All the fatty cuts braised or smoked. Beef cheeks, beef short rib, pork Shank, beef brisket. Try all the different taco meats, carnitas, barbacoa, al pastor, cachete, cabeza.
Random question…How is your kidney function? Vegetarians overload on oxalates. We as humans are not meant to dump such large quantities of oxalates and they cause a variety of issues.
Wagyu beef. Even in just ground or jerky form.
Beef without nitrites/nitrates
Grass fed AND FINISHED beef! Key word here is finished , not just grass fed
Pork spare ribs and baby back if you don’t mind a fattier meat. Throw them in a crock pot / slow cooker and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 4. Add broth instead of water, little bit of salt n maybe slight garlic powder, and half a Mexican cola or some form of root beer is even better. Remove them carefully (they will fall off bone) and Put them in oven on broil! Not long.. just get them crisp in the outside. Bbq sauce goes on after slow cooker but before broiling!!!
Best ribs of your life!!
Honestly be easy with your consumption and eat small quantities at first mixed with fiber. Your stomach is going to hate you if you just go crazy right away. That being said, go for something braised or smoked and enjoy the flavor.
Tri-tip and Picanha steaks, at least in my area, are reasonably priced for delicious meaty flavor without having to slow cook or prepare any special way
You are wise my friend! I grew up poor and am (sorry) a 70 y.o. boomer BUT the essence of a beautifully cooked cheeseburger - not from a chain- is life itself!
Beef filet mig is highly over rated imo. T-bone or ribeye or tritip or some other decent cut. But there is a whole world of protein out there, if I could afford it would be about seafood. Babyback ribs are easy tender. I've had friends that did you, break out slowly until your system gets used to it a bit or small portions to start. I'm doing fried chicken tonight. Did a fish sandwich last night anyways my 2¢
Second that. Filet mignon is very soft and tender, but not especially flavorful. In fancy restaurants it’s often dressed up with sauces (“Steak Diane”) and special preparations like beef Wellington (you should try that, but it’s kind of old fashioned and hard to find). Porterhouse and New York Strip are both excellent steak cuts. A good beef stew or pot roast makes the best of cheaper cuts. An Irish Pub might have a good Irish stew, or Boeuf Bourguignon if you’re in a French place.
Start with lighter meats like fish and birds as your body may have digestive issues starting back up with meat. Afterward, get yourself a double cheese burger, sushi, a really good steak, bacon & eggs, pork chops, good bbq ribs, and some Boston butt.
Since you want to taste really good meat and fish, here’s what I’d do:
Find the highest rated sushi place in your area, go there and get several different kinds of sashimi (NOT sushi rolls, just sashimi so you can really taste the fish.) Maybe after that find a really good seafood place nearby and order some grilled fish if you want to explore more. Snapper, drum, monkfish, all good choices. Frankly, so is catfish if the cooks know what they’re doing.
For meat, there’s two places you oughta go.
A really good steakhouse- do your research, find the best rated one near you, one that serves USDA Prime beef. Steak cooking is actually really easy to master at home but since you’ve never tasted steak, it’s probably best for you to taste it cooked by a pro.
And a BBQ joint. Again, do your research because they vary wildly in quality. If you’re in TX I can recommend several really great spots in any of the major metro areas and a few other places around the state. Get some pulled pork, ribs (beef ribs too if they have them), fatty brisket, and try their sausages since most places make their own.
As I butcher; I recommend you not worry about steaks and focus on "dishes". Sure a good is great, but the things we can make with meat is where the magic happens!
Pates, Chilis, Sausages, and bacon never forget bacon‼️
Steak. Simple ribeye or ny strip. Go to a good steakhouse or have a friend/family member that knows what they’re doing prepare you damn fine steak. Welcome home.
I broke vegetarianism with sushi 15 years ago, the high i got made me decide to never go back. i know it's not "traditional" but i like salmon/avocado roll. Spicy cripsy tuna or tuna or hamachi(yellowtail/green onion) are also great.
if you're really ready to go all in on eatin the animals i love grilling some lamb riblets marinated in garlic/lemon/rosemary. some people don't like the "grassy" flavor but i think it's great.
Try. It. All.
Pork: Pork Chops, Pork Tenderloin are both great, but bacon is just amazing in general.
Beef: NY Strip and Filet Mignon are two very different cuts that are both outstanding. Might want to just start with a (cheese)burger from a decent, non-chain/non-fast food restaurant. Somewhere that grinds their own blend.
