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Summer means grilling season -- burgers, steaks, hot dogs, and chicken are the usual suspects. So what's a vegetarian to do? The good news is that there are lots of meat-free products on the market -- from "hot dogs" to garden burgers, even faux chicken patties. Problem is, they can vary wildly in how good they are.
We invited a few friends over, fired up the grill and taste-tested meat-free burgers and dogs. We opened up 16 products: a mix of varieties and brands.
Our top nine picks are below (including our favorite), taking into consideration the texture, flavors, seasonings and overall taste in each.
Keep reading for the seven products that did not pass our taste test -- and why.
Vegetarian Grilling Taste Test
Favorite: Lightlife Smart Dogs Veggie Protein Links
These links do a pretty good job of replicating the "hot dog" taste and texture. Although quite limp-y before being cooked, after some grilling they toughened up perfectly.
Vegetarian Grilling Taste Test
Favorite: Tofurky Italian Sausage
Definitely sausage-esque and – unusual for meatless dogs – hearty. That, in a nutshell, is why we liked these. In fact, they don't even require a bun. The spices are zippy, and authentic Italian, but not potent.
Vegetarian Grilling Taste Test
Favorite: Dr. Praeger's Sensible Foods All Natural Meatless All –American Burger
Crispy, very good and leaner than many of the others tasted here. We are thinking that two of these could work as a double cheeseburger, perhaps?
Vegetarian Grilling Taste Test
Favorite: Health is Wealth Chicken-Free Vegan Patties
Easy to sink your teeth into, there is a lot of texture on the inside AND outside, providing a nice "bite." Each patty is encrusted with stone-ground wheat. These reminded us of falafel -- but a more milder version.
Vegetarian Grilling Taste Test
Favorite: Gardenburger The Original
A favorite among all of our tasters. And no wonder. This is the original garden burger (the first to arrive in the frozen-foods section around 1990) and although the company has changed hands and the recipe modified, it is still delicious. Cooked brown rice, crimini mushrooms, portabella mushrooms ... need we say more?
Vegetarian Grilling Taste Test
Favorite: Morningstar Farms Grillers Vegan Veggie Burgers
We liked that these burgers were not fussy or trying too hard to appeal by adding multiple ingredients. Plain and simple is never a bad thing, right?
Vegetarian Grilling Taste Test
Favorite: Boca Bruschetta Tomato Basil Parmesan Veggie Patties
This is a burger that carnivores could probably crush on, for it is nothing like meat and more like a tasty Italian food. Tomato, basil and Parmesan cheese mingle for a delicious patty that doesn't even need a bun.
Vegetarian Grilling Taste Test
Favorite: Morningstar Farms Asian Veggie Patties
Let's cut to the chase: we ate the whole box instead of the obligatory 1-2 for the tasting. If that doesn't tell you we liked it, then we don't know what would. There's a nice "kick" to these and they are not too spicy.
Vegetarian Grilling Taste Test
Overall Winner: Morningstar Farms 1/4-pound Burger Grillers
Our hands-down favorite. Although there are just two in a package, here you are getting a wider – but not thicker – burger that's nice and crumbly, as a burger ought to be.
Vegetarian Grilling Taste Test
We Wouldn't Serve It: Boca Spicy Chik'n Meatless Patties
There is too much breading surrounding these patties and the spices didn't emerge until the end. What fun is that?
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7-28-2010 @3:40PM gobo said... I love Quorn, and my meat-eating friends are always amazed by it, stealing bites and saying "Man, this is better than what I've got...". I've never tried it on the grill, granted.
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7-29-2010 @8:35AM LinC said... Interesting to see the results. I'm an omnivore, but I eat Boca Burgers for their convenience. However, I don't think I would bother firing up the grill to make one when they come out all right in the microwave or toaster oven. The article dissed the Boca Spicy Chik, but I like it. Made in the toaster oven, it's crisp and really spicy.
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7-29-2010 @10:04AM M.C. said... Thanks for doing this! Too bad you didn't include Gardein. I know they don't make burgers or dog, but their "chicken" cutlets would set beautifully on a grill, as would their "beef" tips in a kebab.
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7-29-2010 @10:04AM M.C. said... Oh...and for the soy-free among us, Field Roast is beyond belief... their sausages are incredible...
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7-29-2010 @3:29PM Luke said... I second the person who said Field Roast. I'll eat any meat-free "meat", and those Field Roast sausages are the best.
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7-29-2010 @5:14PM girlalive said... I like a lot of the quorn products. They're often bland, but they're often my only vegetarian option, since I'm allergic to soy. And blandness is why condiments were invented. :)
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8-06-2010 @2:39PM Ashley said... Quorn is my favorite too. I'm sensitive to soy.
We marinade the quorn "chicken" before hand. It takes flavor VERY well. McCormick sells grill mates marinades that are simple.
8-10-2010 @8:29AM McScrutiny said... We are doing a food blog at tampastable.com. I read this post and asked a simple question: Why?
I am not a vegan or a vegetarian or even at an ideal weight. But I love to grill and I love food, including vegetables.
There are lots of fresh vegetables that are fantastic on the grill. I can't imagine why anyone would resort to the contrived packaged substitutes for meat. I love meat; my blog post are 25% about BBQ. But if you're in to veggies, the grill is a great place to be.
First, there is no better way to cook asparagus than dousing it with salt, pepper, and olive oil and griling it for 4-5 minutes. Soaking corn in the husk in water for 20 minutes and then grilling the corn in the husks produces an amazing result that only needs a little salt and pepper; no butter required. Thick sliced eggplant, seasoned with olive oil and red pepper flakes or fresh jalapenos makes a great, "meaty" main dish. Alternatively, grill the eggplant and cover it with a Thai peanut sauce. The point: vegans and vegetarians should embrace who they are and enjoy their choices fresh and hot off the grill. Forget the packaged "pretend meat products."
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