I went veggie over 15 years ago, with the exception of a brief flirtation with meat during military training. About a year ago, again for military-related reasons, I decided to give fish a try.
I wasn’t surprised to find that tinned tuna is as gross as it seems and smells. I was surprised when I was coaxed into trying some very lightly seared ahi tuna and really liked it! I haven’t yet worked up the guts to try proper fish-based sushi, but I recommend giving really quick, lightly cooked fish a try (make sure it’s good fish, though, and obviously, cooked by someone who knows what they’re doing).
You seem to be diving into the deep end without fully knowing how to swim.
I suggest you get into some soups and stews, stuff that’s simple and/or has a lot of vegetables. Chicken noodle, beef and vegetable, gumbo, that sort of thing. Real, quality broth is meat that’s literally boiled down to almost pure flavor. From there, you might learn to appreciate the flavors before having to deal with the texture. Just a thought.
Meatballs are just ground beef with a bit of egg for binder, plus assorted herbs and spices depending on what culture it’s from. Nothing to be afraid of there. You’re right, though, that you don’t want to know about sausage.
I have a question that may be rather… off-color, but I’d be curious to know if you’re willing to share.
How is your body handling it?
My roommate had been a vegetarian for years, and then after a break-up as part of some sort of “rebellion” (against what, I have no idea), he went back to meat. Suddenly, he went on a carnivorous binge and the next week was full of his complaining about stomachaches, meat sweats, and sudden trips to the bathroom.
I know one person who was a voluntary vegetarian for twenty years. When she decided to eat meat again, she acted like it was the best thing that had ever happened to her health. Incredible energy, lost ten pounds without trying, no more colds and flu. Have you had any similar experiences?
I agree with you that eating meat is, often, less pleasant than eating other things. As you say, it’s tough. I always have eaten it, though, and I like the flavor, and it is satiating like absolutely nothing else. I always remain hungry after vegetarian meals. The protein bomb of meat is the only thing that takes that away.
When you decide to try a steak, go to a real steakhouse. One that makes you wince when you look at the prices. Then order a bone-in ribeye, medium-rare.
Been there, done that. I ate meat from birth to age 8 or 9, went vegetarian for a long time and then started eating meat again in my 30’s. I had the additional motivation of pregnancy though, which has a way of setting one at peace with one’s place in the food chain.
I found lighter, white fish like Cod and halibut were my favorites at first. Try lobster quickly, just in case you change your mind about eating fish. You wouldn’t want to miss out on that while you’ve got your chance! Now lobster and steamed salmon are my two favorite foods. Alaskan King salmon is the tenderest and gentlest in flavor. Coho is delicious, but “gamey” and it will probably be a while before you are ready for such strong flavors.
“Gamey” meats in general were my kryptonite for years. Farmed meats will almost always be milder in flavor. Venison and wild fowl took a lot more getting used to. Goose is amazing though, be sure to keep it in mind to try. Veal is a bland, mushy, marketing ploy; don’t waste your money on it. Try a “maple cured” bacon before you give up on it completely.
For beef it was definitely Prime Rib that I preferred. Rib Eye steak is a close second but never as tender as the Prime Rib. I also find that I really prefer my meat well done. Rare or even medium cooks tend to have a background flavor of blood about them. I LOVE the flavor of seared meat. The taste of blood still makes me gag.
If you like philly cheesteak then your palate is surprisingly salt and fat tolerant for a new meat eater. That will serve you well as far as trying new things. But beware, you can get really unhealthy much more quickly eating that way if you are including meat in your diet. There are just way more unhealthy choices available, and it’s easy to reach a point where anything without megadoses of salt and fat tastes bland and boring. Choose carefully and monitor your palate.
All that said, try “General Tso’s Chicken.” It is a salty, sweet, tangy and umami-esque plate of heaven with rice on the side. And somebody above mentioned fried chicken. Fried chicken is like love, it can be good and it can be great, but it’s never a waste to try it. When you find the fried chicken that’s just right for you, you’ll never turn back. LOL!
I was going to suggest the same thing without the big smiley. Most sashimi is very soft in texture, almost creamy. This might be a good transition protein, especially as most meats appear to be tough in texture to the OP.
I thought something might be wrong with your tastebuds when you said you didn’t like bacon or chicken and then liking pineapple on pizza confirmed that.
Anyway, this is kind of weird because another message board I’m on someone just posted about eating meat for the first time after 40 years. I went vegetarian for a while but then I had a medical issue and found I felt better when I had meat in my diet.
We often hear the expression, “it tastes like chicken” when people try new or unusual meats. This is because chicken doesn’t really have a taste. Oh, the skin is delicious fried, and the dark meat is moist and has a vague flavor of its own, but plain white breast meat doesn’t really have much of a taste at all.
White chicken meat does have a pleasant mouth feel, it chews well and has a pleasing texture. It is also a very good carrier of whatever flavors that you add to it.
So it is almost the ideal meat to cook in soups, with spices, or sauces, and is very versatile. It is cheap and a great ingredient.
If you are just starting out with meat, and you want to eat healthy, you might be recommended to try some skin-less chicken breast. If you are just getting into meats then skin-less chicken breast is not the best choice unless you are also a good cook.
Tastes like cardboard until you add some flavor in some way. Chicken is a blank slate that you can create great meals on.
I was a vegetarian in college for probably close to three years. I went back to eating meat after a jaw surgery – I wasn’t allowed to chew anything for six weeks, and after a month and a half of mashed potatoes and milkshakes and stuff like that, I wanted a Wendy’s cheeseburger like nothing else. It was like a caveman instinct to eat meat…and that burger was the first “real” thing I ate when I got the green light to eat real food again. It was totally worth it, and I’ve been eating meat ever since.
That said, I’m a huge fan of a good steak. Go to a good steakhouse and get a nice cut, maybe prepared medium rare (I like rare, but that might be a big jump, especially at a steakhouse that does them REALLY rare). That’s about as good as it gets for me…I’m hungry just thinking about it!
If you are near any authentic Mexican restaurants, you will discover an icredible improvement in texture, smell and flavor of foods you may have tried without meat ingredients. Fajitas served on a sizzling hot cast iron griddle are to die for. The beef has a little char that is delicious.
Well…if you are referring to regular big-name factory-farmed grocery store/restaurant chicken that is often cooked until dry, then yes, the baseline is frankly flavorless.
But, be aware that there are chickens available (if you look for them) that are naturally more flavorful when cooked properly - halal, kosher, free-range farm raised from the butcher, etc.
If you haven’t got to it yest, a good Bratwurst is a worthy endeavor. It’s petty much the perfect meat experience, with just enough spice to compliment, and add, but still leave the meat itself starring.
Beef hearts are so good and cheap that the only reason I can think of that they’re not way more popular is that people are freaked out by the thought of eating a heart.
Find a real honest-to-God butcher and get 2 or three, then watch this
Now lobster and steamed salmon are my two favorite foods. Alaskan King salmon is the tenderest and gentlest in flavor. Coho is delicious, but “gamey” and it will probably be a while before you are ready for such strong flavors.