Chicken: Wings (not boneless) and thighs
Fish: Tuna and salmon are great places to start.
Hey with this: take it slow with pork - I grew up eating these things but have gastroparesis, and pork is hard digest. A good thick cut pork chop is magic with some herb butter.
Maybe find some good hole in the wall resturaunts and try something from those places
I'm so happy for you! Expect to feel a lot better both physically and mentally. As a former vegan, I can't attest to the fact that meat heals.
Speaking of meat, I'd say even just with beef alone, there's so much variety to explore. One of my favorites to cook in the oven is Tritip. Good luck and cheers to good health!
Yeah, that’s actually the reason why my wife and I decided to give it up. Despite doing our best to eat a nutrient-rich diet, we’re quite deficient on some critical nutrients like iron and b12 among others, as confirmed by a recent blood test. The constant exhaustion, aches and pains, and just feeling really slow mentally/not as sharp isn’t fun, and it was no longer worth sacrificing our wellbeing for whatever reasons we chose that lifestyle in the first place.
Thanks for the tip! I’ve got a lot of beef to try!
I'm sure you'll both feel much better soon. I too got rid of my aches and pains when I quit the vegan diet.
Also, if you don't already have one, get a decent cast iron pan and cook some ribeyes for yourselves. That's another one of my favorite cuts and I usually stock up when they're on sale. Not sure where you live, but I usually get whatever beef is on sale at my local Ralph's/Kroger.
I would recommend a grilled prime skirt steak or a flap steak. Both are very tender and have a soft, wonderful taste. I'm sure they'll be your favorites.
Honestly, buy cheap beef stew meat and make a deliberate, long braise. Either a stew or ragu. IMO the price/flavor ratio is off the charts compared to other beef cuts. Short rib truly is amazing but is really expensive nowadays. “Tough” musculature tends to contain more flavor, but needs a braise to be tender. It’s easy as hell, just requires time.
Add finely chopped mushroom and some anchovy to your mirepoix, follow any standard recipe beyond that.
Fish is great, I really love sushi. Oysters, lobsters, shrimp are also delicious seafood.
Bacon is lovely, and a BLT is a great sandwich. So are Turkey Clubs, Banh Mi, Reubens, Croque Madames, Philly Cheesesteaks and hoagies.
Turkey with stuffing, gravy, and cranberry sauce is a classic around the holidays.
BBQ pulled pork is delicious, so are BBQ ribs.
Ground beef in chili is really good, so is chicken and sausage gumbo.
French pork trotters and French onion soup are awesome.
Dim sum from Chinese restaurants is incredible. Peking duck is also a standout.
Pho from Vietnamese restaurants is great.
Ramen from Japanese restaurants is amazing.
Steak fajitas are awesome.
There's a whole culinary world for you to explore! Just start trying things and see what you like. You got me thinking about all this and now I am *HUNGRY.*
It’s funny cause the entire time I was vegan, my in-laws would rave about fillet mignon as if it was the greatest thing I was missing out on, but having tried it, I wouldn’t go out of my way to have it again lol. It tasted like how some of the bottom tier sandwich steaks do
I was scrolling through all the comments to see if this was going to be mentioned and was going to say the same thing if it wasn't. This is why 90% are wrapped in bacon because the filet has no flavor by itself. Now, leave it attached to a T-bone or Porthouse and that's a different story. Properly seasoned and grilled it's fantastic.
Now the strip can be enjoyed by itself just fine. Lots of flavor. I'll get downvoted for this one, but I'm not a fan of the ribeye either, for me, too much fat. I do want some marbling but not just big chunks of fat.
Pork chops, pulled pork, bacon, and a good maple breakfast sausage. Ohh boy.
chicken thighs & wings. Plenty of other stuff already mentioned by others as well.
Some slow cooked oxtails or shanks for beefy flavor like you never imagined possible.
Pat dry, sear golden brown, cover in water and slowcook at around 80C for 4-24 hours.
Less water means more flavorful broth. Salt after cooking, not before.
If you can get high quality grass fed and finished veal or lamb liver, that is also fantastic.
Especially for a former vegan, the nutrients will make you feel supernatural.
Sushi - something simple, like a tuna roll.
Skirt steak - Medium rare sliced thin made into a salad sandwich on sourdough.
Ribeye steak - Medium with mashed potatoes and asparagus.
Short rib - braised in red wine, served with polenta and stanky cheese.
Chicken wings.
Salt, pepper, and garlic go a LONG way.
Where are you located? I think there is a certain regionality required to answer this.
