When I told friends and family that I was reporting on the first chicken meat grown from animal cells, their first comment was “ugh.” His second comment was: “How does it taste?”
Short answer (you’ve probably heard this phrase before in other contexts): Tastes like chicken.
The longer answer, which turns into an “Oh” response, is more subtle. Yes, it’s weird to think about eating an entirely new kind of meat — chicken that doesn’t come from chickens, meat that’s being sold as “cell-cultured” chicken after the U.S. Department of Agriculture greenlighted two on Wednesday. Will go California Firms, Upside Foods and Good Meats.
But it’s also interesting (and exciting!) to test the first offering of a new era in meat production, which aims to eliminate the loss of the billions of animals killed for food – and dramatically reduce the environmental impacts of grazing , have to increase the fodder for them. Dealing with animals and their animal waste.
Confronting the ‘meat paradox’
I am a lifelong meat eater. I’m also a victim of the “meat paradox,” a term scientists use to describe the psychological struggle that occurs in people who like to eat meat but don’t like to think about the animals that provide it. He died.
As someone who has reported on food-borne illness outbreaks and slaughterhouse safety, I am well aware that the chicken on my dinner plate probably suffered damage in getting there. And if I dwell on it too much, that fact makes me uncomfortable.
So I was ready to try a different kind of meat – and also curious to see if it would taste like the real thing.
I’ve tried and loved plant-based alternatives like Beyond Meat Sausage and the Impossible Burger, even though I didn’t think they were the right choices. To be honest, the Beyond Meat sausage tasted good, but a bit bland. And the Impossible Burger was dry, although I may have cooked it too long. In both cases, I enjoyed the taste of the products but still knew I wasn’t actually eating pork or beef.
What about the artificiality of it all? It didn’t bother me that this new cultured meat is made from cells that grow to epic proportions in huge steel vessels, only to be shaped and formed – “extruded” being a somewhat unfortunate verb that came to mind – familiar. In cutlets, fillets and nuggets that will look right at home on the dinner table.
But as with all foods, eventually the flavor will be limited. And in this case, on to the big question behind it: Is this new ingredient really chicken, or is it an impostor?
crucial mouth test time
In January, I traveled to the Upside Foods manufacturing plant in Emeryville, California. There, chef Jess Weaver sautés cultured chicken breast with tomatoes, capers, and green onions in a white wine butter sauce.
The aroma was enticing, just like a filet cooked in butter. And the flavor was light and delicate with a soft texture, just like any chicken breast I’d make at home — if, that is, I were a Culinary Institute of America-trained chef.
Last week, I toured the Alameda, California plant where Good Meat is set to begin production of its chicken products. Chef Zach Tyndall prepared with Smoked Chicken Salad with Mayonnaise, Golden Raisins and Walnuts. He then introduced the chicken “thigh” dish – dark meat served on a bed of potato puree with mushroom-vegetable demi-glace, golden beets and small purple cauliflower florets.
The flavor was richer than that of chicken breast, more like the dark meat of a thigh. And the texture was both tender and chewy, like a well-cooked chicken thigh should be.
That’s the whole point, says Tyndall.
“It needs to be as alive as possible in order to capture it,” he said.
While “live” is an interesting word, from my side I think it will hold up. Experts say there are still huge hurdles — how to scale up manufacturing and reduce costs, and the question remains whether chicken without the bird is really chicken — but if you base it on authentic flavor, If you are doing it, then I will do it. leave you with:
Pass the “chicken”, please.
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The Associated Press Department of Health and Science is supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. AP is solely responsible for all content. Follow Associated Press reporter Jonelle Alessia on Twitter
