy taste like meat but not as good at a premium price.

[54ny77]

Your statement is incorrect, at least as it applies to the "Beyond Burger." See below:

https://www.beyondmeat.com/faqs/

WHAT IS THE BEYOND BURGER®?

The Beyond Burger is the world’s only plant-based burger that looks, cooks, and satisfies so much like ground beef patty that it’s sold in the meat section of over 10K grocery stores in the US (and soon, the world). It is made without soy or gluten and is GMO Free. By braiding together proteins, fats and minerals, we re-create the basic architecture, and thus texture, of meat unlike any other brand or product. The Beyond Burger is not a veggie burger. It’s a delicious, juicy, meaty burger for true meat lovers. It just happens to be made from plants. Find out more here.

Blows my mind this stuff works....

GMO bacteria used to make soy taste like meat but not as good at a premium price.

[GonaSovereign]

The Beyond Burger is pretty darned close. I'm on board for the non-animal stuff if it reduces the number of cows in the world. People can't seem to manage without the foods they've grown accustomed to, so let's find replacements.

Environmental damage (methane in the atmosphere, forests decimated for grazing land, holding tanks with lakes of liquid crap) and torture of animals is objectively terrible. If we can safely science our way out of that one, it would be a crime not to.

[ftf]

I bought some beyond meat burger patties at Whole Foods, and cooked them, couldn't stomach it, I actually threw up. I've wondered ever since if the ones I got were tainted in some way? I don't know...... Was super excited to try it though.

[berserk87]

What does BK hope to accomplish with this?

Do they think that tens of thousands of folks that are health conscious are going to start eating there because of this soy burger? I don't see how this plays out in a good way for them. In fact, it seems that the attention they are getting for this is along the lines of ridicule. There will be some folks that think it's a good idea, but enough to make a market change? I don't see it.

Didn't McD's have some kind of healthier burger initiative years ago like this, that flopped?

BK is what they is. I say own it. It's bad-for-you, comfort food on the fly.

[FlashUNC]

The best vegetarian burgers I've had are the ones that don't try to pretend to be meat.

Had an impossible burger at Umami burger. It was meh.

[joosttx]

I was writing about the Impossible burger. I interviewed for their director of BD a while back and couldn’t get my head around the technology being acceptable. Beyond burgers are pretty good.

Excerpt from Impossible Burgers website:
HOW IT’S MADE
We started by using the heme-containing protein from the roots of soy plants. It’s called soy leghemoglobin. We took the DNA from soy plants and inserted it into a genetically engineered yeast....

Your statement is incorrect, at least as it applies to the "Beyond Burger." See below:

https://www.beyondmeat.com/faqs/

WHAT IS THE BEYOND BURGER®?

The Beyond Burger is the world’s only plant-based burger that looks, cooks, and satisfies so much like ground beef patty that it’s sold in the meat section of over 10K grocery stores in the US (and soon, the world). It is made without soy or gluten and is GMO Free. By braiding together proteins, fats and minerals, we re-create the basic architecture, and thus texture, of meat unlike any other brand or product. The Beyond Burger is not a veggie burger. It’s a delicious, juicy, meaty burger for true meat lovers. It just happens to be made from plants. Find out more here.

[raygunner]

I had a McD's hamburger the other day, for the first time in about 15 years. I had a taste for one, but it didn't leave me feeling the best.

I also tried one of the Beyond Meat burgers the other day too. Dear lord, it was the worst tasting, smelling thing ever.

So I'm torn, maybe I'll try this.

I actually have a taste for a White Castle burger (or 5)...so we'll see!

[Mzilliox]

This is less about your health and more about the planet's health. If you are concerned about your own health, dont order anything from mcdonalds.

But for folks who are gonna eat there anyway, McdonaLDS having to raise and slaughter less cows is a good thing for everyone.

again, this is not about you, its about the planet.

[joosttx]

This is less about your health and more about the planet's health. If you are concerned about your own health, dont order anything from mcdonalds.

But for folks who are gonna eat there anyway, McdonaLDS having to raise and slaughter less cows is a good thing for everyone.

again, this is not about you, its about the planet.

Insect protein is the way to go if one is concerned about the world’s health.

