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Vegan turkey alternatives: Taste test results

Alternatives to animal protein can come with a variety of problems. They tend to be highly processed and require a lot of energy to create. But flavor is flavor. If you’re planning to sacrifice the carved turkey this holiday in the name of your (or someone else’s) ideals, you at least want to make sure you’re not sacrificing flavor, too. That’s why the Food section decided to convene a panel to taste some of the meat alternatives available for the Thanksgiving table. Here are the results of the six “meat analogue” products judged by a Food section panel. (Captions by Tim Carman)

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VegeUSA's Vegan Whole Turkey

Total score: 41 5th place Carnivore fear factor: High. Call it the Franken-turkey. The only thing missing are bolts in the neck. Appearance: When sliced on a plate, the fake bird was a marvel of food science: Its “skin” mimicked the golden-brown appearance of a freshly roasted turkey, even if the “white meat” interior had the texture of imitation crab meat. Judges’ comments: Erica Meier, executive director of Compassion Over Killing emphasized that, while not the best product we sampled, it was still a humane, “cruelty-free” choice for the holidays. To which Post food editorial aide Becky Krystal retorted, “It’s cruelty to serve it.” Travel writer Andrea Sachs spat out her portion. “It wasn’t worth swallowing,” she said. Where to find it: Available online: www.healthy-eating.com/product/vegan_ turkey. Servings: 25 Weight/Price: 96 oz./$49.99

Deb Lindsey / For The Washington Post

<strong>Total score:</strong> 82 Tied for first. (It lost a second, head-to-head vote against the Field Roast Stuffed Hazelnut Cranberry Roast.) <strong>Carnivore fear factor:</strong> Medium. Decent flavors, but you have to get past the idea that you’re basically serving Oscar Mayer for Thanksgiving. <strong>Appearance:</strong> Think surreal deli meat. The slices of Vegetarian Feast looked like bologna that had been machine-injected with brown rice and bread crumbs. <strong>Judges’ comments:</strong> Meier thought the wild rice stuffing was “great.” Chef Susan Holt, one of the toughest judges at the table, praised the seasoning as “restrained” while rating the sauce’s consistency “perfect.” Metro reporter Mike DeBonis was not impressed. He tasted “off flavors,” perhaps even a whiff of “sawdust.” <strong>Where to find it:</strong> Bethesda Co-op, Common Market, David’s Natural Market, Harris Teeter, MOM’s Organic Market, Pangea Vegan Products, Potomac Adventist Book and Health Food Store, Roots Markets, Silver Spring Co-op, Takoma Park Co-op, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods Markets, Yes! Organic Markets. <strong>Servings:</strong> 6 <strong>Weight/Price:</strong> 54 oz./$26.99

Tofurky Feast

Total score: 82 Tied for first. (It lost a second, head-to-head vote against the Field Roast Stuffed Hazelnut Cranberry Roast.) Carnivore fear factor: Medium. Decent flavors, but you have to get past the idea that you’re basically serving Oscar Mayer for Thanksgiving. Appearance: Think surreal deli meat. The slices of Vegetarian Feast looked like bologna that had been machine-injected with brown rice and bread crumbs. Judges’ comments: Meier thought the wild rice stuffing was “great.” Chef Susan Holt, one of the toughest judges at the table, praised the seasoning as “restrained” while rating the sauce’s consistency “perfect.” Metro reporter Mike DeBonis was not impressed. He tasted “off flavors,” perhaps even a whiff of “sawdust.” Where to find it: Bethesda Co-op, Common Market, David’s Natural Market, Harris Teeter, MOM’s Organic Market, Pangea Vegan Products, Potomac Adventist Book and Health Food Store, Roots Markets, Silver Spring Co-op, Takoma Park Co-op, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods Markets, Yes! Organic Markets. Servings: 6 Weight/Price: 54 oz./$26.99

Deb Lindsey / For The Washington Post

<strong>Total score:</strong> 40 Dead last. <strong>Carnivore fear factor:</strong> High. To stick with the Tufnel theme, this one goes to 11 — in nastiness. <strong>Appearance:</strong> The Harvest Roast reminded us of Melba toast — so much so that chef judge Holt started quoting lines from the scene in “Spinal Tap” in which guitarist Nigel Tufnel becomes agitated over the tiny bread on his dressing-room platter. <strong>Judges’ comments:</strong> Sachs had a tough time figuring out “which is protein, which is [its accompanying] stuffing.” Krystal thought the texture was “really tough and rubbery,” and Meier decided the “stuffing is good,” though she found the faux meat “a bit too salty.” <strong>Where to find it:</strong> Whole Foods Markets. <strong>Servings:</strong> 2 <strong>Weight/Price:</strong> 12 oz./$6.99-$7.99

Five Star Foodies Vegetarian Harvest Roast

Total score: 40 Dead last. Carnivore fear factor: High. To stick with the Tufnel theme, this one goes to 11 — in nastiness. Appearance: The Harvest Roast reminded us of Melba toast — so much so that chef judge Holt started quoting lines from the scene in “Spinal Tap” in which guitarist Nigel Tufnel becomes agitated over the tiny bread on his dressing-room platter. Judges’ comments: Sachs had a tough time figuring out “which is protein, which is [its accompanying] stuffing.” Krystal thought the texture was “really tough and rubbery,” and Meier decided the “stuffing is good,” though she found the faux meat “a bit too salty.” Where to find it: Whole Foods Markets. Servings: 2 Weight/Price: 12 oz./$6.99-$7.99

