“How many boxes of beefless bulgogi do I need to purchase to prevent it from being discontinued?” pondered a dedicated Trader Joe’s shopper and new Beefless Bulgogi fan on Reddit. As it turns out, they aren’t the only one drooling over the grocery chain’s latest vegan addition. “One of the best meat substitutes I have tried,” chimed in a fellow shopper who found the frozen plant-based meat strips to have “a nice balance of being meat-like without trying too hard.” Plus, they are seasoned well and brown easily, they added.
Reviews on a separate Reddit thread concurred about the Beefless Bulgogi’s meaty-but-not-too-meaty texture: “It’s like steak, but without all the weird gristly chewiness. It’s a bit chewy, but in a good way,” explained one user. Another compared its texture to seitan, which is made from the gluten present in wheat, and added that it’s sliced thicker and has a less fatty consistency compared to beef bulgogi.
Redditors made it sound like they would be rushing to their nearest Trader Joe’s to hunt down a box of the Korean Beefless Bulgogi in the frozen aisle. However, Instagram account @bigboxvegan warns that the buzzy item might not be available at all stores just yet, so it might be best to call your store first.