Impossible Burger

[RamblingMad]

What do you guys think of what’s happening with plant based food?

 

[Floridaman999]

I haven't given it much thought.

 

[bcla]

Tried an Impossible Whopper once. It was actually pretty close to real beef, although there was something not quite perfect. The other issue is that Impossible's use of "heme" is supposed to "bleed" almost like real ground beef, but when it's cooked as well done as they do at Burger King it's kind of hard to tell.

Right now BK is running an app coupon special for a "taste test" for a Whopper and and Impossible Whopper for $7.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I had one at Burger King. Unless the food cost can be lowered, it isn't long term viable there.

 

[vacationer1954]

Things always cost more when they're new and fewer people are buying them. The financial types have projected that these products will soon cost less than meat, since they can be produced far more efficiently than meat and increasing demand will eventually result in production efficiency that can justify lower prices.

We're both "mostly" vegetarians and never eat red meat or poultry, but we both used to eat red meat, and burgers were the only red meat we ate as we were getting closer to becoming vegetarians. We've made Beyond Burgers at home (including the new, improved ones) and had Impossible Burgers at a local restaurant. We couldn't imagine ever wanting a meat burger given how great these new burgers taste.

We had one of the new Beyond Burgers at home last night - fresh not frozen - it makes a difference. Cooking it from frozen (which you're not supposed to do) basically steams the burger. It ends up being more like a White Castle burger. It's okay. Cooking it fresh it is much more like a Burger King burger. It tastes great - as great as any meat-burger I remember cooked to the same done-ness.

The only downside is that all night long afterwards, we were smelling the smell of the burger having been cooked in our kitchen. As "mostly" vegetarians, that smell was very noticeable to us and we didn't really like it. The burgers tasted great, but I forgot how much I hated the smell of grilled meat.

 

[firefly_ris]

I haven't tried it yet but I would. Can it be done "medium rare" or "rare" and be like a real burger in that way? Those are the ways I prefer red meat.

Slightly sort of related I'd also be cool with lab grown meat.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

I have not tried the impossible burger but was not impressed with the nutritional information. I guess if you are into plant based there are a lot more acceptable options. Anything Burger King makes in my opinion is one step above garbage for me. Once I found some sort of hard white substance in my burger it was either bone or teeth and it grossed me out so much I could never go back. While I am not a vegetarian I avoid meat as much as possible. I think many plant based foods are good but you need to accept them for what they are not combine them to make something else that being said, mashed cauliflower is pretty darn close to mashed potatoes ....if you add a ton of butter and some cream.

 

[Jennasis]

Not for me.

 

[MrsCobraBubbles]

 

[Minnesota!]

I have had Impossible Burgers at a few restaurants (White Castle included).

Burger, Burger does them right. As a vegetarian, I still get cravings for a big, sloppy burger at times. This fulfilled that craving on every level. Black bean burgers don't hit all the notes (what I typically ate prior to these being released).

White Castle, however - meh. They were way too thick to pass as a slider. So, it was disappointing.

I love the options I have, but I still typically go for a salad and a side of beans vs. a burger.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I haven't tried one yet, but I would.

 

[RamblingMad]

The nutrition info on these “burgers” isn’t great. However, the carbon footprint is significantly better.

 

[Searc]

I had my first taste of a veggie burger at a local regional chain last weekend. DH ordered it because he helped develop their new veggie burger that will be rolling out to all locations soon (only in one select market right now).

Meh. The taste and texture were off, though DH says the new veggie burger coming out tastes better and has a better texture. He says it cooks like a regular beef patty and is able to crisp up instead of being mealy, like most veggie burgers are up til now.

 

[Moliphino]

Slightly sort of related I'd also be cool with lab grown meat.

I think I'd prefer it to meat substitutes.

I'd try an Impossible burger if there were free samples somewhere, but I wouldn't go out of my way to try it or buy a whole one myself and risk not liking it.

 

[ronandannette]

I’ve never tried one, nor any of the Beyond products and I likely never will, unless it’s served to me at someone’s home. I am a meat eater and have a hard time seeing the nutritional benefit of such a highly processed product over some simple, locally sourced ground beef, which is what our fast-food chains boast of serving.

Non-meat eaters I know are glad to have these products as options and I’m glad for their sake. It doesn’t matter one iota to me what others eat or why they eat it. I am slightly wary of some of the public commentary regarding plant-based or even synthetic foods (lab grown meat) being the ultimate way to save the planet though.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

As a vegan, I’m grateful that there’s been such an explosion of plant based foods in recent years. It certainly makes life a lot easier for me.

My personal preference is the Beyond Burger. I love that one. The Impossible Burger has just been “meh” the handful of times I’ve had it. I’ve had them at Disney, a local restaurant, and a couple of times at Burger King and they’ve always been a little dry and a little chewy. I wish I had the option of cooking one at home to see if the problem has been in the preparation. They’re so thin I imagine it’s easy to over cook them. Or maybe this is just what sliders are like, I don’t know. I haven’t had a real beef burger in twenty years and I suspect my memory is a bit fuzzy, so I’ve been taking meat eaters at their word that the Impossible Burger tastes like the real thing. That said, my reaction when I had the Impossible Whopper for the the first time was “If this is what a fast food burger tastes like, I haven’t been missing much.”

Either way, it’s nice to have the option and I’m sure I’ll buy it again — for both convenience sake and to show support for companies that put vegan options on their menus.

 

[vacationer1954]

I haven't tried it yet but I would. Can it be done "medium rare" or "rare" and be like a real burger in that way? Those are the ways I prefer red meat.

I'm not sure rare would really be the same as rare, but medium-rare, medium and medium-well definitely yes.

 

[vacationer1954]

The nutrition info on these “burgers” isn’t great. However, the carbon footprint is significantly better.

The nutritional info isn't all that different from meat burgers. They're not health food, but they aren't trying to replace health food.

 

[mjkacmom]

I’d rather eat clean beef than all of the ingredients in a fake burger.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

I’d rather eat clean beef than all of the ingredients in a fake burger.

I just listened to a podcast about the Impossible burger. Her conclusion was that it is highly processed, so if you are trying to eat clean it doesn’t check that box. But if you are avoiding meat it is a good substitute.