Deb Lindsey / For The Washington Post

<strong>Total score:</strong> 73, 3rd place <strong>Carnivore fear factor:</strong> Low. Traditionalists can take comfort in the product’s hammy persona. <strong>Appearance:</strong> With a uniform checkerboard of furrowed rows on its exterior “skin,” the Celebration Roast looked as if someone had shrunk a HoneyBaked ham to playhouse size. <strong>Judges’ comments:</strong> Meier thought the roast “could use some gravy.” Michael Markarian of the Humane Society of the United States, apparently swayed by its appearance, decided it had a “honey-glazed ham flavor.” I thought it had a pleasant lentil flavor with a nice, peppery bite. Holt thought it’d be better with a “brushing of duck fat and a run under the broiler.” <strong>Where to find it:</strong> Common Market, David’s Natural Market, MOM’s Organic Market, Pangea Vegan Products, Roots Markets, Silver Spring Co-op, Takoma Park Co-Op, Wegmans, Whole Foods Markets, Yes! Organic Markets. <strong>Servings:</strong> 4 <strong>Weight/Price:</strong> 16 oz./$6.99

Field Roast Celebration Roast

Total score: 73, 3rd place Carnivore fear factor: Low. Traditionalists can take comfort in the product’s hammy persona. Appearance: With a uniform checkerboard of furrowed rows on its exterior “skin,” the Celebration Roast looked as if someone had shrunk a HoneyBaked ham to playhouse size. Judges’ comments: Meier thought the roast “could use some gravy.” Michael Markarian of the Humane Society of the United States, apparently swayed by its appearance, decided it had a “honey-glazed ham flavor.” I thought it had a pleasant lentil flavor with a nice, peppery bite. Holt thought it’d be better with a “brushing of duck fat and a run under the broiler.” Where to find it: Common Market, David’s Natural Market, MOM’s Organic Market, Pangea Vegan Products, Roots Markets, Silver Spring Co-op, Takoma Park Co-Op, Wegmans, Whole Foods Markets, Yes! Organic Markets. Servings: 4 Weight/Price: 16 oz./$6.99

Deb Lindsey / For The Washington Post

<strong>Total score:</strong> 70, 4th place <strong>Carnivore fear factor:</strong>
<span>Medium, </span>if you keep your eyes shut. Looks can kill ... your appetite. <strong>Appearance:</strong> It looked like slices of a Scotch egg whose interior had started to discolor and decompose. <strong>Judges’ comments:</strong> Holt found it too “one-dimensional.” Sachs liked the “crispy outside and sweet filling,” while Krystal decided the accompanying gravy had “too much herbs.” I thought it had a frightfully long sage aftertaste. <strong>Where to find it:</strong> BJ’s, Giant, Harris Teeter, Pangea Vegan Products, Potomac Adventist Book and Health Food Store, Safeway, Whole Foods Markets. <strong>Servings:</strong> 2 <strong>Weight/Price:</strong> 14.8 oz./$7.99

Gardein Savory Stuffed Turk'y

Total score: 70, 4th place Carnivore fear factor: Medium, if you keep your eyes shut. Looks can kill ... your appetite. Appearance: It looked like slices of a Scotch egg whose interior had started to discolor and decompose. Judges’ comments: Holt found it too “one-dimensional.” Sachs liked the “crispy outside and sweet filling,” while Krystal decided the accompanying gravy had “too much herbs.” I thought it had a frightfully long sage aftertaste. Where to find it: BJ’s, Giant, Harris Teeter, Pangea Vegan Products, Potomac Adventist Book and Health Food Store, Safeway, Whole Foods Markets. Servings: 2 Weight/Price: 14.8 oz./$7.99

Deb Lindsey / For The Washington Post

<strong>Total score:</strong> (out of a possible 105): 82 Tied for first. (It won unanimously in a second, head-to-head vote against its fellow top finisher, the Tofurky Vegetarian Feast.) <strong>Carnivore fear factor</strong>: Low. You could plate this for Thanksgiving without getting the dead-eye stare from Grandpa. <strong>Appearance:</strong> This was by far the most appetizing-looking meat substitute we sampled. Bound by a thin layer of vegan puff pastry, the slices of hazelnut cranberry roast were described as “pretty,” “elegant” and “very festive” by judges. <strong>Judges’ comments:</strong> Markarian ladled on the praise for the roast’s “original flavors of ginger and cranberry.” Sachs labeled it the “most creative” of the products, while DeBonis, with no apparent belittlement intended, described it as “not offensive.” <strong>Where to find it:</strong> Common Market, David’s Natural Market, MOM’s Organic Market, Pangea Vegan Products, Roots Markets, Silver Spring Co-op, Takoma Park Co-Op, Wegmans, Whole Foods Markets, Yes! Organic Markets. <strong>Servings:</strong> 8 <strong>Weight/Price:</strong> 32 oz./ $24.99

Field Roast Hazelnut-Cranberry Field Roast (winner of the 2011 taste test)

Total score: (out of a possible 105): 82 Tied for first. (It won unanimously in a second, head-to-head vote against its fellow top finisher, the Tofurky Vegetarian Feast.) Carnivore fear factor: Low. You could plate this for Thanksgiving without getting the dead-eye stare from Grandpa. Appearance: This was by far the most appetizing-looking meat substitute we sampled. Bound by a thin layer of vegan puff pastry, the slices of hazelnut cranberry roast were described as “pretty,” “elegant” and “very festive” by judges. Judges’ comments: Markarian ladled on the praise for the roast’s “original flavors of ginger and cranberry.” Sachs labeled it the “most creative” of the products, while DeBonis, with no apparent belittlement intended, described it as “not offensive.” Where to find it: Common Market, David’s Natural Market, MOM’s Organic Market, Pangea Vegan Products, Roots Markets, Silver Spring Co-op, Takoma Park Co-Op, Wegmans, Whole Foods Markets, Yes! Organic Markets. Servings: 8 Weight/Price: 32 oz./ $24.99

Deb Lindsey / For The Washington Post

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