We Tried Beyond Meat's New Steak Filets And Here's What We Thought

Beyond Meat caused quite a stir when it first came into public consciousness. Promising a radically different take on the veggie burger than what other companies were offering consumers, the Beyond Burger, debuted in 2014, dared to dream that even dedicated "meat eaters" would be won over by the product. While we cannot say how many omnivores have opted to turn to the dark green side after sampling Beyond Meat, no one can argue the brand didn't at the very least accomplish part of its intended purpose: It offered people a meat alternative like they've never seen before.

Since then, competitor brands — most notably Impossible Foods, with a burger that hit the market in 2016 — have popped up, continuing to push the plant-based meat industry further. However, there have been few leaps and bounds made in quite the same way and with quite the same amount of press.

As someone who has been a fairly strict vegetarian since 2004, I have suffered through the worst of the worst that the plant-based meat sector has to offer. (Honestly, I'm pretty sure "plant-based meat" wasn't even a thing back then. The most common product on menus was made by Kellogg and aptly named the "Gardenburger.") And while I can report with full confidence that the offerings have gotten significantly better and more varied, there are still some notable options missing from the faux meat aisle of the grocery store. Enter the Beyond Steak Filet.

Currently, the Beyond Steak Filet is only offered in a few restaurants nationwide: Ladybird (where I sampled the new product), Veggie Grill by Next Level, and BOA Steakhouse. Both Veggie Grill and BOA have multiple locations; Ladybird has one location in New York City's East Village. The ingredient is used for a tonkatsu sandwich at Ladybird, steak protein plate at Veggie Grill, and steak frites at BOA.

The Steak Filet is not currently available in grocery stores, and the Beyond Meat team was vague when I asked if a wider launch was on the horizon. I think it's safe to assume it will happen eventually, but for now, the official response is "stay tuned." The brand is planning to continue to roll out the product to new restaurants in the meantime.

The Beyond Steak Filet is made primarily with water, wheat, mycelium (the root-like part of fungus), protein derived from faba beans, and avocado oil. These ingredients are repeatedly heated, cooled, and smushed together to create a meaty texture. The mix also contains spices, binders, and fillers (like oat bran and brown rice powder, rather than something like Xanthan gum, as the company is very focused on using "clean, simple" ingredients). Like other Beyond products, it "bleeds" thanks to beet juice extracts.

Each filet is 230 calories, with 350 milligrams of sodium, 28 grams of protein, and 9 grams of fat. The filet looks similar to a ribeye and is sold in one solid piece. Chefs can treat the raw plant-based steak as they would a traditional beef one, so it's totally possible that you'll see restaurants get creative and try the protein out in other dishes as they become more comfortable with the ingredient and as its availability expands.

I was immediately intrigued when I heard Beyond Meat was launching a steak filet, as I have yet to find a semi-convincing vegan steak that didn't have an odd aftertaste or texture. (Reminder: I haven't had an actual steak in 20 years, so take this with a grain of salt. I am remembering the best steaks of my childhood, not the tough, overcooked and underseasoned ones when reminiscing on what I've lost.) Beyond Meat makes steak tips, which are decent enough that I've purchased them to use in stir-fries, rice bowls, and breakfast burritos with much success.

The Beyond Steak Filet is meaty but not something I think would confuse an omnivore as the sausages and burgers might. It has a nice bite and holds up well to applications like breading, seasoning, and pan-frying. It reminds me of a skirt steak or sirloin, rather than a tenderloin or true filet. It's also shaped similarly to a ribeye, so perhaps Beyond Meat is purposefully keeping it open-ended.

The flavor is pretty spot-on, and I enjoyed my tonkatsu sandwich so much that I went back for another piece. (Unfortunately, deconstructing a dish — both literally and intellectually — can sometimes suck the joy out of eating.)

Visually, the plant-based Beyond Steak Filet looks like steak. Ladybird's chef delivered a crispy fried coating with a perfectly pink interior, cooked to about a medium. The haphazard grain doesn't mirror meat's parallel muscle fibers, which impacts the texture, but not in a way that makes it unappealing, just less convincing. I understand why most brands stick to products made from ground or shredded meats, like chicken nuggets, burgers, sausages, and meatballs.

While it's not something I would be fooled into thinking is a true steak, the flavor and texture of the Beyond Steak Filet is leagues ahead of other offerings currently on the market. I was totally happy with my tonkatsu sandwich and would love to try the ingredient in other dishes to see how versatile it really is, or try my hand at cooking it at home. (Beyond Meat's other products are very easy to cook; I am curious if this is more complex or can also be treated the same way you would the true animal-derived version.)

The texture is a bit off and, I think, better for more involved dishes like fajitas, sandwiches, and salads, rather than served rare alongside steakhouse classics like mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus. That being said, I would give it a shot at least once; it's possible with the right cooking method I would be proven wrong.

If you are a vegan, vegetarian, or just trying to cut back on your red meat consumption, you should give the Beyond Steak Filets a try. If you're not located near any of the restaurants currently serving it, keep an eye out. It may be coming to a menu or freezer aisle near you soon.