- $4 and other plant-based "meat" companies are having a moment.
- To figure out which Beyond Meat product reigns supreme - and how they compare to the real meat versions - we taste-tested the Beyond Burger, Beyond Beef ground meat, and Beyond Sausage.
- The Beyond Sausage truly replicated the snap and sizzle of real sausage, while the Beyond Beef in meatball form tasted slightly artificial.
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$4 and other plant-based "meat" companies are having a moment.
Seemingly every fast-food and restaurant chain is trying to add a plant-based burger to its menu, and Beyond Meat is arguably leading the charge.
$4 include TGI Fridays, Carl's Jr., Dunkin', Hardee's, and more.
In December, Sheetz became the first major convenience-store chain to add a plant-based option to its menu after announcing it would partner with Beyond Meat to bring the Beyond Burger to all of its 597 locations. The company is also currently testing a plant-based $4 and a $4.
Intended to replicate the look, taste, and texture of real meat, Beyond Meat's lineup of plant-based products include its raved-about burger, bratwursts, hot Italian sausages, and now Beyond Beef, a ground "beef" product.
We tried all three plant-based types of meat to determine which Beyond Meat product reigns supreme and judge how they compare to the real thing.
In the end, our team of taste-testers agreed that the Beyond Meat hot Italian sausage and brat sausage both perfectly matched the snap, sizzle, and taste of real pork sausages straight off the grill.
While the Beyond Meat ground "beef" definitely wasn't bad, it tasted slightly more artificial and plant-like than the other products. The texture also differed from its meat counterpart, as we found the Beyond Beef to be somewhat grainy.
Here's a full rundown of how the Beyond Burger, Beyond Beef, and Beyond Sausage compared in terms of taste, texture, and similarity to the real deal.