[Mzilliox]

Insect protein is the way to go if one is concerned about the world’s health.

or a whole host of other foods, mostly legumes and vegetables.
but yes, insect protein is one of them.
Yes, i eat meat, generally grown myself or by a neighbor in very small amounts, and not often.

Yes, we have a meat eating problem here. Yes, we also have a fast food problem here.
I didnt even know burger king was still a thing

[54ny77]

Gotcha.

:D

I was writing about the Impossible burger. I interviewed for their director of BD a while back and couldn’t get my head around the technology being acceptable. Beyond burgers are pretty good.

Excerpt from Impossible Burgers website:
HOW IT’S MADE
We started by using the heme-containing protein from the roots of soy plants. It’s called soy leghemoglobin. We took the DNA from soy plants and inserted it into a genetically engineered yeast....

[bcroslin]

I was writing about the Impossible burger. I interviewed for their director of BD a while back and couldn’t get my head around the technology being acceptable.

I'd love to hear why you're skeptical about the tech that goes into the Impossible burger. It's the only fake-burger that I actually like and the fact that BK might be selling whoppers with the impossible burger at less than $5 gets me excited. I eat a few a week at $9/ burger and I'd eat a hell of a lot more at $3-$4.

[shinomaster]

I would totally buy that.

[joosttx]

or a whole host of other foods, mostly legumes and vegetables.
but yes, insect protein is one of them.
Yes, i eat meat, generally grown myself or by a neighbor in very small amounts, and not often.

Yes, we have a meat eating problem here. Yes, we also have a fast food problem here.
I didnt even know burger king was still a thing

Insect has less of impact than legume protein and is better protein in general.

[joosttx]

I'd love to hear why you're skeptical about the tech that goes into the Impossible burger. It's the only fake-burger that I actually like and the fact that BK might be selling whoppers with the impossible burger at less than $5 gets me excited. I eat a few a week at $9/ burger and I'd eat a hell of a lot more at $3-$4.

The tech is fine the value prop I disagreed with. There is nothing that makes this thing more healthy other than it’s not meat. Also, I viewed it as a high cost product. There is a strong stance against gmo in the food supply and this is basically gmo yeast with soybean genes squirting out fake blood to make hamburgers.

For B2B it is great cause it solves lots of handling issues.

[Mzilliox]

Insect has less of impact than legume protein and is better protein in general.

I would agree 100%.
Though many legumes are also soil builders and regenerative when planted properly, and not when we are mowing down forests to plant soy. I use legumes a lot in my gardens, sometimes just to build up soil nutrition.

There are other beans, they are easy to grow, they have been a staple of the meso-american diet forever.

I have dabbled with crickets protein, but i prefer my chickens eat the bugs and ill eat their eggs.

we just need to do away with the idea of an ever expanding economy so folks can stay home and grow/eat better food and ride bikes more without worrying about producing goods which will be tossed in the garbage, inefficiently, or never consumed. if we ever choose to measure the waste of our economy, i wonder if it would still indicate profit and growth?

[ceewho]

I think when I first saw this story the headline was "Burger King to serve whopper with 0% meat" or something like that, and I thought that they finally did it: they filled the burger with so much filler that it doesn't even contain meat any more!

I've had many an impossible burger and think the taste is fine, but the texture is still off. Plus as bad as McD's burgers might be, my stomach is probably worse at handling Impossible Burgers so Raygunner's point might be moot.

I had a McD's hamburger the other day, for the first time in about 15 years. I had a taste for one, but it didn't leave me feeling the best.


Nevertheless, glad to see BK trying this out. I agree that the appeal of a whopper isn't really the burger itself, but rather all the toppings. I'm very curious how it does in St. Louis, which is their test market...

[zennmotion]

Insect has less of impact than legume protein and is better protein in general.

Knowing about your legit expertise, I'd like to hear why this is. And FWIW, I've eaten my share of insects, as a mostly vegetarian one of the more challenging lifestyle adaptations during my first months in Peace Corps/Africa was limited access to fresh produce over most months of the year. Non-animal proteins other than peanuts were pretty much non-existent, but there were caterpillars, grasshoppers and termites that were actually pretty tasty when prepared well once I got over the fear-factor thing (ie hungry enough at first, then got used to them). The bugs were certainly more appealing to me than the tough goat meat and olympic racing chickens that were the normal fare.

