The impossible burger (meatless meat). Now with Qdoba comparison

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ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
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Now I'm wondering if Arby's has or will have it (goes against their current marketing campaign, though). I would probably try some Arby's fake meat.
Wait, are you telling me Arby's is real meat?
 

Ken g6

Programming Moderator, Elite Member
Moderator
Dec 11, 1999
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I think White Castle has the first version of the Impossible Burger, while Burger King is getting the second version.
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
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Hmm the ingredients don't seem all that bad actually. The Methylcellulose might be of concern though, it's derived from cellulose, which often has fire retardants. Though the derivation process may get rid of it.

I'd be willing to try it though, the "meat" that is typically sold in fast food places is not going to be any healthier anyway. You don't eat fast food to be healthy. :p

If a burger can taste good while not involving death, I see that as a good thing.


Dude, they are not using the cellulose you spray as insulation...
 
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zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
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Isin't it blown insulation? Which is mostly shredded newspaper I think, so not exactly toxic I guess, but probably not ideal to eat a lot of it.

the fuck? no, it's a constituent of plant cells. Did you always think that when you saw "cellulose" in food ingredients?

The term existed well before it was co-opted for the manufactured industrial material.
 

Red Squirrel

No Lifer
May 24, 2003
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www.anyf.ca
the fuck? no, it's a constituent of plant cells. Did you always think that when you saw "cellulose" in food ingredients?

The term existed well before it was co-opted for the manufactured industrial material.

TIL. Thought it was blown insulation, I guess they just use the same term for the insulation. Never heard of it used for anything plant based.
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
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TIL. Thought it was blown insulation, I guess they just use the same term for the insulation. Never heard of it used for anything plant based.


not the same term, same material, with added chemicals for insulation use... Cellulose is green plant cell structure... Cotton is like 90% cellulose. Paper is mostly cellulose as well.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellulose
 
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BurnItDwn

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
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Isn't cellulose just cell walls? it's like ... mostly sawdust ?

Don't they use that as an additive in the storebought plastic container prepowdered parmesan "cheese" ?
 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
110,512
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Isn't cellulose just cell walls? it's like ... mostly sawdust ?

Don't they use that as an additive in the storebought plastic container prepowdered parmesan "cheese" ?

and in papa john's dough

It is a component of the cell wall.
 

sactoking

Diamond Member
Sep 24, 2007
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I've never had an Impossible burger but I have had the Beyond burger, which I have cooked at home. The flavour is a bit different, takes a little getting used to, but by far the best burger substitute I've ever had. I like them better than turkey or salmon burgers. It's not a beef hamburger but I have adopted them as a permanent replacement for beef burgers, due to dietary changes, when I cook burgers at home.
 

whm1974

Diamond Member
Jul 24, 2016
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I've never had an Impossible burger but I have had the Beyond burger, which I have cooked at home. The flavour is a bit different, takes a little getting used to, but by far the best burger substitute I've ever had. I like them better than turkey or salmon burgers. It's not a beef hamburger but I have adopted them as a permanent replacement for beef burgers, due to dietary changes, when I cook burgers at home.
Did you had to make dietary changes due your health?
 

Exterous

Super Moderator
Jun 20, 2006
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Just tried Qdobs 3 cheese nachos with the Impossible meat. The consistency of the Impossible Meat wasn't quite the same as the ground beef. I also slightly preferred the taste of the ground beef but don't think I could have told the difference without a side by side comparison in this case

Actual beef:
wVR6P0g.jpg


Meatless meat
4nCgttD.jpg
 

ultimatebob

Lifer
Jul 1, 2001
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I'll give this thread a bump, now that Burger King launched their Impossible Whoppers nationwide now.

I got one, and did a taste test along side of a regular Whopper with cheese. Honestly, it's difficult to tell the difference between the two unless you're really trying. I guess that it doesn't really help that Burger King covers the Whopper with a ton of sauce and toppings, and they don't exactly use the best quality beef to begin with.

My 6 year kid liked it as well, for what it's worth.

The only way to really tell the difference between the two is to take a chunk of the patty out of the burger and eat it on it's own. Then you can tell that while it's seasoned nice and has a nice smoky flavor, it's not quite beef. Pretty damn close, though.
 

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
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I'll give this thread a bump, now that Burger King launched their Impossible Whoppers nationwide now.

I got one, and did a taste test along side of a regular Whopper with cheese. Honestly, it's difficult to tell the difference between the two unless you're really trying. I guess that it doesn't really help that Burger King covers the Whopper with a ton of sauce and toppings, and they don't exactly use the best quality beef to begin with.

My 6 year kid liked it as well, for what it's worth.

The only way to really tell the difference between the two is to take a chunk of the patty out of the burger and eat it on it's own. Then you can tell that while it's seasoned nice and has a nice smoky flavor, it's not quite beef. Pretty damn close, though.

For me:

1. It's missing the grease & beefy flavor, but with cheese (I've had it without as well), it's really hard to tell. The patty texture is like 1:1.

2. No stomach issues (tried it twice). Sometimes knockoff foods (especially sugar-free stuff made with fake sugars) will nuke your GI tract - didn't have any problems with the Impossible Burger.

Would I order again? I mean, I like beef, and one of the reasons I get a Whopper is because I want that beefy greasy goodness. I wouldn't say no to a free one, however!
 

Thebobo

Lifer
Jun 19, 2006
18,592
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Going to try some spaghetti this weekend. I've had the burgers and sausage all hood.

