We tried 3 Beyond Meat products and found one was nearly identical to the real thing
The newest product in Beyond Meat's lineup of plant-based "meats" is its Beyond Beef plant-based ground meat. We tried it in meatball form.
While the meatballs certainly looked the same as regular meatballs, something was slightly off about the flavor. The meatballs didn't taste exactly like real meat, though they did come pretty close.
Something about the flavor tasted somewhat acidic and artificial. The texture was also slightly grainy. Out of the three products, our team of taste-testers agreed this was our least favorite compared to the real thing, though we gave it props for its versatility.
Our second-favorite Beyond Meat product was the burger, which was the first plant-based product the company ever released.
The burger was juicy and, unlike other vegetarian burger options, the patty holds its shape as a real beef burger would. The condiments we paired with the burger — aioli and pickles — really made the burger taste similar to the real deal.
Our only note was that the texture was slightly chewy and the flavor wasn't as strong as a traditional beef patty. However, a representative from Beyond Meat told Business Insider the company is working towards improving all of its products' taste, texture, and health benefits in the near future.
The winner of the three Beyond Meat products we tried was, by far, the Beyond Sausage. The sausages are available as bratwursts or hot Italian sausages. As the sausages sizzled on the grill, we were surprised to note they even smelled vaguely like meat.
Topped with cabbage slaw and served in a toasted bun, the sausage truly tasted identical to a real sausage. The texture was practically perfect, all the way down to the satisfying snap that happened when we bit into the sausage roll. The hot Italian sausage had the perfect amount of kick without being overwhelming.
Whether you follow a plant-based diet or not, the Beyond Meat ground meat, Beyond Burger, and Beyond Sausage are all definitely worth trying out. However, if we had to pick one for our next barbecue, it would, hands down, be the spicy Italian sausages.
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