the Temporary Omnivore

April 12, 2010 6:43 AM

I'm a vegetarian who's interested in giving meat a shot.

I've been vegetarian, more for the sake of being so than anything else, for a few years now, and it's occurred to me that I want to at least try some meat. I don't want to eat meat just to eat meat - I want to eat something that's at least good and healthy, if not meaningful. i don't think I'll have the opportunity to prepare it myself. What should I look at?

posted by LSK to Food & Drink (17 answers total)

Best answer: Depending on where you are, it might be worthwhile to locate pastured beef (or poultry), which has been (or should have been) allowed to eat a 100% grass diet. In TN, grass-fed producers can be found via a website, and many of them have cuts of beef on-hand for direct sale. I have also seen grass-fed beef for sale at Whole Foods.
posted by jquinby at 6:47 AM on April 12, 2010

Best answer: Start with chicken or pork. I was veg for 11 years, and I still find beef a little hard on the stomach. Lamb is alright too. Maybe just get some organic deli slices for sandwiches to start with?

Also, have some crispy bacon.
posted by molecicco at 6:51 AM on April 12, 2010 [1 favorite]

Sushi and sashimi. So good. (I was an ovo-lacto vegetarian for about thirteen years. I'm still mostly vegetarian, but I occasionally eat seafood and small amounts of chicken. Sushi was my gateway drug—and if you think it's going to be slimy and vile and disgusting, let me assure you now that you (a) are dreadfully mistaken, and (b) have no idea what kind of delectable, melt-in-your-mouth ambrosia you are missing. That said, do go to a good Japanese restaurant.)
posted by ixohoxi at 7:00 AM on April 12, 2010 [6 favorites]

Best answer: Beef is very difficult to digest; it's a hard start for a long-term vegetarian.

I would start with a sliced turkey sandwich, with a bunch of veggies, where the amount of meat isn't great. Work your way up a little bit and do it in a way that isn't ALL meat.
posted by Hiker at 7:02 AM on April 12, 2010

If your previous intake also excluded fish, I'd recommend cold-water fish (salmon!) for all the healthy fats in them. Sushi-grade salmon in a thick fillet, done medium rare, really demonstrates the essence of light meat flavors. Also, I find that one of the key pleasures of meat is beef carpaccio--although, if you haven't eaten meat in some time, mostly raw beef might be a little less friendly to your stomach. The lime juice does things chemically to the meat similar to cooking, though.

If you're looking for a new flavor that might not have been available to you previously due to small meat content, I would highly recommend miso paste with bonito flakes (available refrigerated at just about any asian market.) Miso paste is derived from soy beans; in the variety I have, bonito flakes are added. Miso adds the meaty umami flavor that meat is supposed to be all about.
posted by Phyltre at 7:05 AM on April 12, 2010

Best answer: I asked a question like this not too long ago.

I was a vegetarian for about five years, having had meat before and now eating meat again. I really had no problems eating meat but like others said chicken is a good start. I will say switching back to meat has made a huge, positive difference in my health.

I never realized the lack of protein/nutrients I wasn't receiving and my energy level suffered for years because of it. Now I'm full of energy and generally have a more positive mood. That being said, I still plan on returning to be a vegetarian when I can afford it and do - it - right!
posted by deacon_blues at 7:06 AM on April 12, 2010

Turkey Chilli!
posted by WeekendJen at 7:19 AM on April 12, 2010

Best answer: I have a few friends who have gone back and forth. Many report the same feelings as deacon_blues. It's worth your time to try it.

Personally, If you're not averse to fishy tastes, I'd agree with the sushi/sashimi recommendation. Raw fish is a real pleasure, very healthy, and very fresh and light. If you go this way, don't get rolls, get pieces of fish on rice, like this. If you live in the midwest, like I do, be sure to find a place that flies in fresh fish.

I also concur with the beef carpaccio idea. It is my favorite dish, especially in smaller quantities with a bit of dry cheese. Don't eat a whole plate unless it's a small plate like this. Just savor a few pieces.

Another way to go would be a ribeye steak (a small one). It is a very tender, flavorful cut of meat which is easy to digest. Get it cooked rare or medium-rare and eat it in small pieces. If you want to try the savory, umami tastes of meat, this is probably your best bet. Get it cooked with only salt+pepper. I like mine with a good amount of salt, and for sauce/seasoning I use vinegar with a dash of hot sauce and/or BBQ sauce.

If you can find "pastured" beef, or local beef, that might speak to the moral side of your question. You are almost certainly able to find beef that's been raised near you if you ask at local butcher shops or organic markets. Where I live, there is one meat market that deals with local meats, including bison. Since they are native to my state, I like to eat them when I can. Honestly, though, you probably won't be able to tell the difference between local and factory farmed, other than that local will be undoubtedly fresher and almost certainly better for the earth. Factory vs local = difficult to tell, fresh vs non-fresh, not hard to tell.

