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Should vegetarians eat fake meat?
I review lot of non-vegetarian cookbooks because they tend to be better than vegetarian cookbooks. They tend to use better techniques, more innovative ingredients, and most important of all, deliver better flavor.
But I keep my eye out for vegetarian cookbooks because, let’s face it, there are so many meat-based recipes in non-vegetarian cookbooks I just can’t use.
So you can bet I was pretty excited to see a vegetarian cookbook written by a chef who says “… by applying traditional French culinary techniques to meatless cuisine, he was able to create delicious meals full of rich flavor … “
The Conscious Cook: Delicious Meatless Recipes That Will Change the Way You Eat by Tal Ronnen
Doesn’t this sound like exactly the kind of vegetarian cookbook I have been waiting for? You bet. So I flipped through the book and found me a recipe.
Gardein “chicken” scaloppini with shiitake sake sauce, braised pea shoots, and crispy udon noodle cakes recipe
This is a pretty dish, very pretty. Which is why I decided to to make it. Essentially, it is fried noodles topped with sautéed pea shoots, topped with sautéed fake chicken (Gardein “chicken”), topped with sautéed mushrooms and a processed oil-based sauce (Earth Balance vegan buttery sticks).
And that’s where we hit a snag.
Noodles = fun. Pea shoots and mushrooms = loved ‘em. Gardein fake chicken = errrrr, the wheels ground to a screeching halt.
What I don’t clue into until later is that the author has an interest in the Gardein fake chicken; he helped develop them
Now I’m happily almost vegetarian. The husband, however, is doing it because it is the right thing to do and because it is important to me. So, despite the fact that I’m not terribly fond of fake meat products, I always try new ones to see if the husband will like them. Which is why I made this dish.
“So, what do you think?”
“It’s okay.”
“Do you like the mushrooms?”
“Oh, yeah, they’re good.”
“How about the pea shoots?”
“Yeah.”
“What about the chicken?”
“Is that what this is supposed to be?”
“Yeah. What do you think about it?”
“Worst. Fake. Chicken. Ever. Ever.”
Shit.
So would you call The Conscious Cook a Gardein advertisement with a price tag?
This is the time when I clue in that the author helped invent the Gardein fake chicken (there is a Gardein fake chicken dish on the cover, for heaven’s sake!). So he is certainly not a disinterested third party. Well I am. And, sigh, all I can tell you is this is just another cookbook destined to be donated to the library. And I had such high hopes.
Buh bye Gardein, we regret knowing you
As for the Gardein fake chicken, that went into the trash ($4.99/package), never to be purchased again. Leaving me only with my original question: Is it smart to be eating fake meat? Is it ethical? Should we bother?
What do you think? What do you do?
Comments
24 Responses to “Should vegetarians eat fake meat?”
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November 5th, 2009 @ 7:39 am
I definitely do not think it’s unethical to eat fake meat. I think that some products are great, like Amy’s veggie burgers, but I just have no taste for the fake chicken products.
I don’t always think those products are the healthiest things, but if they are going to help someone stick to a vegan diet, go for it! It’s all a matter of someone’s tastes. I don’t like the gardein products so much, but I know a ton of people who do.
November 5th, 2009 @ 8:01 am
I don’t see a problem with eating faux meat, especially, as Nicole said, if it helps someone stay veg*n. Some of us who transitioned later in life have a harder time breaking the meat hold. After 30 years of mom’s meat-and-mashed-potatoes, giving it all up cold turkey (heh) was a little hard at first. If I can cook a dish I have loved for years that included ground beef, now with SmartGround or something like that, heck yeah!
I find it easier now to cook without these products, but I do have a few soft spots… Field Roast deli slices are great for that quick sandwich, and I’m completely addicted to Quorn nuggets!
November 5th, 2009 @ 8:04 am
It’s no less ethical than wearing faux fur.
Disclaimer: I am a devout omnivore, with no apologies and no ethical quandry.
Having said that, I think it’s really admirable for someone to try to avoid using animals or animal products if they have ethical issues with doing so. Substitution could be said to continue the concept of animal use – but the concept of animal use is deeply ingrained in our own animal natures. Using non-animal products won’t change the mind of someone like me, any more than my diet/clothing choices will change the mind of a vegan.
Considering that fact, the choice is always a personal one. Therefore, make your choices based on your own beliefs, and don’t worry about applying your ethics to others; you won’t.
