One Step Beyond

I decided to give fake meat a try.  In general, I don't like vegan food that pretends to be meat.  Ok, Bac-O's get a pass.  I've heard that the sausages most closely resemble the meat they are pretending to be, so I started with that.

The cost was about the same as dinner sausages, so that was a plus.  What I didn't do was read the nutrition label before purchase.  I probably wouldn't have bought them.  That was a lot more saturated fat than I was expecting, primarily from coconut oil being the third ingredient.  There was also a lot of sodium.  They bring the flavor.  Both were less than the average pork sausage, but not turkey ones.  I could probably develop something healthier; it wouldn't taste quite as rich.

Cooking the sausage is easy.  Pan fry, no oil added, and turn frequently until heated through.  The directions discourage microwaving, and tell you not to boil/steam.

They do taste like a sausage.  No outrageous seasonings.  I had them with some kohlrabi relish, but found myself wishing I had opened a jar of ketchup instead.  Mustard would have been good too.  I didn't put them on rolls, just on their own with some canned beans and one of the remaining round challahs from Yom Kippur.  Probably should have counted how many grams of fiber that was beforehand.  You don't get fiber in meat sausage.

Would I buy it again?  I really can't get past the saturated fat.  Haven't read the labels on any other varieties or brands.  People talk about plant-based oils as "good fats", but saturated is saturated.  It would have to be a rare treat.  At least with meats, I render out as much of the fat as I can during cooking.  None of this is about the taste or texture.  It's all related to the nutritional value.  Feel free to make your own choice.