[zennmotion]

Knowing about your legit expertise, I'd like to hear why this is.

Sorry, asked and answered.

But, this thread needs some tunes... (this was often in my head during cross races BITD)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxw6I-q2g8Y

[efixler]

I've had Impossible Burgers a couple of times. Personally, I think they're pretty good.

I don't hit fast food much, but if I'm on the road and need to make a quick stop, hell yeah I'll hit BK over whatever-other-terrible-chain for an Impossible Burger.

[fignon's barber]

I like black bean burgers. They taste good and don't pretend to be something they're not.

[Black Dog]

The Carl's Jr. version of it on the west coast (using the Beyond Meat "burger") is tasty. At least the one I tried was--the restaurant was slow that evening and everything was cooked perfect, it looked like the cook had time to prepare it just right. Even the lettuce was piled on thick and it was chilled. Fan-friggin'-tastic!

I also happen to like that particular "Beyond Burger" product and have cooked it often. Buddy of mine (who is a vegetarian) convinced me to give it a whirl, I was VERY skeptical since every veggie patty I've ever had prior tasted like a close cousin to cardboard, and I've been a fan since. Cook it just like a burger (and it can be cooked from being frozen, which takes about 10 min or so total on medium heat), add whatever sauce or spices float yer boat.

It's a once in a very blue moon event for me to eat hamburger (simply don't have the craving for it), so this kind of thing is a really compelling alternative when the craving hits.

This. We have the Beyond Meat burgers at A&W's here in Canada and they are every bit as good as beef. The environmental impact of beef goes way beyond Methane emissions. I still eat some meat but not much and not often. Hard to walk away from bacon. ;)

[m_sasso]

I just don't get why even try to make something into something it is not. Sell it as a veggie sandwich, why try to make into a fake meat burger, so Soylent Green, not fooling anyone. I eat plenty of veggie sandwiches and I wouldn't want them to taste like meat sandwiches, marketing stupidity.

[makoti]

I just don't get why even try to make something into something it is not. Sell it as a veggie sandwich, why try to make into a fake meat burger, so Soylent Green, not fooling anyone. I eat plenty of veggie sandwiches and I wouldn't want them to taste like meat sandwiches, marketing stupidity.

Because people like, oh, me, will not buy a veggie burger but WILL buy something looking, feeling, smelling like meat that isn't meat. No one is being "fooled", but mouth feel, smell, and texture go a long way in whether or not something is considered "good".

[dustyrider]

I’ll let a generation be the beta testers for this and take a burger made from cow instead! I don’t eat at Burger King anyways...

[joosttx]

Knowing about your legit expertise, I'd like to hear why this is. And FWIW, I've eaten my share of insects, as a mostly vegetarian one of the more challenging lifestyle adaptations during my first months in Peace Corps/Africa was limited access to fresh produce over most months of the year. Non-animal proteins other than peanuts were pretty much non-existent, but there were caterpillars, grasshoppers and termites that were actually pretty tasty when prepared well once I got over the fear-factor thing (ie hungry enough at first, then got used to them). The bugs were certainly more appealing to me than the tough goat meat and olympic racing chickens that were the normal fare.

Linked is a nice piece comparing and contrasting veggie protein v insect protein. Bottom line insect is complete protein and there is more of it gram per gram. What is not said is it is cheaper to make and a hell of a lot more environmentally friendly.

https://naakbar.com/blogs/articles/why-you-should-eat-insects-cricket-protein-versus-plant-protein

[buddybikes]

The magic is fat, and assume salt.

The white bun to match with it needs to be updated with 10 grain sour dough.

[berserk87]

This is less about your health and more about the planet's health. If you are concerned about your own health, dont order anything from mcdonalds.

But for folks who are gonna eat there anyway, McdonaLDS having to raise and slaughter less cows is a good thing for everyone.

again, this is not about you, its about the planet.

That's a fair point.

I just don't see BK customers factoring that in on their meal choices when they go in the door. I'm sure that there will exceptions, but for the most part fast foodies seem to be looking for quick and tasty. I'm speaking from my perspective in the midwest, where environmental consciousness is perhaps not as elevated as it is on the coasts.