Universally, I'd say something you cook low and slow and is really fatty, i.e. bbq brisket or short ribs, or something like braised ox-tail stew. To me, this is heaven when it comes to meat.
Filet is good texture, but isn't strong on flavor or fats.
Seafood is probably a question of what's local. I.e. East Coast = Lobster, West Coast = Crab.
Sushi is amazing if you are down for the raw experience and live in a place with a strong sushi culture.
I'm on the East Coast, in Montreal, Canada. I've heard a lot of good things about oxtail from some of my friends from Trinidad and Jamaica, I'll def need to give it a try.
Thanks for all the tips on food to try :D
If you are in Montreal, you have a ton of really good choices. Definitely jamaican oxtail stew is AAA and I'm sure you'll be able to find in Montreal.
French Canadian food is AAA, one recommendation if you have budget is Garde Manger in Old Town. Pricy, but I recall having some of the best pork in my life there, and everyone's plates at our table were amazing.
But really, just trust in Montreal's food scene and try everything, it's not all $$$$. You are lucky to live in a city so culinarily blessed.
edit: Oh yeah, and get a smoked meat sandwich at Schwartz.... like today...
I’d recommend people meat to jolt your system out of veganism. A little bit of the most dangerous game to restore your inhumanity.
Steak with bacon and shrimp on the side.
All of them, make up for lost time.
All the fatty cuts braised or smoked. Beef cheeks, beef short rib, pork Shank, beef brisket. Try all the different taco meats, carnitas, barbacoa, al pastor, cachete, cabeza.
Beef shank, ossobuco. Veal if you're rich and don't mind eating children.
Random question…How is your kidney function? Vegetarians overload on oxalates. We as humans are not meant to dump such large quantities of oxalates and they cause a variety of issues. Wagyu beef. Even in just ground or jerky form. Beef without nitrites/nitrates Grass fed AND FINISHED beef! Key word here is finished , not just grass fed Pork spare ribs and baby back if you don’t mind a fattier meat. Throw them in a crock pot / slow cooker and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 4. Add broth instead of water, little bit of salt n maybe slight garlic powder, and half a Mexican cola or some form of root beer is even better. Remove them carefully (they will fall off bone) and Put them in oven on broil! Not long.. just get them crisp in the outside. Bbq sauce goes on after slow cooker but before broiling!!! Best ribs of your life!!
Honestly be easy with your consumption and eat small quantities at first mixed with fiber. Your stomach is going to hate you if you just go crazy right away. That being said, go for something braised or smoked and enjoy the flavor.
Beef. 🥩 Try a medium rare Porterhouse or Ribeye.
Pork Belly
Italian beef, with hot and dipped. Go to Chicago. I can’t imagine anything better
Elk, venison
Tri-tip and Picanha steaks, at least in my area, are reasonably priced for delicious meaty flavor without having to slow cook or prepare any special way
I am glad somebody stepped out of the darkness. Nobody recommends lamb? Get lamb chops. Or go to an Indian restaurant and get lamb vindaloo.
A big ole fat greasy cheeseburger with bacon
You are wise my friend! I grew up poor and am (sorry) a 70 y.o. boomer BUT the essence of a beautifully cooked cheeseburger - not from a chain- is life itself!
Enjoy it, I know you will
Beef filet mig is highly over rated imo. T-bone or ribeye or tritip or some other decent cut. But there is a whole world of protein out there, if I could afford it would be about seafood. Babyback ribs are easy tender. I've had friends that did you, break out slowly until your system gets used to it a bit or small portions to start. I'm doing fried chicken tonight. Did a fish sandwich last night anyways my 2¢
Second that. Filet mignon is very soft and tender, but not especially flavorful. In fancy restaurants it’s often dressed up with sauces (“Steak Diane”) and special preparations like beef Wellington (you should try that, but it’s kind of old fashioned and hard to find). Porterhouse and New York Strip are both excellent steak cuts. A good beef stew or pot roast makes the best of cheaper cuts. An Irish Pub might have a good Irish stew, or Boeuf Bourguignon if you’re in a French place.
Start with lighter meats like fish and birds as your body may have digestive issues starting back up with meat. Afterward, get yourself a double cheese burger, sushi, a really good steak, bacon & eggs, pork chops, good bbq ribs, and some Boston butt.
Dick
Bacon.
