Quorn - what do you think of it?

[Morning Glory]

Quorn has been around a long time, first launched in 1985. I must have first tried it back in the early 90's. If you aren't familiar with it, its a 'mycoprotein' derived from fungus which is grown by fermentation. To me it seems a pity that the fermentation doesn't yield a fermented flavour. One might expect it to taste like truffles. But it doesn't. Its a bland affair although it does have a texture which can work in in some dishes. You need to add plenty of flavouring.

Over the years, Quorn have launched more products, mostly containing flavouring (apparently over a 100, currently!).

So please tell. Do you ever use Quorn? How do you use it?

 

[creative]

Before I tried it I didn't like the idea of it, i.e. when I knew what it was comprised of. I was decidedly underwhelmed when I tasted it. Maybe it requires masses of soy or something, i.e. it is more a background texture. It's supposed to be a meat substitute isn't it? I am sure there are vegetarians that would not want to try to replicate meat in the first place; added to which this product is highly processed which is another unappealing factor for those living on a lighter/healthier diet. Not for me.

Sorry, you were looking for practical ways of using this but then why would you if it doesn't appeal or are you just curious?

 

[classic33]

Quorn has been around a long time, first launched in 1985. I must have first tried it back in the early 90's. If you aren't familiar with it, its a 'mycoprotein' derived from fungus which is grown by fermentation. To me it seems a pity that the fermentation doesn't yield a fermented flavour. One might expect it to taste like truffles. But it doesn't. Its a bland affair although it does have a texture which can work in in some dishes. You need to add plenty of flavouring.

Over the years, Quorn have launched more products, mostly containing flavouring (apparently over a 100, currently!).

So please tell. Do you ever use Quorn? How do you use it?

First name was Mycoprotein, later Quorn.
'85 saw it gain approval for for food use in the UK by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF).
The first Quorn product - a savoury pie/vegetable pie in '85

 

[Morning Glory]

Sorry, you were looking for practical ways of using this but then why would you if it doesn't appeal or are you just curious?

I'm curious about what other people people think. In fact, I use it quite often! My daughter is vegetarian and I often make recipes which I divide up - making a basic bolognese sauce for example and then adding meat to one part and Quorn mince to the other. I also make chicken curry (again making the sauce first) and add 'chicken' Quorn to the sauce for my daughter.

 

[classic33]

I'm curious about what other people people think. In fact, I use it quite often! My daughter is vegetarian and I often make recipes which I divide up - making a basic bolognese sauce for example and then adding meat to one part and Quorn mince to the other. I also make chicken curry (again making the sauce first) and add 'chicken' Quorn to the sauce for my daughter.

Depending on who you believe, their vegan alternative has been on sale in the UK since October 2015 or March 2016. All testing, including actual human food trials, on their vegan range being carried out in the US. Where approval for it to enter the food chain was easier gain than in the UK(where the company were based).

Quorn itself is not a vegan option. Never has been, nor sold as such(in the UK) unless marked.

 

[Yorky]

Being carnivorous I have never had the inkling to try it. I may sometimes have to substitute alternative ingredients due to availability but that doesn't include meat.

 

[Duck59]

As a vegetarian, I don't really see the point of it. I can't say I have ever had the desire to eat something that looks like, for example, ham or chicken. If I wanted to eat something that tasted like, say, a chicken and mushroom pie, I'd renounce vegetarianism (after a mere 38 years) and eat the real thing.

 

[Yorky]

I have probably posted this before. A friend of mine who was almost vegetarian (no beef or pork) was diagnosed with cancer and given a limited time to live. He decided he really would love a bacon sandwich so went for it and enjoyed it enormously. 30 minutes later he was hugging the toilet and stayed there virtually all night.

 

[Morning Glory]

Depending on who you believe, their vegan alternative has been on sale in the UK since October 2015 or March 2016. All testing, including actual human food trials, on their vegan range being carried out in the US. Where approval for it to enter the food chain was easier gain than in the UK(where the company were based).

Quorn itself is not a vegan option. Never has been, nor sold as such(in the UK) unless marked.

What do they do to it to make it non-vegan? I thought it was just fungus.

 

[classic33]

What do they do to it to make it non-vegan? I thought it was just fungus.

December 1, 2011
"Quorn is a meat substitute that typically takes the shape of artificial chicken patties or nuggets, imitation ground beef, cylindrical “roasts,” as well as other meatless incarnations, such as “Cranberry & Goat Cheese Chik’n Cutlets.” The principal ingredient is a microscopic fungus, Fusarium venenatum, which the company feeds with oxygenated water, glucose, and other nutrients in giant fermentation tanks. Once harvested from the tanks, the material is heat-treated in order to remove its excess RNA, and then dewatered in a centrifuge. Combined with egg albumen and other ingredients, it is then “texturized” into various meat-like shapes."

https://cspinet.org/new/201112011.html

Remove the egg white.

 

[Morning Glory]

Ah... its the eggs!