[Likes2ridefar]

I just don't get why even try to make something into something it is not. Sell it as a veggie sandwich, why try to make into a fake meat burger, so Soylent Green, not fooling anyone. I eat plenty of veggie sandwiches and I wouldn't want them to taste like meat sandwiches, marketing stupidity.

It looks like a burger, tastes like a burger, it might be a burger!

I love a gourmet homemade burger with luxurious toppings. IMO, the beyond and impossible both are satisfactory substitutes for the burger part. Wife agrees too. We haven’t had a real burger at home for over a year since discovering them.

[verticaldoug]

Europe has not approved the heme in impossible burger for human consumption so these products are still off limits over here.

https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1585

[Veloo]

They sold out of the Beyond Meat burger at A&W last year. I've tried it. I like it. I do wonder if it's processed to the nth degree though.

Here are the ingredients.
Water, Pea Protein, Canola Oil, Refined Coconut Oil, Natural Flavours, Rice Protein, Dried Yeast, Methylcellulose, Mung Bean Protein, Sunflower Protein, Spices, Potassium Chloride, Apple Extract, Salt, Vinegar, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Sunflower Lecithin, Vitamins And Minerals (Niacin [B3], Pyridoxine Hydrochloride [B6], Thiamine Hydrochloride [B1], Riboflavin [B2], Folic Acid [B9], Cynacobalamin [B12], Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Zinc Sulphate, Ferric Orthophosphate). May contain soy.

[chiasticon]

I just don't get why even try to make something into something it is not. Sell it as a veggie sandwich, why try to make into a fake meat burger, so Soylent Green, not fooling anyone. I eat plenty of veggie sandwiches and I wouldn't want them to taste like meat sandwiches, marketing stupidity.so there's tasty protein in it. I can eat an entire block of raw, unseasoned tofu. but I'm pretty sure that's rare.

[Likes2ridefar]

They sold out of the Beyond Meat burger at A&W last year. I've tried it. I like it. I do wonder if it's processed to the nth degree though.

Here are the ingredients.
Water, Pea Protein, Canola Oil, Refined Coconut Oil, Natural Flavours, Rice Protein, Dried Yeast, Methylcellulose, Mung Bean Protein, Sunflower Protein, Spices, Potassium Chloride, Apple Extract, Salt, Vinegar, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Sunflower Lecithin, Vitamins And Minerals (Niacin [B3], Pyridoxine Hydrochloride [B6], Thiamine Hydrochloride [B1], Riboflavin [B2], Folic Acid [B9], Cynacobalamin [B12], Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Zinc Sulphate, Ferric Orthophosphate). May contain soy.

Agreed, from past experiences of deep dives into what ingredients make a food, there is a lot of room for interpretation for what, e.g. sunflower lecithin is. That may be an ingredient with unknown riders on it that are less than desirable to consume.

[William]

"All the nutrition and energy you need is here young Grasshopper...look and you shall see."

https://cdn.quotesgram.com/img/30/82/299561114-tumblr_kzpd7vQ2tr1qa1xnko1_500.gif









W.

[shinomaster]

I guess, lotsa of chemicals in them.

$12 a pound on NPR yesterday when they tested one(and another brand, can't remember the name).

The testers said, 'not bad'..I guess not a ringing endorsement either. For no other reason, fewer cows farting methane...:eek:

Red meat is full of chemicals too; hormones, pesticides, plus it causes cancer and heart disease.

[joosttx]

Red meat is full of chemicals too; hormones, pesticides, plus it causes cancer and heart disease.

So are plants. I can easily argue every point but heart disease. Now imagine eating an animal like protein from soy inserted into a yeast to produce something like meat to consume. You don’t have to imagine it. You can go to Burger King and try it.

[Safepants]

The best vegetarian burgers I've had are the ones that don't try to pretend to be meat.

Had an impossible burger at Umami burger. It was meh.

I agree. Our A&W in Canada added the Beyond burger last summer and I still haven't tried it despite having a vegan diet. I just have other options and am not always thinking about going to a burger joint. I also dislike how the base configuration includes non vegan mayo. I guess it's labelled as vegetarian though

[chiasticon]

again, Burger King has had a veggie burger since 2002: https://money.cnn.com/2002/03/14/news/companies/burgerking_veggie/

they've just only ever offered it as 1) MorningStar Garden pattie, and 2) just a straight burger/cheeseburger, not a Whopper.

