is burger king sausage beef or pork

Unveiling the Mystery Meat Exploring Burger King’s New Plant-Based Breakfast Sausage

The fast food breakfast war is heating up, with Burger King recently unveiling a new plant-based sausage patty. This veggie version of a breakfast staple joins the Impossible Whopper in Burger King’s growing plant-based lineup. But what exactly is in this meatless morning meat, and how does it compare to the real thing? Let’s take a closer look at what’s sizzling inside Burger King’s new Impossible Croissan’wich.

The Evolution of Burger King Breakfast Meats

Burger King’s breakfast menu has traditionally featured pork-based sausage patties in sandwiches like the Croissan’wich The sausage provided the quintessential meaty breakfast flavor familiar to generations

But consumer demand for plant-based options has risen exponentially Burger King first tapped into this trend with the Impossible Whopper in 2019, partnering with Impossible Foods. The plant-based burger was a huge success, paving the way for experimenting with faux versions of other meats

Enter the new Impossible Croissan’wich, swapping soy-based “pork” for the real pork patty. While not completely vegetarian due to the egg and cheese, it appeals to meat reducers seeking plant-based alternatives.

Decoding Burger King’s Plant-Based Breakfast Sausage

The Impossible sausage patty is made from ingredients like:

• Soy and potato proteins
• Coconut oil
• Sunflower oil
• Natural flavors

These plant proteins and oils are combined and formulated to mimic the taste, texture, aroma, and cooking properties of pork. While the formula is proprietary, the result convincingly resembles ground pork sausage.

When cooked, the plant patty sizzles, crisps, and caramelizes like traditional pork sausage. The flavor profile of fennel, sage, garlic, and other spices provides the same savory breakfast taste. Visually and texturally, few consumers would discern it’s plant-based upon casual inspection.

How the Nutrition Compares to Pork Sausage

From a nutrition standpoint, the Impossible patty differs from pork sausage in a few key ways:

• It contains roughly 17% less total fat and 43% less saturated fat.
• It has significantly more sodium – 420mg vs 70mg per patty.
• It contains no cholesterol, while pork contains about 20mg per patty.
• It derives protein from plants rather than animal sources.

Overall, the plant-based patty is modestly healthier in some aspects like fat, but not necessarily superior across the board. It’s largely a lateral move nutrition-wise but appeals for other reasons like ethics or taste preferences.

Taste Testing the New Meatless Croissan’wich

But does this plant patty deliver the same satisfying taste as the real pork deal? I taste tested the new Impossible Croissan’wich to find out.

I’m no vegan or vegetarian, but upon first bite, I was impressed at how close the flavor and texture aligned with traditional pork sausage. The distinctive breakfast meat flavors like sage came through beautifully. And unlike some faux meats, the texture felt pleasantly meat-like rather than overly processed. Cooked, it caramelizes and crisps convincingly.

Inside the sandwich with cheese and egg, the overall composition tasted nearly identical to the original to my omnivorous palate. If not for the slightly softer patty texture, I likely wouldn’t have realized the stealthy plant protein substitution.

Should Carnivores Sink Their Teeth In?

For hardcore meat lovers, this probably won’t fully replace the taste of pork sausage. But as plant meats go, it’s one of the more convincing I’ve tried, certainly above average. The breakfast sandwich format helps mask minor textural differences.

For those seeking greener breakfast options, the Impossible Croissan’wich is likely one of the better-tasting plant swaps out there. It retains the savory saltiness and spice essential to a breakfast sausage experience. The convenience of drive-thru plant-based eats makes options like this appealing to flexitarians.

The Verdict on Burger King’s Faux Pork Experiment

While the plant patty lacks that je ne sais quoi of genuine pork, Burger King deserves props for creating one of the more palatable plant-based breakfast meats. The Impossible Croissan’wich merges environmental and ethical appeal with craveable morning flavors.

It may not completely convert carnivores, but for those dabbling in meatless eats, this sandwich cleverly scratches a fast food breakfast itch. At the very least, it punctures perceptions that vegetable proteins translate to bland or boring.

So bravo to Burger King for boldly going where few quick-serves have gone before. The Impossible Croissan’wich proves fast food and plant-based can coexist in tasty harmony. This genre-blending sandwich opens up breakfast to flexitarians who still crave classic flavors. For a new breed of morning meat, Burger King is redefining what’s possible.