Beyond Meat is a sizzling hack for ground meat. Vegetarians can enjoy the sweet taste of vegan beyond patties, with delicious juices dripping on their fingers. If it’s your first time buying Beyond Meat from a store, you may wonder whether you should eat it raw to eat it raw.
You can eat Beyond Meat raw, although it’s not recommended.
Plant-based meat is not subject to contamination like ground meat, but the Beyond Meat brand advises avoiding it raw. This is because raw food will taste awful and be challenging to digest. It is also likely to have bacteria that can cause sickness.
If this answer has stirred more questions about raw Beyond Meat in your mind, don’t fret. This article will help you answer them.
Why Is It Necessary to Cook Beyond Meat?
While you can eat Beyond Meat raw, there will be a distinction in flavor, taste, and look when cooked. The raw one is a soft-pink mush, while the cooked one has a droll worth brown color.
The brownish color of cooked Beyond Meat results from apple extracts in the protein ingredients. When apples get exposed to oxygen, they turn brown. Placing the Beyond Meat in the oven changes its color to brown, similar to ground beef.
It would be best to cook it as some plant-based ingredients like peas, and protein powder need cooking. If uncooked, the pea protein powder contributes highly to the disgusting taste. Also, when cooked, the ingredients hold together more firmly, unlike when it’s raw.
Cooking the Beyond Meat will also help keep it moist as you achieve the dripping of natural oils. This makes it captivating and arouses the taste buds as you look at the juices that drop through your fingers.
How Do You Know That Beyond Meat Is Cooked?
When properly cooked, Beyond Meat has a crispy outer part and a pinkish-to-red internal part. The inner side may seem uncooked due to the pink color, but that’s how you know it’s done cooking.
To thoroughly cook, allow each side to cook for 3 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 F. Overcooking it tampers with its taste and texture, making it lose its mouthwatering potential.
Can Raw Beyond Meat Make You Sick?
Eating raw meat has a lower risk of making you sick. Even when you leave it in the open after refrigeration, there is no need to worry about bacteria growth, such as salmonella, commonly found in ground meat.
However, Beyond Meat is reported to cause stomach upset, premature death, heart disease, and more. Some of the reasons why raw Beyond Meat may make you sick include:
Lots of Fat
Beyond Meat has lots of fat that can cause different health challenges. For instance, 6 grams of saturated fat Beyond Meat is 30 % of the recommended daily intake, which is a concern to most nutritionists.
Besides the solid plant fats, it also has cocoa butter and coconut oil which means it has a significant amount of saturated fat.
Methyl Cellulose
Methyl cellulose is a compound that acts as glue. While the name sounds intimidating, it is used in most foods, including reconstructed seafood, ice cream, vegan burgers, and more.
Beyond Meat, it forms less than 2% of the patty, and its function is to hold the various layers of flavors and textures. Most people can tolerate such a small amount, but it can cause stomach problems when eaten in bulk.
Too Much Salt
Beyond Meat has added salt, which can pose health challenges to people on low-sodium diets. The salt enhances the taste of the Beyond burger, but it is common to find high salt content in vegan products.
It also contains potassium chloride, a typical salt used to reduce the amount of sodium content in food. While it’s considered safe when consumed moderately, it can cause kidney problems in patients as the body may be unable to remove excess potassium.
Can Beyond Meat Go Bad?
Like most foods, Beyond Meat has an expiry date and can spoil. This is one of the causes of sickness.
While it’s not a significant concern, you should not undermine the probability of going bad. Always ensure you store it properly to avoid contamination. If you are not using it immediately, avoid thawing it at room temperature due to possible microbe growth.
Before cooking, you can smell and look at the color to identify any distinction from its original state. If there are any, especially when the sign of spoilage is more than one, it is best not to discard them.
What Are the Creative Ways to Use Beyond Meat?
You can use Beyond Meat to make various recipes. It adds a delicious flavor to every bite, and you cannot get enough. Some of the recipes to try out include:
Beyond Meat Tacos
To make this unique recipe, you’ll need tortillas, spices, and oil, Beyond patties and spices. Add oil to a hot pan, add shredded corn and allow them to brown.
When browned, add the spices and your favorite vegetables. Add the Beyond patty in small pieces and heat the tortillas. It’s now ready. Place the delicious combination on the tortilla and enjoy the tacos.
Beyond Meat Meatballs
Break down the Beyond meat and your preferred spices in a bowl and make balls. In a hot pan, put the meatball and let them cook evenly. The result is a heavenly-tasting vegan meatball.
Beyond Meat Burgers
You’ll need buns, vegetables, and Beyond Meat patties. Cook the patties, place them on the sides of sliced buns, and top them with vegetables. Ready. It is great to begin the day with something tasty by making it part of your breakfast.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The common questions asked by Beyond Meat consumers include:
Is Beyond Meat Healthy?
Yes, it can be a healthy option if you are not focused on losing weight. You can complement it with vegetables or use whole grain buns for burgers to make it healthier. However, vegetarians who love meat can choose other plant-based products as Beyond Meat contains more carbs than ground meat.
What Is the Difference Between Beyond Meat and Impossible Meat?
Beyond Meat uses pea and rice proteins, while impossible foods use soy protein. Also, Beyond Meat uses beet extract for the red color, while impossible meat uses heme from the Leghemoglobin.
