Introduction
What looks like a beef filet, tastes and cuts like a beef filet but has no bones or blood? The plant-based steak galloping down the path with no hoof beats are so incredibly good your guests may not know the difference. Offbeast plant-based steaks are checking all of my boxes for meat alternatives. Only the great will survive, and this one I hope will survive, thrive, and take us into the next decade more deliciously and sustainably. Let’s dive in!
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Faux Meat Evaluation
Visual
As of this post, Offbeast has three options – a ribeye, steak bites, and a tenderloin. I had the pleasure of testing the ribeye and as a special treat, a single-portion filet not yet on the market. The color is dark red to maroon, like aged meat, and has streaks of marbling. The ribeye does not have a ribbon of fat around the outside, as animal ribeye does. There are hints of striated muscle as well and, see below regarding sinew.
Tactile
Customers receive the product frozen. You must thaw before cooking. The thawed cuts have a nice “sponginess” and give, just like a tender cut of meat. They have a clean feel to them, without stickiness, gooeyness, or other untoward tactile awkwardness.
Cooking – how did they hold up? Ummm, great…..!
Per the packaging: These new plant-based steak products have a learning curve and all the companies are doing a great job of reminding the chef NOT TO OVERCOOK. Offbeast has very detailed instructions on the packaging as well as on the website. Bonus! The frozen product comes with a little packet of vegan herbed butter!
To cook, err on the side of “undercooking”. The reality is the chef or cook is only searing the outside and getting the internal temperature to a mere 150 degrees. This is done with low heat, a short cooking time, and frequent flipping. For me and my induction cooktop, it was 3 minutes on each side. I tested two times, and for me, I felt that 130ish was fine. As with any cooking, there is a bit of cooking from the residual heat.
If you overcook, you may lose the color or the product may become more like shreds – which is fine though. It can be repurposed into another dish! But the purpose of these meat replacements, in my humble opinion, is to give the consumer a rare to medium-rare steak experience.
Taste and Texture
Offbeast’s claim is “authentic texture” and I have to agree. Both the ribeye and filet had an amazing texture – fibrous muscle texture and sinew. I’m not sure how they produce the sinew but, visually and for mouthfeel, you need the chew and sinew for the brain to say, “Really great cut of beef.” My husband nailed the texture as more like a hanger steak – and to us, the best cut of beef off the steer. Or it was before we went plant-based in 2019. Not many consumers get to experience a hanger steak as there are few steaks processed from this section of the steer belly – so, just a thought, I would call this cut a fine “butcher’s cut” steak. See the picture below and you will see what I mean!
Ingredients
Directly from the website – “Water, wheat gluten (non-GMO), textured vegetable protein (isolated soy protein, wheat gluten, wheat starch) (non-GMO), canola oil. Less than 2% of: natural flavor, refined non-hydrogenated coconut oil, wheat flour, potato protein, fruit, and vegetable juice concentrate (color), yeast extract, garlic powder, black pepper, salt psyllium husk, baking soda, sunflower lecithin, l-cysteine hydrochloride.” All ingredients are Non-GMO.
Nutritional expectations:
> 12 grams of Protein
< 9 grams Fat
< 500 milligrams of Sodium. Just something I watch as I age – I am 65 :-)
Fiber – bonus points!!! It’s plants – you’re just going to get some fiber
OffBeast weighs in at:
Protein – a whopping 40 grams per serving – my husband and I share a portion and still feel we are getting adequate protein without counting any other protein in the meal.
Fat – 10 grams with 2 grams of saturated fat. Given the ratio of protein to fat, I’m fine with this.
Sodium – 480 mg
Fiber – 5 grams
I am not a dietician but I do pay attention to macronutrients. Many of the plant-based meat products, especially those for burgers, are high in fat and counterbalance any nutritional benefit of the protein, although they certainly meet the guidelines for a vegan lifestyle. And no judgment at all – each of us has a dietary pattern we prefer or need. :-)
Cost
This is a new assessment and it is important. Most of the meat replacements now are becoming very affordable for consumers. For example, the Offbeast steaks are roughly $10/steak. Shipping is $8 and the company offers free shipping on larger orders. For us, we split the steak because there is such a great amount of protein. The best part is there is no waste. No fat or bones to cut. There is no waste. This goes for all of the plant-based products. Along with sustainability in production, there is little to no waste.
Wrap Up
I highly recommend these steaks. There are a few more plant-based steaks on the market that are excellent but need to work on just a little of the flavor profile. A few are excellent in their own way and useful for other culinary projects. Some have a funky off-flavor and I have not written the reviews yet for those. What is exciting is that these plant-based meats resemble traditional cuts that customers and diners can relate to. Offbeast offers steak bites, cubes, filets, ribeyes, tenderloins, and more to come! They are clean, climate-friendly, and just cool to enjoy without all the fuss!
Enjoyed this review? Enjoy more reviews on chicken and meat crumble replacement products that are still here (and some that have gone…)
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