BK's Impossible burger.

[Baitball Blogger]

I didn't want to like. All of my experience with veggie burgers warned me against it, but I was out, hungry and in a hurry. And it's times like this that we set our reserves down and succumb to our curious natures. So, yesterday, I ate an Impossible burger and I liked it.

This might not be for everyone, but at my age, where burgers are best avoided at all cost, it was a winner, winner chicken dinner.

According to the reviews, it shouldn't be considered a healthy choice, but at least, it's a healthier choice at less than 250 calories. For me it was quite filling. Was satisfied until dinnertime.

Anyone else try it?

[True Dough]

1. Is that 240 calories just for the burger itself?

As in, not counting the bun, condiments, cheese (if any), mayonnaise or other sauce, etc?

I've had the Beyond Meat burger several times, but have yet to try the Impossible. I enjoy Beyond Meat but I do get a less-than-pleasant aftertaste. But I've also read a few comparisons by critics who favor Beyond Meat over Impossible in terms of taste and texture.

How much did you pay for your Impossible Burger, BTW? I've read that pricing varies around the country, as high as $9!!!

[Baitball Blogger]

2. I didn't pay attention to the cost, because i knew I was going to try it,

but now that I think about it, the guy didn't even offer me my sales receipt. Not that it matters because I usually reject them.

[SWBTATTReg]

7. In our area (STLMO), they've been advertising two whoopers (one or two impossible burgers) at...

2 for $6. A special, so I don't know if is still going on. I'm tempted to try...

[True Dough]

9. Go for it!

You only live once! That Whopper can't shave more than a day off your life, right?

[lunatica]

18. It can make you go overboard on healthy food for a few days

So there is some sort of net gain in there somewhere. On which side may be debatable. I’ll say it’s a draw.

[democratisphere]

32. A day off your life from eating a veggie burger?

That's Impossible!

[CentralMass]

3. I tried the impossible whopper as well. It was good.

[Autumn]

4. I haven't tried that one but Carl's has a Beyond Meat burger that is the best burger I have

ever had. Anywhere. But it's too huge.

[MLAA]

34. I love it also and look forward to trying the BK Impossible Burger 🙂

[still_one]

5. I prefer the beyond burger over the impossible burger, though as a vegetarian i don't care for

for either of them that much

[JudyM]

16. I went in to BK for the first time in decades to try it, support the economy of it and also curious.

Walked out without one after finding out they don’t separate it from cow/chicken when they’re cooking it. Just can’t get past that sense of yuck.

[still_one]

19. Yuk, that I wasn't aware of, though BK got nabbed a few weeks ago for serving beef in place of the

impossible burger

[mr_lebowski]

30. I believe the poster meant it's cooked on teh same grill ... seems a little unreasonable to think it

would have it's own grill ... just sayin' ...

[JudyM]

40. !

Wow, maybe the impossible burger costs them more, so there’s incentive on the manager’s part.

[still_one]

45. Here is the story I am referring to

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/brooklyn-burger-king-accused-of-replacing-impossible-burgers-with-beef-whoppers_l_5cfa8b3ce4b0aab91c0556b9

[JudyM]

48. Ok that's less disconcerting.

[mucifer]

37. you can request they microwave it

[JudyM]

41. Have you tried it that way?

Wondering if it’d be any good...

[mucifer]

43. No. But, I am weird. I would rather have a vegan black bean or tofu burger

I don't like the taste of the impossible or the beyond burgers.

I also know lots of vegans ask them to microwave it.

[JudyM]

46. Not weird!

I had a beyond burger once and it tasted so much like meat that it was unsettling. My go-to’s will continue to be Boca, Gardein or the ol’ Garden Burger. Haven’t yet found a recipe I like, that’d be far better.

[mucifer]

47. Agreed Beyond and Impossible make me sick. But, they are good for the environment and the animals

[UncleTomsEvilBrother]

6. I've not done the research, but...

...I've heard that some of these burgers are made with meat "juice." I'm wondering how true that is.


I guess I just talked myself in doing some research.

[yonder]

10. My understanding is the Impossible is made with "meat juice" - a name I can't remember.

the Beyond is made with something else.

[still_one]

20. No, but it has plant heme, like hemoglobin

[yonder]

49. Thanks.

[MLAA]

35. Both have zero animal products, but do have texture and 'juices' like animal flesh burgers.

I like them both 🙂

[in2herbs]

12. Saw your post and decided to check it out cuz I don't eat beef. Here's what an Impossible Burger

contains:
What's inside the impossible burger?
You may have heard about the Impossible Burger, a plant-based patty that bleeds and sizzles when it cooks. It's made using an ingredient called haem (or heme, an iron-containing compound that's abundant in animal muscle) and aims to mimic that basic moreish meaty flavour.

