Butler Soy Curls 3 Pack - 3 x 8 oz bags + 10.35 oz Chik-Style Seasoning

Being someone who follows a largely plant-based diet (not strictly vegan, I do enjoy a splash of Irish whisky in my daily coffee, but otherwise no flesh and almost no dairy), I was happy to come across these delicious little gems. As a former meat eater, sometimes I get a craving for something hearty and chewy and meat-like. Often I satisfy my craving for Vitamin M(eat) with cooked mushrooms, or any number of meat substitutes like juicy Beyond Meat burgers and Gardein sweet and tangy Mandarin Chick'n. We're living in an age where eating mostly plant-based has never been easier. Gone are the days of subsisting on tofu burgers and wheat sprouts and pinto beans...nowadays you can eat as healthy or as junky as you wish, and feel more than satisfied. There's nothing like a sloppy joe made from vegan "meat" crumbles to hit the comfort-food sweet spot. Vegetables are all well and good, but many of us prefer a more varied diet; a diet that includes plenty of health foods, but also allows us spacious room to satisfy our cravings. And that's where these soy curls come in. I can eat tofu only in very small amounts, such as the tiny chunks in miso soup; in larger quantities, it doesn't agree with me. You won't see me buying a tofurky for Thanksgiving! Because of that I've tended to shy away from soy products. But these curls aren't tofu, they don't appear to be processed in the same way. They're made from the whole soybean, and while some reviewers have compared their texture as similar to chicken, I'd liken them more to fried calamari. They're not as grainy as chicken, they're more chewy. Pro-tip: the longer you cook them, the chewier they get. If you only lightly cook them, they'll have a spongier, more airy tofu-like texture. So if you want something more substantial, keep cooking! If you're afraid of over-cooking and/or burning them, just remove them from heat and let them rest for a few minutes after cooking, to achieve the same chewy effect. When you first buy these, suck up the added expense and get them with the seasoning included. I haven't used the seasoning for anything but the soy curls yet, but I'm sure it would be delicious in a variety of other applications. I can see adding it to noodles for a vegan chicken flavored ramen, or to sauteed vegetables for additional flavor. Soups, stews, rice, you name it...anywhere you would use bouillon, you can use this seasoning. As for the curls themselves, I've added them to vegetable dishes as a meat-like component for a heartier texture and taste, as well as just made up a batch and munched on them cold for a satisfying snack. One of my favorite uses is after soaking the curls for the recommended 10 minutes to re-hydrate them, to then drain them well and pan-fry them in a small amount of vegetable oil. Towards the end of the cooking time I shake on some of the included seasoning, and add a dash of turmeric to bring out their richness and give them a nice color. At that point I'll put half of them aside to save for a cold snack later, and to the remaining half I'll add a dollop of hoisin sauce. I stir them until they're thinly coated, and then I serve them over chow mein noodles with Asian-style veggies. It's similar to Korean bbq pork, and it's just scrumptious. The amount of seasoning included is generous, so unless you're using the seasoning for other purposes, the next time you purchase, you can just buy the 3-pack of soy curls minus the seasoning for a lot cheaper. And fear not, a 3-pack is NOT too much. I stored my unopened packages in the freezer just to be safe, but in less than a month I've already gone through two bags and have put in an order for my next 3-pack...they're just that good. They taste pretty much how you're imagining they taste, but they're even better than that. If you're a seasoned vegan or someone just transitioning to a more plant-based diet, you really can't go wrong with these curls. Even if you're a die-hard meat-eater, you'll enjoy these as a snack or an addition to salads or as part of a "meatless-Monday" meal. Eating plant-based doesn't have to taste bad, or be uber-health conscious...it can be easy, and simple, and still satisfy every craving you have...and even some cravings you didn't know you had. When I first transitioned to eating mostly plant-based, I was nervous that I would feel lacking, or that I wouldn't know what to eat. Instead of being limiting, my diet has opened me up to a whole WORLD of delicious food that I never knew existed, and these curls are a small but integral part of that world. Enjoy.

I have used this many times. No one knows that it isn't real meat, unless I tell them. When reconstituted and cooked appropriately, they are a delicious and nutritious way to add protein to your meal without adding too many carbs. They are easy to use as directed.

These things are really versatile and make a great stand-in for chicken in a stir fry or pasta dish. I’ve been vegan for several years and I was happy making seitan and using tofu and the old standby beans, so it took a while for me to order the soy curls. I get tired of making his-and-hers dishes, the meat for him and seitan for me, with the extra work and extra pans to wash, and we can’t eat beans all the time, so decided to give soy curls a try. They are really easy to use, just rehydrate them in broth or some other liquid, fry them up, and toss them in your dish. They have no real flavor of their own so you need to season them well. Also the chicken flavoring powder they came with is pretty tasty. I do keep the curls and the seasoning in the freezer to keep them fresh, as suggested. This is a great addition to the vegan kitchen, or for anyone who would just like to eat less meat.

The curls themselves are amazing! They’re neutrally flavored, have a perfect texture, and are easy to rehydrate and cook. I really didn’t like the flavoring that came with it. I ended up throwing that out after using about 1/4 of it. Curls themselves 10/10 Chik’un flavor 4/10

Package arrived yesterday and I could not wait to try them after reading all the reviews. I soaked them for ten minutes then I added a little coconut oil to a pan and a pan seared a few with the seasoning. They were pretty good just like that, I pan seared the rest and then put them in the oven tossed in bbq sauce on broil for a few minutes and YUM was the result. I served them over coconut rice and a side of baked sweet plantains. They were GREAT. I can't wait to try these out with other recipes like "chikn" Alfredo, stir fry, buffalo chikn, curry chikn, and in a lasagna. The texture is great when pan seared. I would like to add that I have not eaten real chicken or any other meat for about five years so my review could be based on this also. My hubby and 4 year old seemed to like them though and they are occasional meat eaters so I think that says SOMETHING. I ordered the package which also came with the Chikn seasoning. This seasoning is like a flour like powder and smells weird but it has good flavor. I even cooked other things with it today. I really like the curls and the seasoning and I will definitely be ordering more of both. Seems more cost effective to order in a package than individually.

Very good for use in stir frying if you want to keep it vegan or vegetarian. We cook these first in a hot oiled wok - just briefly - then set them aside and season with the included Butler seasoning mix. Then, once the vegetables are nearing being done we toss these back into the wok for the last 3 minutes of cooking. One usage example is our recent hosting of a three people from California where one was vegan and two were not. So, here we kept the soy curls and the cooked chicken separate from the main wok vegetables and let our guests chose which protein they wanted with the vegetables. Result: A single wok meal kept everyone happy and no one unhappy.

What a wonderful meal for meatless Monday. These soy curls are simple to prepare and delicious with teriyaki sauce and rice. I mean my husband is really enjoying them. I am definitely going to try them with other recipes. Next time I’ll use 1/2 a bag or 2 cups dry curls as we have lots of leftovers.