I think the new venture is just them trying to improve upon something that either isn't working, or is working well enough that they want to improve it/get more cash from it.

[joosttx]

again, Burger King has had a veggie burger since 2002: https://money.cnn.com/2002/03/14/news/companies/burgerking_veggie/

they've just only ever offered it as 1) MorningStar Garden pattie, and 2) just a straight burger/cheeseburger, not a Whopper.

I think the new venture is just them trying to improve upon something that either isn't working, or is working well enough that they want to improve it/get more cash from it.

I don’t think I would call the Impossible Burger a veggie burger since it is made from genetically modified yeast...

[Mzilliox]

i dont get the need for things to be like meat. are we seriously so messed up in our heads we need fake meat in this society?

the answer is "yes, we are messed up in our heads and need fake meat"

and that is just weird.

stop eating fake foods, just eat normal real foods.

im shocked how many folks have even tried this crap

[fiamme red]

Linked is a nice piece comparing and contrasting veggie protein v insect protein. Bottom line insect is complete protein and there is more of it gram per gram. What is not said is it is cheaper to make and a hell of a lot more environmentally friendly.

https://naakbar.com/blogs/articles/why-you-should-eat-insects-cricket-protein-versus-plant-protein"Waiter, there's a fly swimming in my fly soup!"
"That's all right, no extra charge." ;)

[raygunner]

i dont get the need for things to be like meat. are we seriously so messed up in our heads we need fake meat in this society?

the answer is "yes, we are messed up in our heads and need fake meat"

and that is just weird.

stop eating fake foods, just eat normal real foods.

im shocked how many folks have even tried this crap

Aren't you contradicting your previously comment in which you noted that this "isn't about you, it's about the planet"?

You opined along the lines that raising/slaughtering less cows are good for the planet. This satisfies that goal.

So on one hand it's a good thing for the planet but bad on the side that folks want a reasonable substitute for a hamburger?

People eat lots of fake foods. I'm shocked at what people consume. Burgers like this are better than Cheetos, Slim Jims, ect.

And just a side note, I rarely eat fast food or red meat but just the other day I bought a 2.25 lbs tomahawk ribeye. Cooked it by the reverse-sear method on the Big Green Egg. Now that's a fire! So good. Beef is what's for dinner. Then lunch. Then left-overs.

[shinomaster]

i dont get the need for things to be like meat. are we seriously so messed up in our heads we need fake meat in this society?

the answer is "yes, we are messed up in our heads and need fake meat"

and that is just weird.

stop eating fake foods, just eat normal real foods.

im shocked how many folks have even tried this crap

Wow, that’s slightly intolerant. Some of us don’t want to eat Animals . Define “real foods”, what does that even mean? Is a sugar cookie real food? A butter croissant?

[ojingoh]

Stoked. Been wanting to try one forever - and my burg is off the anointed list.

For me, meat eating is a habit more than a necessity. In 2019 I can get equivalent nutrition easily from non-meat sources, roughly at the same cost. It's a different experience though. That I get to exercise that habit and get fed something nutritious I'm all in.

[jtakeda]

Wow, that’s slightly intolerant. Some of us don’t want Animals . Define “real foods”, what does that even mean? Is a sugar cookie real food? A butter croissant?

Defining “real food” and “not real food” isn’t really the point.

The point is the American diet is completely unhealthy for the planet and for our bodies so creating a “heathy” burger is a logical fallacy. Burgers are not healthy. The impossible burger is not made of vegetables so has very poor nutritional content.

I think the greater question is why are we obsessed with continuing to make “healthy” versions of something that is matter of factly unhealthy.

At what point did America turn from grains (a variety of them not just rice and bread) and products grown out of the ground and not a lab to genetically modified yeast with heem added to it to make it “bleed like meat”

I think Burger King adding the impossible burger to its menu and people freaking out is a prime example of how out of whack a lot of America’s eating habits are.

I think this conversation is a lot more productive if you stop thinking about your own individual habits (not directed at person i quoted by the way) and interactions with food and think about it from a macro perspective.

