We cooked up the Thick Cut Filet from Juicy Marbles

While alt-meat demand is on the decline in the US, Revo Foods and Juicy Marbles are reporting skyrocketing demand, mainly due to rave reviews of their products. So, after reporting on the latest launch (Kinda Salmon), we also asked to test and review them. After a couple of weeks, we got a full, perfectly packaged, cardboard box containing five Juicy Marbles products: two fish (Kinda Cod and Kinda Salmon) and three meats (Whole Cut Loin, Baby Ribs and Thick Cut Fillet). Our review begins with the Thick Cut Fillet, cooked in a green peppercorn sauce with a side of air-fried potato and pumpkin fries and stuffed patisson zucchini. Let’s see how it went.

First, for those who have not been following this area of additive manufacturing closely, last year, Revo Foods, an Austrian FoodTech start-up founded in 2021, opened its TASTE FACTORY in Vienna. The industrial-scale facility can produce up to 60 tons of 3D printed alt meats each month, making it the largest facility of its kind globally. The facility utilizes Revo Foods’ proprietary 3D Structuring technology, allowing for the rapid production of foods with complex textures and functional properties. Since then, the company has launched multiple of its own products for the EU and partnered with Slovenian startup Juicy Marbles on more items to be distributed in the US. The use of 3D printing mainly refers to the ability to digitally distribute different products of different densities to create a more realistic texture. Revo Foods uses this capability while Juicy Marbles does not, but the result is similar.

Beyond Beyond Meat

In the past, I have regularly cooked the burger from Beyond Meat, but lately, I have gotten tired of them. The taste is ok, but the texture is too uniform and thus boring. That’s probably why alt-meat demand is generally decreasing, which explains why Revo Foods and Juicy Marbles focused on creating a realistic texture. But exactly how realistic is it? It turns out, very. In fact, while the filet’s texture is not identical to real meat, which means it might not be as satisfactory as a rare grilled steak is for meat lovers, it is ideal for more complex meat recipes, where the meat needs to be fully cooked and still retain some softness. Thus, the recipe we chose, with the filet in a thick and creamy pepper sauce, turned out to be ideal.

However, the Juicy Marbles’ (and certainly the Revo Foods’) experience starts before you begin cooking. It begins when you receive the packaged product at home. I’m certain it is similar when you order multiple products from the online store. We received a cardboard box that contained a thick, padded paper bag. Inside, we found the neatly stashed boxes containing the products, along with three ice packs. These are gel-based, so they are also reusable.

The packaging of each product is also quite neat, with a characteristic orange cardboard box holding the meat cuts inside a typical plastic wrap, with an opening so that you can see the product inside. The box also has some fun, very ironic writing on the absurdity of plant-based meat. And the meat itself is the most interesting part. The Thick Cut Filets are exactly that, and they are very thick. The recipe on the packaging recommends “sizzling on all sides until the crust becomes golden brown”. But we were going to do that anyway.

Moving up the food chain

The additive manufacturing technology developed by Revo Foods allows the creation of the shape and texture of ingredients by structuring fat into protein. Juicy Marbles replicates the flakiness and juiciness of muscle meat using a manual process. In both cases, once products are fried, the fat melts away, unfolding their texture and mouthfeel. Using carefully selected, fermented fungus-based ingredients, along with gentle, low-temperature processing, preserves micronutrients, delivering a personalized, authentic, and nutritious culinary experience.

What’s cooking

For our first test, we chose to cook up the Thick Cut Fillet with a green peppercorn sauce. This flavorful dish is based on a traditional Italian recipe, usually made with real beef filets. With real meat, you’d typically need to trim off excess fat and tie the cut into a round medallion. Juicy Marbles’ plant-based filet, on the other hand, is ready and perfect to cook as is.

We started by lightly flouring both sides of the filet, then searing it in butter for about two minutes per side until a thin crust formed. To turn the filets without tearing them, you can use cooking clamps—but honestly, Juicy Marbles’ cuts hold together surprisingly well. Next, we added brandy and flamed it until the alcohol burned off. After lowering the heat, we seasoned the filet with salt and green peppercorns, then stirred in mustard, cooking cream, and broth.

At this stage, we turned the heat back up and cooked the filets for another two minutes per side, spooning the sauce over the top. Once done, we removed the filets and let them rest on a stone dish while finishing the sauce. We poured in the remaining cream and broth, reducing it until it reached the right thickness. Finally, we returned the filets to the pan, coated them generously in the sauce, and served.

As a side, we made crispy potato and pumpkin chips in the air fryer, paired with eggplant-and-quinoa-stuffed Patisson zucchini. And of course, a bottle of red wine (Valpolicella Ripasso) to go with red meat.

The verdict? The sauce added a big punch of flavor, but what impressed me most was the Juicy Marbles filet itself. The texture was dense and satisfying, much like a perfectly cooked cut of meat, yet it stayed tender and juicy—living up to its name.

Next on the menu? Thinking about some fish…

Stay tuned.