83ec6022-52f5-441b-b422-46a6d91f75f3.jpg
 
Mar 11, 2004
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I'll give this thread a bump, now that Burger King launched their Impossible Whoppers nationwide now.

I got one, and did a taste test along side of a regular Whopper with cheese. Honestly, it's difficult to tell the difference between the two unless you're really trying. I guess that it doesn't really help that Burger King covers the Whopper with a ton of sauce and toppings, and they don't exactly use the best quality beef to begin with.

My 6 year kid liked it as well, for what it's worth.

The only way to really tell the difference between the two is to take a chunk of the patty out of the burger and eat it on it's own. Then you can tell that while it's seasoned nice and has a nice smoky flavor, it's not quite beef. Pretty damn close, though.

The question is, was either good? Sometimes Whoppers are really tasty and other times they're so bad they make Robert Downey Jr reflect on the road he's on and change his life. I've had both and its why I don't eat Burger King much.

I might give it a try. I tried Carl Jr's version and it wasn't bad but its in no way a substitute for beef. I had had an Impossible burger at a gastropub down here before then and it wasn't awful but theirs was dry (anyone ever eat Sonic? It was like their burger, or when you get a patty that's not super fresh from McDonalds) and again not a substitute for beef patty. Carl Jrs' was the opposite it, overly moist/juicy. With some added flavor and getting it to the right mix between the two, I could see eating it regularly (not really as a replacement for beef as I still doubt it'd actually satisfy a good burger craving).

EDIT: Apparently Carl Jr does Beyond burger and not Impossible so that might be the difference that I experienced.
https://www.carlsjr.com/beyondburger

For me:

1. It's missing the grease & beefy flavor, but with cheese (I've had it without as well), it's really hard to tell. The patty texture is like 1:1.

2. No stomach issues (tried it twice). Sometimes knockoff foods (especially sugar-free stuff made with fake sugars) will nuke your GI tract - didn't have any problems with the Impossible Burger.

Would I order again? I mean, I like beef, and one of the reasons I get a Whopper is because I want that beefy greasy goodness. I wouldn't say no to a free one, however!

1. Yeah none of these veggie burgers have been a substitute for a burger craving for me (I've eaten quite a few different ones). Maybe the Whopper is better, but the two times I've tried the Impossible burger at other places even the texture is no substitute (its not inedible, and the Carl Jr one might actually suit people that like rarer burgers as it was really moist/juicy). Nor has the other veggie burger patties I've tried.

Personally I think they should offer a half and half kinda deal, where they mix some of the plant material with beef (which yes will rule out vegans/vegetarians, but if they can get it to have good burger flavor but use less beef, I think that could be a win for consumers, where we'd be able to satisfy our burger cravings with less guilt). But then it could end up like Coke Life (where its the worst of both, it has the bad fake sugar afertaste, while having real sugar in it), so perhaps not.

2. Yeah if you eat like a whole big bag of sugar free candy or otherwise consume far too much of that stuff (same situation with Olestra, its problematic when those things are put into foods where people tend to overconsume). This is also very different, as that stuff was artificial replacements that were being used specifically because the body doesn't treat it the same way it treats the sugar and fats that are in the normal versions. This is using plant material instead of beef. Granted cellulose isn't processed by the body (its why if you don't chew corn up well it passes through, the outer layer is cellulose and prevents the body from digesting it - hence kernels of corn in your shit). It also why they used cellulose in a lot of stuff as an anti-caking agent (like grated parmesan style cheese, its there to try and prevent the cheese from clumping and solidifying), but I think that's kinda more for filler and connecting the other plant material that provides the proteins.

Once these promotions are over, these burgers are going to cost more than beef, so they're going to flop for non-vegans/vegetarians (and most of those people go out of their way to bypass places like Burger King already). I think the goal though is for these places to have something to offer so that if a group of people (family or friends) where one of the people is vegan, that it won't have them ruled out. I don't see that working though. But I applaud them for at least trying.

I think the lab grown real meat is the best route for burger restaurants. It should enable them to make better burgers (should let them make perfect marbling of protein to fat content and manage the nutrients and flavoring) that have smaller impact on the environment and cut out the harming of animals. I haven't kept up on their progress so I don't know how far along they are in realizing that model. It sounds interesting though.
 
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Azurik

Platinum Member
Jan 23, 2002
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I'm surprised how fast the Impossible Burger and Beyond Meat is penetrating places, but it's a good thing overall. A lot of human activities isn't sustainable, including raising animals for meat (and this is coming from a meat-eater).
 

Stopsignhank

Platinum Member
Mar 1, 2014
2,268
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I had a Beyond burger from Carl's. It was good to start with, lost the enthusiasm for it in the middle and could not finish it. Not sure why I just could not take another bite.

A couple months later the family went to Carl's and we all got Beyond Burgers. My vegetarian daughter liked it. My wife and I both liked it to start, lost the enthusiasm half way through and could not finish it. The interesting part is that my wife and I did not talk about in in front of our daughter. It was not until later that night that we both talked about how we had the same experience.

I would like to eat a meat substitute, they just are not there yet.
 

kn51

Senior member
Aug 16, 2012
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Given my sad life, one of my guilty pleasures is getting a whopper with cheese meal around once a year. And every year I regret it. But like a beaten spouse I go back.

It's about that time again, let's see how the impossible works out from a commode perspective.