If you are new to the vegan or vegetarian lifestyle, cooking with plant-based meat can seem intimidating at first. In reality, it is as easy as cooking with actual meat, if not easier. Most plant-based meat substitutes are fully cooked, and even the ones that are not, are safe to eat. Cooking with them should inspire confidence that you and those you feed will stay safe.
To put it in context, you might eat a turnip or a mushroom right out of the ground, and you would definitely be safe if you did. No one is going out to the farm and eating chicken raw and freshly plucked. Plant-based products require slightly different techniques, but once you know the ins and outs, you will be comfortable cooking with plant-based products every day. There are a few different types of meat substitutes, thus a few different techniques to learn.
Crumbles
These are typically made of textured vegetable protein or TVP for short. The bae mixture of these varies depending on the brand. Many are soy-based, but there are also crumble made from mycoprotein (mushrooms), corn, and other ingredients. Crumbles are made to resemble browned ground beef and can be used in the same way you would use ground beef crumbles. The unseasoned crumbles can be mixed into chili, spaghetti sauce, or stroganoff.
The biggest thing to remember about crumbles is that overcooking can lead to the binding elements disintegrating, causing them to lose all texture. Add crumbles near the end of cooking, whether you are simmering (soups and sauces), or sauteeing. Otherwise, you can put them anywhere you might see browned ground meat.
Patties
There are many burger patty substitutes available and are many people’s first foray into meat substitutes. Regardless of how you like your burger, there are companies producing a vegan substitute that you will love. The classic patty is fully cooked and mimics a well-done grilled burger. These patties use different elements, from soy to black beans, along with brown rice or mushroom to mimic the taste, look, and texture of cooked beef patties. These patties are extremely easy to use. Just heat and eat
There are newer players in the meat-free burger market that use proprietary blends of vegetables including beets to mimic the texture of a medium-rare burger. These burgers even
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