Soymeat

Soymeat (大豆ミート in Japanese) is a food made from soybeans without using beef, pork, chicken, and other livestock meats. It is the mainstream among plant-based meats, which are meat substitutes. Soymeat is rich in plant-based protein and dietary fiber, and is low in fat and calories compared to real meat. Therefore, more people are choosing to eat soymeat even if they are not vegetarian or vegan.
There are dried, ready-to-use, and frozen types of soymeat, the most common being the dried type, which has a long shelf life. The ready-to-use and frozen types do not need to be rehydrated with water, so they can be used as is.
Soymeat is available in minced, sliced ​​and block types. The minced type can be used as a substitute for minced meat in dishes such as hamburger steaks and meat sauce. The sliced ​​type is suitable for ginger pork (shogayaki) and stir-fries. The block type is recommended for fried foods, curries, cream stews, etc.

Dried soymeat can be stored at room temperature for about six months to a year. The  ready-to-use type can be stored unopened at room temperature for about six months to a year from the date of its manufacture. The frozen type can be stored frozen for one to three months. Once the frozen type has been thawed, it should not be re-frozen, but stored in the refrigerator and used up as soon as possible.

In recent years, the market for soymeat has expanded due to environmental and health concerns. The number of processed foods and restaurant menus using soymeat has also increased, such as in hamburger patties, taco and nacho fillings, fried chicken, and spaghetti meat sauce.