Vegan ‘Brisket’ Raises the Hackles of Real ‘Cue Aficionados

When it comes to barbecue, purists may quibble over which region has the best ‘cue. But one thing true aficionados are in agreement on — whether their tastes run to Carolina-style, Kansas City’s low-and-slow recipe, or Texas-style — and that’s that barbecue brisket start with brisket. Beef brisket.

That is why a tweet by TV writer Kevin Biegel got the Irish up for barbecue lovers everywhere. Biegel’s tweet included a recipe for a meatless vegan “brisket” cobbled together from a combination of common meat alternatives such as seitan, jackfruit and miso.

Here are some of the more “polite” reactions:

I can certainly sympathize with fans who feel Biegel’s “alternative” tramples on something sacred, but I’d like to offer a bit of shopworn advice: Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.

I discovered the wisdom of these words a year ago when I sampled “faux gras,” a meatless alternative to foie gras. You can read about my impressions here, along with a recipe for what I consider an even tastier fake foie gras. I, too, was skeptical going into the adventure but am now glad I approached it with an open mind.

See also…

Faux Gras: It’s Cheaper, Healthier More Humane. But How’s It Taste?