Is there such a thing as a good sausage substitute? For us it needs to be soy-free (we might share more on this later). Sure, you can sprinkle on the key seasonings (like on a breakfast sandwich – see our last post), but that misses much of the texture and much of the richness. I’m pleased to report that the Brat Original Beyond Meat Sausage Links seem promising, and we’ll probably be trying more Beyond products in the future. This review of our experience is entirely independent- no incentive or anything from Beyond.
We paid $6.99 for a four-pack as part of a curbside grocery pickup. The packaging may seem a little big, but the links certainly won’t get crushed. I appreciate how the bulk of the packaging appears to be a biodegradable cardboard material, rather than a plastic tray. They do need to be cooked, but knowing they’re not made of raw meat makes handling them less intimidating.
Wait, was that mold? On all four links…? No, we don’t think so. It actually looked like some paper came off from the packaging (not sure from where exactly, though) and it looked a bit like mold when sticking to the casing (a bit sticky!). I removed it before cooking, and what came off behaved more like paper than mold. We thought this quirk deserved a heads-up here!
Be sure to handle them carefully! I made several dents when turning them over. Also despite using a nonstick ceramic pan, it was a bit of a struggle to get each of the links up in one piece. There could have even have been some olive there to help from the onions and peppers. Definitely have some heat-resistant tongs handy. Not a deal-breaker, though. I’ll admit that I don’t usually adhere to cooking times on instructions, instead using my judgment on when something is done, erring on the side of well-done. At some point, probably at least double the recommended cook time (6 minutes), I decided (I think correctly) that they looked done.
So how did they taste? I was pleased with how savory they were, and I feel like they sported a respectable amount of fat. Kudos to the coconut oil! But also know that they’re iron- and protein-rich (and some salt) – sounds like a legitimate sausage. The flavor was good, though I feel like they went a bit easy on the seasonings. I’d be interested to see how other varieties compare, maybe even the hot ones. Probably what I was most impressed with was the consistency – it really was much like pork sausage throughout! I even think the little legume grains added to the effect, much like you’d experience in a high-hat pork sausage. That being said, these links weren’t perfect imposters of pork sausage. But knowing that they’re plant-based and not processed meats (we’re mostly avoiding for health reasons) make these a winner for us. Something I’d feel good about enjoying fairly often!
Our serving suggestion was on a brioche roll (St. Pierre bakery – they’re soy-free!) with sautéed onions and green bell peppers, side salad, and a fizzy fruity mocktail.
Bonus: In case you’re wondering about the mocktail, it was roughly a handful of ice cubes, up to about 1/3 full with orange juice, up to two tablespoons of lime juice, most of the rest of the way with berry seltzer, top off with apple juice, and stir.
I’m also pleased to report that the breakfast patties (frozen, prepared in skillet) were enjoyable, too!
picocosm 