November 5th, 2009 @ 8:17 am
i think eating fake meat is a-okay… the fake “grilled” chicken types are hard to like though (i’ve only had the morningstar chicken strips; not so great – but i love most of their other products)…
i know if we didn’t use the fake meat around the house, my husband would never eat anything, you know?
i wonder if any of those recipes would be ok with the “meat” left out? maybe worth a shot?
p.s. just recently found your blog. love it.
November 5th, 2009 @ 8:51 am
For our house, fake meat is just kinda weird. We’ve tried a few and have never been impressed. I think our personal viewpoint is boiling down to that if we don’t want to eat meat for whatever reason, why are we trying to make a product to mimic what we don’t want to eat? It doesn’t quite make sense for us.
We’ve pretty much abandoned store bought substitutes and have started to make our own. Bean/rice patties are easy to make. Lentils make a great ‘loaf. Mushrooms add a nice “meaty” texture. And there is always tofu if you can do it right. I’m still hit and miss cooking w/ it. =} Ah well.
November 5th, 2009 @ 9:45 am
Well, I admit, I do have a faux fur all the way at the back of the closet. Although, it is so faux, that if you didn’t mention fur, no one could tell what it was faux of!
I’m torn between what Nannette said (if we don’t want to eat meat for whatever reason, why are we trying to make a product to mimic what we don’t want to eat) and what Nicole (and Lisa) said: if they are going to help someone stick to a vegan diet, go for it!
I used to eat a lot of these, but I don’t now. But the husband does. So if anyone can suggest a good line, please do.
Cheers!
November 5th, 2009 @ 9:45 am
I don’t think it’s unethical to eat fake meat products; if someone likes them, go for it, enjoy. My own aversion to them is mainly culinary: I don’t think they taste all that great, they don’t fool me into thinking I’m eating meat, and I don’t get why they’re necessary. One of the reasons I’ve become almost vegetarian, and 100% vegetarian cooking at home, is that I’ve come to discover that, for me, vegetables (and eggs and cheese, ’cause I’m not vegan) are quite enough. I *like* the vegetables and grains and beans and such and I’m happy to have them taste like themselves, not processed to mimic the taste and texture of meat.
(Also a newcomer to your blog and I’m enjoying it. I saw the “Almost Vegetarian” title and thought, now that’s the food blog for me!)
November 5th, 2009 @ 10:22 am
I just started following your blog–it’s great!
I thought you might be interested in http://www.soybean.com, a web source for fake chicken and beef. These are superior in quality, and come in chunks that can be added to any recipe calling for boneless chicken or beef.
The best beef stew I’ve ever had contained these beef chunks (they can be cut after cooking them if you need smaller pieces). I haven’t eaten beef or chicken in nearly 4 years and the only reason I seek out faux meats is to expand my repritoire of recipes…shrimp and local meat (venison, fish, etc.) is great most of the time, but now and then I need something different.
November 5th, 2009 @ 11:00 am
I enjoy the faux ground beef which is really good in chilli and burritos… I don’t know what beef actually tastes like but I find this “replacement” really good and easy to cook with and most of the veg products generally have 0 cholestoral and a decent amount of protein so why the hell not? I don’t think of it as a substitute; like replacing a hamburger with a veggie burger its just delicious and many of my non-veg friends will choose to eat them as well. It’s not a matter of ethics but of taste, to each their own.
November 5th, 2009 @ 11:25 am
I think if you are vegetarian because you do not want to eat meat, then it is hypocritical, and you should not eat fake meat. If you are forced to be vegetarian because of health issues, then I guess you would not have become vegetarian any other way. Those vegetarians I would not judge. I personally cannot stomach the thought of eating fake meat however, so I will never try it. And besides, I have found tons and tons of great meatless menu items, so why even bother looking for a replacement in the first place. If I do convert a meal that contains meat, I typically just throw in either mushrooms or beans, which ever seems better. 90% of the time both my boyfriend and I (both vegetarian) love the results. The remaining 10% of the time is not usually that bad, but would not do over.
November 5th, 2009 @ 12:18 pm
I blogged a bit on this issue last month. Since I’ve continued eating during the lull between that consideration of the topic and this one, I’ll dub myself vastly more experienced.
I conclude that we should only use the good stuff and only well-disguised. And the only good stuff I’ve found is the ground beef or ground sausage variety of textured protein. Well hidden in a tomato sauce that’s rich and personal (mushrooms and fresh garlic and fresh basil, or a classic black olive sauce, for example), kids and spouses can’t tell the difference. They’d be the only folk I would bother with fake meat for…the Vegetarians By Coercion relatives, the ones who eat your way because you’re the one doing the cooking.
