The Folks Who Gave Us Impossible Burgers Are Going to Start Making Steaks
LatestImpossible Foods, the company responsible for those bloody potato burgers, is going into the steak business.
Full disclosure: despite occasional dabbling in vegetarianism, I have not tried the Impossible Burger that all my vegetarian friends go on about because the idea of potatoes and wheat protein made to “bleed” like a real burger grosses me out. That being said, people go apeshit for that thing. And now, Impossible steaks are on their way.
According to Eater, Impossible Foods CEO and founder Pat Brown is planning to bring all manner foods that aren’t meat but look like meat to a trendy vegan restaurant near you:
Brown described plans to make an Impossible version of “whole cuts of beef,” with a goal of creating a sustainable and meat-free “world-class” steak. Brown acknowledges that there’s “huge symbolic value” in steak — and in its mission, Impossible Foods calls attention to the notion of meat as a ritualized food at barbecues, taco Tuesdays, and at ballparks, among other events. “Those moments are special, and we never want them to end,” the mission reads. “But using animals to make meat is a prehistoric and destructive technology.”
The company is also retooling its “beef” recipe and introducing non-burger patty shaped options with a meatier texture:
The 2.0 version, which has received positive reviews, subs in soy protein for wheat, adds methylcellulose as a binder, and adds sunflower oil to reduce saturated fat, promising an end product that’s “beefier in texture, and with just a bit of dietary fiber.” The product is entirely plant-based, but still holds the same protein levels as traditional ground beef.
Yay for protein! I’m down if it’s well-done and not leaking veggie blood.