[Likes2ridefar]

Defining “real food” and “not real food” isn’t really the point.

The point is the American diet is completely unhealthy for the planet and for our bodies so creating a “heathy” burger is a logical fallacy. Burgers are not healthy. The impossible burger is not made of vegetables so has very poor nutritional content.

I think the greater question is why are we obsessed with continuing to make “healthy” versions of something that is matter of factly unhealthy.

At what point did America turn from grains (a variety of them not just rice and bread) and products grown out of the ground and not a lab to genetically modified yeast with heem added to it to make it “bleed like meat”

I think Burger King adding the impossible burger to its menu and people freaking out is a prime example of how out of whack a lot of America’s eating habits are.

I think this conversation is a lot more productive if you stop thinking about your own individual habits (not directed at person i quoted by the way) and interactions with food and think about it from a macro perspective.

The impossible burger reads like it is decent nutritionally. Certainly no kale, but it’s a lot better than most of those American diet treats.

But honestly I could care less I go by taste, texture, those sorts of baselines when considering a once every few months “burger”.

[prototoast]

i dont get the need for things to be like meat. are we seriously so messed up in our heads we need fake meat in this society?

the answer is "yes, we are messed up in our heads and need fake meat"

and that is just weird.

stop eating fake foods, just eat normal real foods.

im shocked how many folks have even tried this crap

I like the taste of meat. I also don't like killing animals, so I'm a vegetarian. I find the impossible burger tastes better than any other vegetarian patties I've tried. It also tastes better than a salad. This is strictly a good thing for me.

Also, eating at a restaurant is often primarily a social, rather than culinary experience. As a vegetarian, I don't want to tell my friends "sorry, we can't go to that burger place, they don't have anything I can eat." That's a downer. It can also be a lot of work for restaurants to come up with entirely original vegetarian dishes. If they can make an otherwise identical dish, except they grab a patty from the impossible burger pile instead of the beef pile, that's easy for them and good for me. The value of the impossible burger isn't that it's "fake meat", the value is that it tastes good, easy for restaurants, and makes dining out more accessible for those who don't want to eat meat. Win-win-win all around.

[Seramount]

McD's, Arby's, Wendy's, BK, Taco Bell, Dairy Queen, KFC, Chik-fil-A...

what do these have in common...?

they're all places I never patronize.

y'all can have my share of the HFCS, faux meat, pink slime, and whatever other delicacies they're offering...

[ultraman6970]

meatless??? in canada a chain has those meatless burgers for a while already, they use like a protein whatever patty instead... heard are pretty good.

[Mzilliox]

i am a walking contradiction, welcome to being human.

yes, a butter croissant and a weird modified yeast thing should be hard to tell from one another, which is real? pfffft. :no:

and no, i dont think this being better for the planet firstly and still finding it odd that humans want fake food are exclusive things, i think they are actually complementary. nor do i think i am acting with intolerance. I am tolerating that folks eat these foods, I am making no effort to prevent any one person from consuming whatever they like.

And no, this is not personal toward any one person, so its not intended for anyone to take personally. I really dont care what folks eat, but i still might think your food is weird. and you might think mine is weird, you may think it odd i dont ever go into fast food joints, im fine with that. it doesnt mean we cant be friends.

These are random thoughts and musings as this is a chat room at the end of the day. ideas are not me, nor are they you, they are ideas. we could all say really obvious and socially normal things, but what fun would that be...

its fine to eat and like these things, do whatever makes you happy, thats how we roll as technologically advanced humans these days:fight:

[Mzilliox]

McD's, Arby's, Wendy's, BK, Taco Bell, Dairy Queen, KFC, Chik-fil-A...

what do these have in common...?

they're all places I never patronize.

y'all can have my share of the HFCS, faux meat, pink slime, and whatever other delicacies they're offering...

amen to that brother.

[Mzilliox]

Defining “real food” and “not real food” isn’t really the point.

The point is the American diet is completely unhealthy for the planet and for our bodies so creating a “heathy” burger is a logical fallacy. Burgers are not healthy. The impossible burger is not made of vegetables so has very poor nutritional content.