So, it’s not a moral issue for me, so much as a taste issue. I’m Almost Vegan, so I have to make the same decision about fake cheeses. There, I’m picky, too, and prefer Daiya cassava shreds to the Veggie Shreds brand.
Basically, fake anything strains credulity and, ultimately, taste buds…and that includes fake cookbooks. For my money, nobody beats Jack Bishop’s Italian vegetarian recipes, which satisfy my own longing for really stellar food. Check him out.
November 5th, 2009 @ 12:49 pm
As a vegan for the past 16 years, I definitely have eaten my share of plant-based meats and think they’re wonderful. People like the taste of meat. If we can have that taste without the cruelty associated with animal agribusiness, it seems like a no-brainer to me. Vegan eating should be as easy and attractive as possible, and asking people to give up the tastes they’ve loved their wholes isn’t the way to do that. Long live vegan meats!
November 5th, 2009 @ 12:50 pm
I’m a huge fan of The Conscious Cook, especially because of its popularity with the everyday consumer who makes meat the centerpiece of most meals.
While not everyone enjoys meat alternatives (you can’t find a consensus with any type food!), they are a vital component of helping to move meat consumers to a more humane diet. People enjoy meat not because they like animal abuse, enjoy harming the environment, or to be unhealthy. They like meat because of its familiar taste and texture, along with its convenience.
This is where meat substitutes can help. They’re offered in every major grocery store in the country and can often fulfill the craving for meat many consumers have. Anything that makes it easier for people to eat fewer animals is a good thing.
As well, Oprah featured the Conscious Cook on her show, which then skyrocketed the book to 3rd highest selling book on Amazon.com. To have a vegan cookbook promoted on the most popular daytime television show and be one of the bestselling books in the nation is something to celebrate, especially when presumably most of the people purchasing the book eat meat.
November 5th, 2009 @ 12:57 pm
I’ve been vegetarian for a long time and have been thrilled at all the mock meats that have hit the market lately. I imagine many people don’t go vegetarian (or almost vegetarian
) because they like the taste of meat too much. So if you can make a product without the cruelty, the environmental problems, etc. that comes with meat but with a similar taste and texture, I say more power to you! 
November 5th, 2009 @ 1:02 pm
Definitely smart and definitely ethical to eat vegetarian meats. I’ve prepared Gardein for my meat-loving relatives, and it was tough for them to tell the difference. Alternatives are great options for folks who are making the transition to a more humane diet–especially products like Gardein that can be prepared just like meat and retain that familiarity that’s so important to people who aren’t comfortable yet with other vegetarian foods. Bottom line for me is that they’re an invaluable tool to help people make food choices that help animals and the environment.
November 5th, 2009 @ 1:42 pm
I definitely do not think it is unethical to eat fake meat. For those of us who have not grown up vegetarian (especially those from meat-loving cultures, i.e. Eastern European), one of the things you miss from the former diet is the texture of meat. Tofu can be flavoured to whatever you’d like, but the texture (no matter what you say) is not the same. Soy and seitan products have the ability to create that texture. I do not think that there is anything wrong with having a home-grown affinity for, what to me are, comfort foods. You’re not eating the animal, so what’s the problem?
Finding a good replacement is another story. Many veggie meats do a pretty poor job of replicating texture, or even flavour. The result is some sort of nasty chewy rubber that does not in any resemble something ANYONE would want to eat.
The best veggie meats I’ve come across so far include:
products from Dah Shin International. I found these at my local Asian market. My votes go to their veggie “chicken”, as well as their “shrimp” (awesome in shrimp scampi, and actually taste very similar!) Be careful what you pick up in Asian markets, though, especially if you can’t read the package. I picked up a different “shrimp” brand once, and the pieces actually disintegrated into a mush when I cooked them (threw me off coconut rice – the side I mixed them with – for a LONG time)
Another brand that impressed me is Schneiders. These products aren’t vegan though – I think they contain egg, but I’m not sure of that. They make AMAZING veggie dogs and their other products aren’t bad either.
These are pretty much what I stick with (except I do like the Yves bistro burgers for the BBQ during summer!)
So if you’re cooking with a “meatfull” recipe, I suggest going with Dah Shin. Oh, and I forgot to mention Yves ground round, good ground beef replacement (but I haven’t tried any others, so there might be something better out there), but skip the “ground chicken” version – blech!
