The Best Plant-Based Alternatives to Bacon (and ham)
Bacon is one of England’s most popular foods, but alas it comes from lovely pigs, and most of them are factory-farmed (and even those that are free-range are still killed, when it’s really easy to make delicious plant-based bacon from a few simple ingredients (or know the best brands to buy).
La Vie vegan bacon is the most popular brand. It hails from France, where it is so popular, that some farmers have tried to ban it!
Richmond Vegan Bacon is owned by a factory-farming meat company. Burger King also cooks its ‘vegan bacon’ on the same grill as meat, which rather defeats the point.
Avoid crispy plant-based bacon for young children and those with swallowing difficulties. And don’t feed leftovers to pets, garden birds or wildfowl, due to salt and fat (which can smear on feathers, affecting waterproofing and insulation).
Debunking Two Arguments Against ‘Fake Meats’
The first one is that vegans and vegetarians should not eat fake meat. What we eat is our business, many people like the taste of bacon, but don’t want animals harmed. There’s nothing wrong with that.
The second is that not eating real bacon is harming British farmers. In fact, most bacon is not just factory-farmed but comes from abroad (say Denmark). And there is not enough land in England (a country of 60 million people) for everyone to eat free-range bacon.
The Benefits of Plant-Based Bacon
- It’s tasty!
- It’s animal-kind!
- It has low carbon footprint
- It has zero cholesterol (so you can enjoy a BLT every day of the year, without worry!)
What is Real Bacon Made From?
Lovely pigs, that’s what. Please don’t eat them.
Bacon is cured pork (from the belly or back of a pig). It’s a processed meat, and linked to various diseases, if eaten in excess. It’s also high in fat and sodium (salt) and contains nitrates (preservatives) that when cooked at high temperature, form nitrosamines (a known cancer risk).
World Health Organisation classifies all processed meats as Group 1 Carcinogens (bacon is linked to increased risk of colorectal cancer).
The ‘bacon taste’ does not come from the meat itself, but from how it’s smoked (hickory, applewood etc) and flavoured (maple etc). So once you know this, it becomes easy to replicate the taste.
Easy Plant-Based Bacon Recipes
By far the best ingredient to make plant-based bacon is tempeh (find it in grocery stores and health stores). This Indonesian food is ideal to replicate the taste and texture. Try this simple recipe at Rainbow plant Life.
This smoked grilled tempeh bacon is a little more complicated, but still do-able. The tempeh is marinaded in soy sauce, maple syrup and toasted sesame soil, for flavour and to help it caramelise on the grill.
Try this vegan cheese and bacon mashed potato casserole (Jessica in the Kitchen).
Plant-Based Ham Alternatives
La Vie Plant-Based Ham is a French company, known for its vegan bacon (that flies off the shelves worldwide). Made with pea protein and radish extract, this is great in a vegan cheese and ham toastie.
Heura is a young fresh Spanish company, based in beautiful Barcelona. Its plant-based ‘cold cuts’ are sold in sustainable packaging, and sold across Europe. Free from additives, these are great in a sandwich or spaghetti carbonara.
Vegusto Sandwich Slices are found in good health shops This award-winning Swiss company (which also makes amazing nut cheeses) produces the plant-based equivalent of ‘luncheon meat’ slices. Sold in plain, herbed or smoky versions.
Suma Organic Pea and Vegan Ham Soup is sold in health stores, Co-op and NISA supermarkets. Just open, heat and serve.
Just pop the ring-pulls over the hole before recycling, to avoid wildlife getting trapped.
How to Make Your Own Vegan Ham
This vegan ham (A Virtual Vegan) is made with seitan, a ‘wheat-meat’ popular in Buddhist cultures. When properly prepared and cooked with marinated ingredients, it looks, smells and tastes just like meat. This is a complicated recipe, but ideal for ambitious cooks, or chefs wishing to offer ham on the menu for veggie diners.
If you don’t want to use seitan, this Vegan Ham (School Night Vegan) uses the vegetable celeriac. Just boil the ‘ham’, make the glaze and pour it over, before baking. Serve with tangy vegan cheddar cheese or as a Sunday roast with spuds, stuffing and gravy. Also good in sandwiches with baby spinach, sauerkraut and vegan mayo.
This Vegan Christmas Ham (Gaz Oakley) is a recipe by one of the world’s top chefs. Yet it’s simple to make, after you get through the seitan bit. Then cover with mustard maple glaze. Leftovers store well, ideal in sandwiches.