There is a lot of talk about vegetarians puking after eating meat, meat being difficult to digest, etc, and so there is probably some truth to it. However, my friends who have had meat after years of not having it have had no problems. In both cases, though, they didn't eat a whole steak or a plate of sushi, just a few pieces in an otherwise balanced and interesting meal. That's the right way to start. Do it for curiosity and enjoyment, don't do it to get full (though you may notice how filling it can be!).

Personally, I love eating meat, even though I don't get to as often as I'd like. I think you're right to try it again, and you, too, will enjoy it, even if it just gives you a firm ground to reject meat going forward.
posted by fake at 7:23 AM on April 12, 2010

I stopped being vegetarian with a lake trout. I think any locally caught, mild fish species would be a good place to start.
posted by Kurichina at 7:25 AM on April 12, 2010

I find beef hard on the stomach and I'm not by any means a vegetarian. (Although I probably eat less meat than the "average American", whatever that means.)
posted by madcaptenor at 7:28 AM on April 12, 2010

Best answer: As others have mentioned above, get local meat if possible. I'm a former longtime vegetarian who started eating meat last fall. If you don't want to prepare something yourself, then look for a restaurant that serves good-quality local meat and try some.
posted by smich at 7:37 AM on April 12, 2010

The thread that deacon_blues highlights makes plain that you can eat beef without difficulty even after years of vegetarianism. There is no physiological reason you can't, but mentally it's another story. For example, I know a sociopathic oddball (total jerk) who once served meat to a bunch of evangelizing vegetarians in secret Jessica Seinfeld style, and none of them had any problems, even though all of them would say they couldn't possible eat meat again as they had evolved into a new kind of human being.

Just go to a butcher and ask for a good cut of meat. Wrap it in bacon and spinach, season it, brown it in a pan, then roast it. Yum. You'll be fine.
posted by teedee2000 at 7:55 AM on April 12, 2010

One thing to keep in mind is that the sort of meat that meat-eaters will often crave, like a big fat juicy steak, may not be very appealing texturally to you. It is kind of a lot to chew, that big ol' slab of meat.

Luscious braised meats in smaller quantities is the most successful vegetarian-conversion-method I've got. Carnitas, pibil, the lamb stew I make in my crockpot...all fine choices.
posted by desuetude at 8:11 AM on April 12, 2010

Find a real taquiera (NOT Tex-Mex) and order a carnitas taco. Amazing braised pork, corn tortillas, chopped onions, cilantro and some of the most delectable fresh-made salsas will greet you. You'll want another.

I think I've decided what's for lunch....
posted by cooker girl at 8:25 AM on April 12, 2010

I hear from vegetarians that bacon is the one meet that seems to make them want to turn carnivore. It might be worth trying just to see if you feel you've missed out. (Personally, it's good beefburgers and pepperoni that makes me not want to make the full switch.)
posted by mippy at 8:29 AM on April 12, 2010

I was born and raised vegetarian, and in college I started eating meat. I'd tried it before then - my friend gave me a piece of her rubbery, anemic white chicken from her chicken and broccoli plate and I was unimpressed by its squeaky texture.

Anyway, when I went to college I started hanging out with a really good cook, whose culinary style was Cuban. She made me delicious grilled portabello burgers and fritters and other tasty things. One day she suggested I try the portabello on a piece of burger. I did - I was curious - and the first bite sold me. It was juicy, full of flavor and spices, tasted a little bit like the grill in the best way, and had a beautiful texture. I still heard a cow moo somewhere when I tried it, and all the pictures of animals in slaughter houses that I'd been raised with flashed before my eyes. Still, I'd decided at that point that there were far worse crimes to commit than eating meat, and I was basically comfortable with the idea and impressed by the taste.

After the first bite of hamburger came arroz con pollo, which was also amazingly tasty. Her version was yellow with tumeric, and besides the onion and the garlic, I'm not sure of the other ingredients.

I'm still mostly vegetarian, and save meat for special occasions. And I definitely get the craving for a good steak, cooked pretty rare.
posted by ajarbaday at 8:40 AM on April 12, 2010

I'm a 26 year veg with two one-time exceptions, both times trying meat I had never had before: alligator and crickets. As far as I know, both were healthy (and both were good).

If you plan on being veg on a long term basis, why not make make your "slips" fun? There's lots of unusual meats out there that most of your carny friends have never even tried.
posted by quarterframer at 9:01 AM on April 12, 2010 [1 favorite]