Good, no meat.

[UncleTomsEvilBrother]

14. Umm...

...where do they get the heme? Do they get it from the animal muscle?

[targetpractice]

26. From legumes... It's a plant-based heme molecule...

Chemically similar to, but definitely not hemoglobin from animal blood.

[Iwasthere]

8. We have very nearly reached the point where the taste is indistinguishable

So my question; Once we reach that point, what arguments will meat eaters use to continue eating meat? Anyone? Oh, also assuming protein and nutritional values equal or better for alternatives.

[MicaelS]

13. Because they want to...

And eating meat is legal.

[targetpractice]

29. Based on my personal experience...

... I prefer the taste of Beyond and Impossible products for burgers and sausage to actual meat. I haven't been able to go vegan myself.. I've tried and always feel hungry. Maybe I'm not doing it correctly.

As a reluctant meat eater... Both of these plant-based products are more expensive and harder to find at the moment. That's what keeps me from changing over right now.

I do admit I will always want a med-rare steak a couple of times per year.

[Kali]

31. one argument is that meat is real food, not a highly processed food-like substance

grassfed or pastured meat can be an extremely healthy and sustainable enterprise.

[hunter]

64. This is true. But cheap ground beef made from factory farm dairy cows is much less appealing to me.

Dairy advertising showing happy cows grazing on green hillsides is a lie.

I'm not a vegetarian. I'm a careful shopper for meat, especially fish.

For fish I can go to seafoodwatch.org and stick to the "best" choices, although my own opinions about "best" are more aggressive than theirs.

https://www.seafoodwatch.org/

I haven't seen a similar guide for beef. Instead I've got to rely on food labels.

In any case there are too many people on earth for us all to enjoy U.S.A. levels of meat consumption.

Responsible cattle grazing does recreate the environmental niche that was lost when humans first arrived in America and killed off all the larger herbivores but the American Bison.

[Kali]

65. for regular grocery store beef

just don't buy ground - either have them grind a roast or do it yourself, otherwise buy direct from known source. at the very least, in-store ground won't be from more than a few different animals. USDA Choice is pretty safe and decent quality but will almost always be feedlot and hormoned, unless labeled otherwise. antibiotics in feed are phasing out so that is a slight improvement for CAFO raised. NEVER buy bulk ground in chubs, that is where you get into crap mixed from 100s of different animals.

[abqtommy]

11. Yawn..Meat substitutes are nothing new. When I was a child

my parents used to buy meatless hot dogs, sausage and patties from Loma LInda Foods and Worthington Foods. Just recently I've purchased (and consumed with relish) some Morningstar products. Burger King is making a big deal out of this but it's really only a marketing ploy to cash in on the changing demands of consumers...

[Baitball Blogger]

22. I'm at the age where I can learn to compromise, if the product is

good and healthy.

[mitch96]

23. My only problem is it's high in salt. N/G if you tend toward or want to lower your blood pressure

It’s the old salt/fat/sugar dance.. Reduce fat? Raise the salt and sugar... Lower the fat? Increase the fat and sugar. Lower the sugar? Increase the fat and salt... Those three ingredients make modern foods taste good and addicting
M

[targetpractice]

24. Nope. Beyond and Impossible "meat" brands are indeed a new thing...

These products are not like traditional veggie meat substitute products at all. They taste nothing like veggie burgers... They actually taste like meat, and it's uncanny.

Beyond "meat" products are based on a pea isolate protein, and Impossible "meat" is based based on soy protein with a plant based "heme" molecule similar to hemoglobin (as in blood). Both use coconut oil as a fat substitute.

I've tried and really enjoy Impossible meat burritos from Qdoba and Beyond burgers and bratwurst from the grocery store. Impossible meat has not hit the grocery market yet... The FDA just approved uncooked Impossible Meat for sale.

They are not necessarily healthier than actual meat products, but they are vegan and and better for the environment than raising and processing livestock... no methane put into the atmosphere.

I truly like the Beyond bratwurst better than any sausage I've had before.

Yes, there is a lot of hype and marketing, and investors are making a lot of money after Impossible and Beyond IPOs.... But, I can attest both companies are producing something new and tasty.

[jberryhill]

39. "coconut oil"

Oops. Dang. I knew there was a reason I ruled these out a while back.

Saturated fat.

[Phentex]

63. agree!

This is a new frontier.

[Beringia]

15. I did try it

I actually had read several articles and one with lots of comments about it, and the more comments I read, the more I was turned off of of trying it, I don't know why. But I went ahead. I bought an impossible whopper and a real whopper. It tasted okay to me, but I was also turned off. Then I tried the real whopper and I was turned off. So now I have developed an aversion to both of them. LOL, go figure.

https://thetakeout.com/review-burger-king-impossible-whopper-1837069411

[targetpractice]

25. Try Beyond Meat burgers and bratwurst from you grocery store...

Both are surprisingly delicious and you can cook and season to your taste.