I think the greater question is why are we obsessed with continuing to make “healthy” versions of something that is matter of factly unhealthy.

At what point did America turn from grains (a variety of them not just rice and bread) and products grown out of the ground and not a lab to genetically modified yeast with heem added to it to make it “bleed like meat”

I think Burger King adding the impossible burger to its menu and people freaking out is a prime example of how out of whack a lot of America’s eating habits are.

I think this conversation is a lot more productive if you stop thinking about your own individual habits (not directed at person i quoted by the way) and interactions with food and think about it from a macro perspective.

you are better with words than me. but i think this is essentially what i mean. we are quite a selfish organism.
any time diets, or fads, or meat subs, or any subs, or modified things, or any weird food related things that modern humans have so much trouble understanding.

i respond on these threads because i am absolutely passionate about food education and mis-education. and i am always confused by the confusion. I forget most folks dont grow any of their own food and therefore have no real attachment at all to what makes food good. "The Market" figured out our brains are easy to fool into thinking things are good.

[tkbike]

Vegetarian here, had a impossible burger here in FoCo about a month ago and thought it was disgusting. Had a Kobe burger in Denver 2 weeks ago and it was disgusting. I can’t remember the last time I had meat...now I know why. But moral of the story I wouldn’t be able to discern which one was worse in a blind taste test.

[makoti]

Vegetarian here, had a impossible burger here in FoCo about a month ago and thought it was disgusting. Had a Kobe burger in Denver 2 weeks ago and it was disgusting. I can’t remember the last time I had meat...now I know why. But moral of the story I wouldn’t be able to discern which one was worse in a blind taste test.

If you find meat disgusting, then I would expect you to find something that attempts to mimic meat in flavor & consistency disgusting, as well. That only makes sense.

[54ny77]

This thread making me hungry.

I did have sous vide pork chop last night at a biz dinner. Oh man, I've never had something done with that prep before. Melted in mouth, almost literally. Soooooo so good.

I don't think you can sous vide a beyond meat patty!

[raygunner]

This thread making me hungry.

I did have sous vide pork chop last night at a biz dinner. Oh man, I've never had something done with that prep before. Melted in mouth, almost literally. Soooooo so good.

I don't think you can sous vide a beyond meat patty!

I'm thinking about buying the Joule or Anova so I can sous vide at home.

[54ny77]

I've heard it is great but never had something prepared using it, until now. It was so good it was just incredible. Bone-in chop from a farm called Beeler's, and the chop was also smoked.

Here was the menu item.

HICKORY SMOKED BEELER’S PORK CHOP
PORK SUGO, CARAMELIZED APPLE, MUSTARD OIL, APPLE CIDER JUS


I'm thinking about buying the Joule or Anova so I can sous vide at home.

[shinomaster]

Fast food is an indulgence, it was never really truly supposed to replace healthy food. Many vegetarians like meat, they just don't like the ethics of it all. It's horrible for the environment and for the animals in most cases. I love steak, if it grew on trees I'd be eating it right now with bordelaise sauce. I've been eating garden burgers of all sorts for the last 20 years and during that time I wasn't even a vegetarian. I just liked them as a quick easy meal that didn't stink up my kitchen like ground chuck. If I want healthy food I'll make a salad or a stir fry. I think it's great that fast food companies like BK are offering Vegetarian options to people stuck in Airports or Highways with no other options. Will I seek out an impossible burger for dinner? Probably not, but I like having that option out there if I want a burger.

[cfox]

mmmmm...nothing sassisfies a hankerin' like some legehemoglobin. It sounds like something they give gunshot victims.

Speaking of delicious laboratory food, anyone remember that "Olestra" fake fat crap that gave you an oily rectal discharge?

