Same here. I tried out blackbean burgers, plant-based hot dogs, tofu and almond milk in my last couple of grocery runs, just to see what's up. Turns out I really like tofu as a substitute for ground beef, and the veggie dogs tasted just like all beef franks to me. And none of these things were any more expensive than meat, so that's also a big plus.

[–] rolaulten@startrek.website 5 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Which veggie dog worked for you? I can't find one that grills correctly.

[–] bcgm3@lemmy.world 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

They're from "Morning Star Farms," though I was careful to only say that they taste right, haha -- They don't plump up when cooked, and are prone to scorching in spots on the grill. But the flavor is spot on!

[–] Inui@lemmy.ml 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Might not be you specifically, but I think something a lot of people miss with a lot of premade vegan products like hotdogs and stuff is that they don't need to cooked. The burgers I get even say on the package "this is not meat" and suggest you're going to burn it if you treat it like it is. You're essentially just warming it up.

[–] bcgm3@lemmy.world 3 points 7 months ago

True, but meat-based hot dogs are typically fully cooked and so only need to be warmed, too... Grilling is just kind of a fun activity for me, and it adds a little snap and smoky flavor that you can't get by boiling them. That said, grilled veggie dogs were a little different, but still pretty good!

[–] Ephera@lemmy.ml 4 points 7 months ago (1 children)

If you can find some TVP in the shape of a steak, that stuff is also insane to me.
Like, I'm kind of not qualified to actually compare it to a steak, but my body instantly gave me that vegetarian gag reflex when I first had it, because it has that same chewiness.

And yeah, it's really cheap. You can just have it in your cupboard for an eternity. And to prepare it, you just boil it in salt water / stock for a few minutes, press out the water and throw it into a hot pan to sear it like a steak.
The Maillard reaction does its thing and somehow this chunk of goddamn defatted soy beans does not taste healthy anymore.

[–] aulin@lemmy.world 3 points 7 months ago

Also making seitan from flour is super easy. If I could get my hands on pure gluten it would be insanely easy. Maybe not as rich in taste as soy meat, but so much cheaper than store bought meat analogues.