I haven't had the Impossible Whopper yet, but I have had several Impossible burritos from Qdoba and they were delicious.

[MLAA]

36. Beyond Meat now offers ground up Beyond Meat in addition to formed burgers

You can add your own spices and flavorings..delicious on the grill 😉

[irisblue]

69. I've had both. IMO, the bratwurst is way under spiced.

[aka-chmeee]

17. After throat cancer treatments 6 years ago,

Beef has had an unpleasant taste to me. The Impossible burger was the best burger I've had since then. Just like the old days!

[Baitball Blogger]

21. Glad to hear you enjoyed it.

[Clash City Rocker]

27. I haven't had an Impossible Whopper yet

But I’ve eaten a few Impossible Burgers, and they tasted more like meat than any Whopper I ever ate. Seriously, the Whopper is the least appetizing burger known to man.

[ArcticFox]

28. I tried the impossible meat in a taco

It was excellent. I could totally stop eating cows if this were widely available.

[democratisphere]

33. Was going to try one tomorrow.

Anything that allows me never eat another bovine again is all good!

[mucifer]

38. Good for the animals and good for the environment

I am vegan who is not a fan of burger king. But, I am glad they are doing this.

[retread]

42. For 30 fewer calories this thing reduces fat by 6 grams and adds 100 mg sodium and 18g of carbs.

Impossible
Sodium 1080mg
Total Carbohydrates 58g
Total Fat 34g
Calories 630

Whopper w/o "cheese"
Sodium 980mg
Total Carbohydrates 49g
Total Fat 40g
Calories 660

[jberryhill]

50. 11 grams of saturated fat

Versus 12 for a regular whopper.

Meh

[qazplm135]

54. it's not intended to be a healthy alternative

just a meat alternative.

If you want a healthy alternative, probably don't eat a burger of any kind at a fast food place.

[Baitball Blogger]

62. Argh!!! 630 calories!

Maybe I can wait for their sliders, because that's way too many calories.

I'm crying.

[JonLP24]

44. I love Boca burgers

I will try out BK.

[Beakybird]

51. They're coming out with Impossible French Fries

They taste like potatoes, but they're made of pure recycled cardboard. I can't wait!

[Croney]

52. Google says it has 630 calories.

Maybe that's for the whole shebang.

[Baitball Blogger]

61. Pooh!

[VarryOn]

53. I thought it tasted indistinguishable from the real thing...

I don’t like the addition of carbs. I doubt I get it again. Just no compelling reason for me personally to choose it over beef. Plus, my father-in-left is a cattle farmer.

[Baitball Blogger]

60. If I were younger, I wouldn't consider it, except because of the lower calories.

[SCantiGOP]

66. I don't think the calories are what is most important here

The saturated fat, as well as the hormones and antibiotics, are what is harmful about eating too much red meat.
Saturated fat is the main culprit in heart disease, and many forms of cancer, especially breast cancer in women.

[Baitball Blogger]

67. If I crave a burger, I will definitely go veggie.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

55. I finally tried one tonight.

I liked it! Tastes like meat to me.

[Baitball Blogger]

59. +1

I'm just trying to decide if it's okay enough to eat once a week, or is a monthly pleasure.

[NNadir]

56. I heard it tastes like meat. I'm not interested. n/t.

[Callalily]

57. Ingredient list:

The patty itself is made from Impossible Foods' signature burger blend which includes soy protein, potato protein, coconut oil, sunflower oil, salt, yeast and a variety of emulsifying agents. The key, not-so-secret ingredient is heme, an iron-rich molecule that gives Impossible burgers a meaty taste.

Also vegetarians, please be aware:

But it turns out that unless you ask for the Impossible Whopper in a specific way, it might not meet your definition of true vegetarian fare. While the burger itself contains no meat, Burger King acknowledges that the Impossible patties are flame-grilled on the same broiler as its chicken and beef products.

[Baitball Blogger]

58. Thank you for this information.

[Codeine]

68. I broke down and had one on Friday.

Usually I avoid eating lunch and just read a book in my car during that time, but I was feeling peckish and had stopped near a Burger King so I decided to give the Impossible Whooper a try.

What a shitshow! I like my fake meats (the Gardein products bulging from my freezer and the Beyond Burgers in the fridge can attest to that) but the ImpWhopper was nearly fucking inedible. I genuinely wanted to enjoy it (I really like the Beyond Taco and the Boca Burger at Baker’s, so it’s not fast food snobbery) but it was just nasty and unpleasant. The fries were okay, I guess.