“That doesn’t look fit for human consumption.”
Many folks are thinking about what they will eat on those special days as the holiday season draws near.
Turkey is a tradition for the majority of us.
However, many others may choose a Tofurky roast, a meatless option that has become a custom in and of itself.
Despite the fact that it is very well-liked during Thanksgiving, many people are dissatisfied with the production.
A tofu and wheat “masa” wrapped around a wild rice filling makes up this turkey replacement, which has become a mainstay for vegetarians and vegans.
At the Tofurky factory in Oregon, employees prepare 6,000 holiday roasts for the big day in a 10-hour shift. Since the product’s inception in 1980, an estimated 7.5 million roasts have been sold.
But after watching how the plant-based roast is made, some people are a little turned off.
Four people first make the “masa,” or tofu and wheat dough, which is then combined with water, canola oil, and savory seasonings.
Making the wild rice stuffing requires another employee to combine breadcrumbs, celery, onion, carrot, leeks, and additional seasonings.
According to the Washington Post, another worker is then required to put together the components for the dry seasoning mix for Tofurky.
The stuffing and masa are then forced through two tubes as part of an industrial process to blend the two components. The two distinct mixtures can be simultaneously squeezed out around one another since one of the tubes is inside the other.
Packages are packaged in their final consumer packaging for shipping after they have been cooked and chilled.
A single Tofurky roast costs $13.50 and feeds roughly five people.
One commenter said, “Ick,” in response to a video showing the procedure.
Another said, “This is how you never host Thanksgiving again.”
On social media, someone else wrote: “Gross,” with another commenting, “Just no.”
Another unimpressed viewer penned: “That doesn’t look fit for human consumption.”
“That is the saddest and most depressing thing I’ve seen in a while,” one user commented.
Although some have called for Tofurky to create a gluten-free version of the product, Americans who don’t eat meat have come to adore it.
Although the firm acknowledges that Tofurky tastes nothing like turkey, it claims that this is one of the things that buyers enjoy most about the product.
Turtle Island Foods CEO Jaime Athos said: “I think there’s a little risk in getting too close to the exact eating experience of meat.”
“There’s that notion of the uncanny valley: When something’s close but not quite, it’s worse than being noticeably away from the goal.”
For us, it’s more about, “Does it eat well? Is it a satisfying and flavorful eating experience? That’s so much more on our minds than ‘Is it exactly the same as meat?’”
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