[alancw3]

so it looks like Burger King is going to go nation wide now with the impossible burger after test market results:

https://fox8.com/2019/04/29/burger-king-plans-to-roll-out-impossible-whopper-across-the-united-states/

[fiamme red]

I just don't get why even try to make something into something it is not. Sell it as a veggie sandwich, why try to make into a fake meat burger, so Soylent Green, not fooling anyone.https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/18/style/soylent-squared-food-bars.html

Det. Thorn: Hatcher, get to the Exchange. You gotta tell them they're right.
Hatcher: But let's take care of you first.
Det. Thorn: You don't understand. I've got proof. They need proof, I've seen it. I've seen it happening. They've gotta tell people.
Hatcher: Tell them what?
Det. Thorn: The ocean's dying. Plankton's dying. It's people. Soylent Green is made out of people. They're making our food out of people. Next thing, they'll be breeding us like cattle for food. You've gotta tell them. You've gotta tell them!
Hatcher: I promise. Tiger. I promise. I'll tell the Exchange.
Det. Thorn: You tell everybody. Listen to me Hatcher! You've gotta tell 'em! SOYLENT GREEN IS PEOPLE! We gotta stop them! Somehow!

[daker13]

The impossible burger doesn't really seem like it's for vegetarians, because most vegetarians (I am one) have lost the taste for meat. If you eat meat, you think the burger is all about the meat and when I ate meat I couldn't imagine eating a burger without it. But now that I'm one of these obnoxious vegetarians, I'm perfectly happy eating a half way decent veggie burger because to me the burger is tomato, the lettuce, the cheese, the bun, etc. There's no way I want a burger that's more like actual meat. I'll stick with black beans, thanks.

Some veggie protein is heavily processed for sure, but I want to defend fake stuff in general. A lot of great stuff is fake. Led Zeppelin is fake blues. A bicycle is a fake horse. Some great things start off as bad approximations of something else, and then are justly appreciated for being truly new developments.

[xnetter]

the beyond burger is pretty darned close. I'm on board for the non-animal stuff if it reduces the number of cows in the world. People can't seem to manage without the foods they've grown accustomed to, so let's find replacements.

Environmental damage (methane in the atmosphere, forests decimated for grazing land, holding tanks with lakes of liquid crap) and torture of animals is objectively terrible. If we can safely science our way out of that one, it would be a crime not to.

+1000

[xnetter]

i dont get the need for things to be like meat. are we seriously so messed up in our heads we need fake meat in this society?

the answer is "yes, we are messed up in our heads and need fake meat"

and that is just weird.

stop eating fake foods, just eat normal real foods.

im shocked how many folks have even tried this crap

Some of us used to eat meat but stopped for ethical, environmental and whatever other reasons. Neverthless meat is tasty so some of us veggies/vegans still crave it from time to time even though we have made an intellectual decision to drop it.

Impossible/Beyond/BK is junk food - it ain't healthy, per se. Arguing all vegetarian options are supposed to be healthy by virtue of them being meat-free is foolishness. Ever been to the average restaurant as a vegetarian? It mostly sucks.

I've eaten a few Beyond Burgers at A&W after a long hike or when I'm hung over. It's satisfying in approximately the way meat is but without the moral weight. I wouldn't eat too many of them but I appreciate fast food chains providing the option.

KJ

EDIT - not calling out the quoted poster; valid points but I think junk food has its place in some cases

[vqdriver]

Just ate a beyond burger.
Gooood as always.

[alancw3]

Beyond Burger was planning an IPO as of early April. don't know if it has happened yet though.

[vincenz]

My question is if they can scale it up to be as cheap as beef.

[xnetter]

My question is if they can scale it up to be as cheap as beef.

Another thing people forget/are oblivious to is how subsidized the agri-food business is in NA. It is an incredibly inefficient means of production, including land use, water use, caloric loss, environmental contamination, etc. If the true costs of producing beef were passed on to the end consumer, it should cost like $100 for a hamburger.

KJ

[gdw]

"If the true costs of producing beef were passed on to the end consumer, it should cost like $100 for a hamburger."

$100 for a burger? Is that in Canadian or Monopoly dollars?

[vincenz]

Another thing people forget/are oblivious to is how subsidized the agri-food business is in NA. It is an incredibly inefficient means of production, including land use, water use, caloric loss, environmental contamination, etc. If the true costs of producing beef were passed on to the end consumer, it should cost like $100 for a hamburger.



KJ



Oh for sure. Makes me believe this stuff won’t catch on on a large scale. How many pockets are currently lined to get you that $2.99 per lb package of beef.

If this stuff really does look, smell, and taste like the real deal, there should be no reason NOT to eat it, other than if you have soy allergies or something.

[saab2000]

I look forward to trying this.