Deliciou Meat Substitute Product Review
Most of the reviews I have done thus far have been on refrigerated or frozen products. Wandering through the rice, beans, and International section of our grocery store, I happened upon the Chicken and Beef Delicou Products. Having made my own textured vegetable protein products in my vegan chef class, I was most happy to find a ready-made product I could test and perhaps, have something on hand for quick meals. Wow, Deliciou did not disappoint, so, let’s move forward with my review of Deliciou Meat Substitute Products.
Faux-meat.com Evaluation
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Visual:
As with many dehydrated product mixes, Deliciou requires a brief assembly and mix period. Once it is mixed, the chicken and beef products I tested look like most cooked chicken and beef meats with a few differences. The chicken looks like shreds (not sure I know how they do that but check out the website for more info!) and the beef looks like cooked ground meat. As with fake meats or meat substitutes, the consumer is looking for something that fools the eye first. If it doesn’t look like they are used to in the normal meat world, the product may never get to the cook and taste stage.
Tactile:
Both the chicken and beef options have the feel of ground meat. The chicken shreds and are not sticky or gooey. If you prep the product correctly, it will feel like cooked chicken. Same for the beef version.
Cooking – how did they hold up?
To Prepare per the packaging:
One box makes 14.11oz (400g) clean & lean ground (or shreds)
Step 1: Combine the product with 1 cup water & 1 TBSP oil and mix through.
Step 2: Shape into anything such as meatballs, patties, tenders, or even nuggets.
Step 3: Fry in the pan, bake in the oven, or grill on the bbq. Use in any recipe!
I made several dishes with these products including tostadas, burritos, and chicken salad sandwiches.
When heating in the skillet, the product tended to stick in a steel skillet, so I dribbled more oil around the sides. Cooking in a non-stick skillet worked better. If your product does stick, just add a bit of water or broth and scrape the bottom for all the wonderful fond a the bottom – just adds great flavor unless you have burnt the product.
Taste and Texture:
Both products come with their own seasoning packages to simulate chicken and beef. Both taste like their respective meats. I tested both products before I seasoned them for a dish. The chicken was a bit more flavorful than the beef, but in the end, the home chef prepares the product with herbs and spices for the dish they are making. The beef does not have as long a “chew” as ground beef, but I’m not sure if that is a good or bad thing.
Nutritional Expectations:
The ingredients of these products are a blend of wheat gluten, pea protein, mung bean protein, , methylcellulose (fiber), bamboo fiber and flavors extracted from vegetables, and plant-based flavors.
As a reference, my basic requirements for a good meat substitute product are:
Protein – >12 grams of Protein
Fat – < 9 grams Fat
Sodium – < 500 grams of Sodium
Fiber – any fiber is a bonus point!!!
Both Deliciou products exceeded expectations per serving:
Results:
22 grams or greater of plant-based protein
1 – 1.5 grams of Fat (dry and dehydrated).
246 mg of Sodium
3 grams of Fiber
Quick recipes I tested:
Chicken Salad Sandwich – prepared chicken product, vegan mayonnaise, and Penzey’s Sandwich Sprinkles on toasted sourdough with microgreens. 15 minutes max.
Beef Tostadas – Beef Crumbles with my own taco spice mix and assemble with beans and micro greens or as you desire. 15 minutes max.
Jerk Chicken Enchiladas with Smoked Green Hatch Chili Sauce – A friend of mine gave me some jerk spice mix. I mixed the jerk spice with the shreds, rolled it into corn/flour tortillas, covered it with the sauce (you could use a jarred green chili sauce), and sprinkled on some plant-based cheese. Baked until melted. 30 minutes max.
Final Thoughts:
These two products are now my “go-to” products for dishes that do best with shredded chicken and ground meat. Deliciou also makes a pork substitute product, several ready-made mince and spice options, and many spice mixtures without meat substitutes for general cooking. You can buy online or check your local grocer in the dry product shelf section. In addition, the tag lines on the side of the boxes hold true for those who are interested in eating more plants and less meat. No nasties! I do think about that now as I cook plant-based. I don’t have meat entrails and “stuff” in my kitchen. I have less cross-contamination and I don’t worry about animal blood. I know. Gross. But true.
These are great crossover products for those wanting to test a plant-based lifestyle, want to add more protein, have fond memories of favorite meals, or want to reduce a lot of time in meal prep.
If I had a star program, I would give these FIVE STARS! 😊
Want more cooking ideas for eating less meat? Want to eat more plants? Let’s do it!
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