Review: Magic Vegan Bacon Grease

Here it is in all its glory: vegan bacon grease

I purchased a jar of Magic Vegan Bacon Grease (MVBG) from Vegan Essentials last week ($7.59 + shipping). I have never cooked with actual bacon grease, but I was still curious about trying the product. It's basically coconut oil with added soy bits, spices, hickory smoke and maple extract. 

Anyone familiar with Baconnaise will be reminded of that product when they open this jar and take a whiff of the vegan bacon grease. There's a sweet, smoky flavor that comes through, and it's very pleasant.

I don't use oil in the dishes I cook for myself anymore, but when I need oil for my husband's or son's dishes, I usually turn to olive oil or coconut oil, so using MVBG will not be such a dramatic change. I used a little this morning to warm up some cooked rice. The rice had hints of that smoky, sweet goodness throughout. It's not overpowering, but it definitely has a presence. 

My house smelled faintly of cooked meat. I haven't cooked bacon in a while, so I can't say for sure that's what the smell was, but there was a savory, sweet fragrance in the air.

If you're interested in dressing up some greens, beans, potato salad, or anything else worthy of a bacon-like slap, give this grease a try. It looks and melts just like coconut oil, and it's cruelty-free. Vegans who love southern cooking are in for a treat with this oil. I hear cornbread would be amazing with this oil. I'll have to whip up a batch and sneak a taste!

Oh, if you think you'd like to try making your own bacon grease, I remember Door 86 Vegan Cheese sharing a recipe, found here.

Review: Beyond Meat Beef-Free Crumbles

Beyond Meat -- the creators of the meat-free chicken strips -- have come out with pea-protein based crumbles with the look, flavor, and texture of beef.

When the product was first announced several months ago, I would visit my local Whole Foods and look for the product in the refrigerated section near the company's chicken strips, but it was never there. 

This weekend I was buying some Gardein products in the frozen section and down toward the bottom of the freezer case were packages of the Beefy Flavor beef crumbles. So check the frozen cases if you haven't had luck finding this product.

Once home, I emptied about a cup of the crumbles into a Tupperware to thaw and put the remaining product back in the freezer. When I was ready to cook the crumbles, I added a thin layer of water into a pan and cooked the crumbles for about five minutes (you can use oil if you like).

The crumbles had a wonderful aroma and flavor from the various spices and herbs (including black pepper, chili flakes, rosemary and thyme). The product had a nice chew similar to a warm corn tortilla, and I enjoyed it thoroughly over a large lettuce salad.

The product comes in a spicy flavor as well. If you're looking for a soy-free, gluten-free meat alternative, I highly recommend this product.

The cooked Beyond Meat Beef-Free Crumbles.