I ran across a new sort of tempeh bacon at the store a couple of weeks ago and couldn't resist snagging a couple of boxes to try out!
Confession time: I'm a fan of fake meats. Field roast sausage? Tofurkey deli slices? Health is Wealth Nuggets? Yes, please! You don't need fake meat to eat a well-rounded, delicious vegan diet, but I love a vegan sausage or a good tempeh bacon. These meat analogues don't even normally remind me of meat. I like them on their own merits.
Tempeh bacon is one of the most unmeaty fake meats out there. Tempeh has a texture that has nothing to do with bacon, but slice it thin, give it some good, smoky seasonings, and you are in business! I was looking for a pack of Fakin' Bacon for my vegan potluck dish a couple of weeks ago and the store didn't have any. What they did have was Tofurkey Smoky Maple Bacon. That sounded pretty darn delicious, so I decided to give it a whirl!
Tofurkey Smoky Maple Tempeh Bacon
This bacon was about the same size and shape as my favorite tempeh bacon: Fakin' Bacon. When I opened the package, I noticed that it wasn't quite as saucy as I'd expected. To make the bacon, I heated a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to medium and fried it on each side until it got nice and crispy. I used it three ways:
- on its own
- in my mini baked potato recipe
- on top of a salad
I've got to say that this bacon didn't fly solo very well. I couldn't really taste the maple or any smokiness. It was a little bit bland.
In a recipe, though, it worked just fine. The mini baked potatoes were a hit at the Plant-Based Potluck at Dough Bakery/Gutenfleischers. They went so fast that I didn't manage to snag one for myself! Luckily, I messed up one mini potato when I was making the platter and had to eat it. Tough life.
The way that I probably liked this best was on top of a simple salad.
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Looks tasty.