November 6th, 2009 @ 12:23 pm
I’m sorry the Gardein wasn’t your cup of tea–I have to say I haven’t heard that from *anyone else* so far–whether or not they still eat meat. People rave about this stuff.
It just goes to show, different strokes. Some veg*ns will prefer plant food. I can tell you that I, and many, many others who grew up on the standard American diet, also really enjoy good meat and cheese analogs (I’m looking at you, Daiya). And if it’s helpful to *anyone* who wants to improve animal welfare, carbon footprint, personal health, and/or world hunger, I’m thrilled. I don’t love them _all_, but am a big fan of Gardein, esp. chik’n and roast turk’y pockets.
That chef Tal is connected to Gardein is not a barrier to me–I would be stoked if more chefs made half the meal and I could just dress it up.
The cookbook is varied, though–there are certainly recipes for people who aren’t into it. I’m trying the yummy-looking soup he made on Oprah next.
Ken
November 7th, 2009 @ 5:43 pm
For me eating fake meat isn’t hypocritical, it’s a necessity – as a Chinese vegan, I have superstitions and traditions that are very specific, fish for luck and so on, and fake meats allow me to still (as my mother says) be Chinese whilst being vegan.
I’ve blogged about it before on my blog.
(as a replacement for anything mincey, I like crumbling tempeh rather than mince substitutes)
November 7th, 2009 @ 8:57 pm
I don’t have a problem with other people eating fake meats or meat replacements. I also don’t care why they do it. I choose not to eat meat because I do not like it. I don’t like what I know about how it is processed. I don’t like cooking it. I don’t like the way it tastes. I just don’t like it. I also don’t like or have any desire to like the meat substitutes. I tried one once, and after that I decided I didn’t need to try any more. I like what I’m eating and I feel like I have plenty of choices. I don’t feel like I need meat replacement, so I don’t pursue it.
November 8th, 2009 @ 5:13 am
I can never understand why people continue to consume these fake meat/meatless vegetarian foods.
I’ve seen imitation veal products before that lead me to question the entire industries morals.
That said I get that some products are designed as training wheels for “Not Yet Ready For Prime Time” Vegetarians, but they’re almost always insufficient. No one who taste buds are still familiar with the taste of bacon is fooled by tempeh. Although tempeh is great and stands up incredibly well to hearty seasonings, it will never taste like the fatty, sinuous back end of a pig! Nor will it cook the same for that matter.
I enjoy tofu, seitan and tempeh for what they provide in a dish. That’s protein and satiety. I do not need them to be named after animals to satisfy my hunger. Furthermore I don’t need the sodium that’s added in the process.
November 8th, 2009 @ 5:25 pm
I generally stay away from fake meat, but then again, I really don’t miss real meat. I think there’s a lot of interesting things to do with vegetables, without trying to imitate meat.
Have you tried Jack Bishop’s Complete Italian Vegetarian cookbook? That’s a pretty good one.
November 8th, 2009 @ 9:31 pm
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by cookingstudent: Should vegetarians eat fake meat? A cookbook review and a debate: http://bit.ly/1Hhrfz…
November 12th, 2009 @ 11:50 am
I strongly disagree with those, like Jade, above, who think it is hypocritical to be a vegetarian and eat faux meat.
My spouse is a comparatively new vegetarian (him, 3 years, me, 30 years), and while I am the family cook, he is mostly clueless in the kitchen.
Faux meats vastly increase the options for vegetarians, make getting something to eat easier for those who are clueless in the kitchen, and can be a blessing for those times when you need food, but are overwhelmed or lack time due to work or scheduling.
Also, there are times when he misses some fast food burger from his former life (like Bacon Cheddar Ranch), and he can easily recreate it at home vegetarian-style.
All in all, faux meats have made it easier for him to settle into vegetarianism, and have been a boon when helping non-vegetarian friends to open their minds to the possibilities and potential of vegetarian foods, as well as ridding them of the fear that they would “feel deprived” on a vegetarian diet.
I became a vegetarian to protest factory farming, help the environment, improve my health, and lessen the burden of animal suffering. As long as animals did not have to suffer and/or die to bring my meals to the table, it’s all good, mission accomplished.
That makes us ethically consistant, not hypocrites.
Lucas Rimmer and family
January 13th, 2010 @ 10:56 am
You are wonderful!!!! please tell me the name of the mock meat foods you cooked on a recent ELLEN show.
Thanks for your great work,
Sally