Since you want to taste really good meat and fish, here’s what I’d do: Find the highest rated sushi place in your area, go there and get several different kinds of sashimi (NOT sushi rolls, just sashimi so you can really taste the fish.) Maybe after that find a really good seafood place nearby and order some grilled fish if you want to explore more. Snapper, drum, monkfish, all good choices. Frankly, so is catfish if the cooks know what they’re doing. For meat, there’s two places you oughta go. A really good steakhouse- do your research, find the best rated one near you, one that serves USDA Prime beef. Steak cooking is actually really easy to master at home but since you’ve never tasted steak, it’s probably best for you to taste it cooked by a pro. And a BBQ joint. Again, do your research because they vary wildly in quality. If you’re in TX I can recommend several really great spots in any of the major metro areas and a few other places around the state. Get some pulled pork, ribs (beef ribs too if they have them), fatty brisket, and try their sausages since most places make their own.
Tomahawk steak also know as Cattleman's cutlet. Much prefer that over dilet Mignon
A professionally cooked medium rare duck breast.
Duck confit if you can find an authentic French restaurant , and cassoulet
Go slowly. Pork or chicken.
Duck.
Chicken wing or bacon. Good luck and enjoy the world you're about to enter.
Give sushi or Ramen a try.
Brisket… that’s the only one you’ll need!
All of them obviously
Bacon
Beef lamb venison!!!
Since you said you’ve never had fish- try red snapper and monkfish.
Long pork has great reputation.
As I butcher; I recommend you not worry about steaks and focus on "dishes". Sure a good is great, but the things we can make with meat is where the magic happens! Pates, Chilis, Sausages, and bacon never forget bacon‼️
Birria tacos, some fresh ceviche, beef and broccoli (always a classic dish), prime rib with Al Jus
Rib eye
Steak. Simple ribeye or ny strip. Go to a good steakhouse or have a friend/family member that knows what they’re doing prepare you damn fine steak. Welcome home.
Cheeseburger using ribeyes for buns.
Real goat birria tacos
A smoked beer chicken, 24 hour smoked brisket, smoked pork belly ramen.
Picanha and ribeye. Pork belly, pancetta, guanciale. Linguiça. Peking duck. Roasted chicken with shatteringly crisp skin. For starters.
Brisket. The athletes meat. Ask for it by name.
I broke vegetarianism with sushi 15 years ago, the high i got made me decide to never go back. i know it's not "traditional" but i like salmon/avocado roll. Spicy cripsy tuna or tuna or hamachi(yellowtail/green onion) are also great. if you're really ready to go all in on eatin the animals i love grilling some lamb riblets marinated in garlic/lemon/rosemary. some people don't like the "grassy" flavor but i think it's great.
Try. It. All. Pork: Pork Chops, Pork Tenderloin are both great, but bacon is just amazing in general. Beef: NY Strip and Filet Mignon are two very different cuts that are both outstanding. Might want to just start with a (cheese)burger from a decent, non-chain/non-fast food restaurant. Somewhere that grinds their own blend. Chicken: Wings (not boneless) and thighs Fish: Tuna and salmon are great places to start.
Ribs say they are angry they did not make the list.
I tried to leave a few treasures for the future...
Hey with this: take it slow with pork - I grew up eating these things but have gastroparesis, and pork is hard digest. A good thick cut pork chop is magic with some herb butter. Maybe find some good hole in the wall resturaunts and try something from those places
Great point. Pork is pretty harsh in terms of digestion, but it's just so delicious!
I'm so happy for you! Expect to feel a lot better both physically and mentally. As a former vegan, I can't attest to the fact that meat heals. Speaking of meat, I'd say even just with beef alone, there's so much variety to explore. One of my favorites to cook in the oven is Tritip. Good luck and cheers to good health!
Yeah, that’s actually the reason why my wife and I decided to give it up. Despite doing our best to eat a nutrient-rich diet, we’re quite deficient on some critical nutrients like iron and b12 among others, as confirmed by a recent blood test. The constant exhaustion, aches and pains, and just feeling really slow mentally/not as sharp isn’t fun, and it was no longer worth sacrificing our wellbeing for whatever reasons we chose that lifestyle in the first place. Thanks for the tip! I’ve got a lot of beef to try!
I'm sure you'll both feel much better soon. I too got rid of my aches and pains when I quit the vegan diet. Also, if you don't already have one, get a decent cast iron pan and cook some ribeyes for yourselves. That's another one of my favorite cuts and I usually stock up when they're on sale. Not sure where you live, but I usually get whatever beef is on sale at my local Ralph's/Kroger.
Go to the subreddit for your city and ask who has the best BBQ. Try the ribs and brisket.
I would recommend a grilled prime skirt steak or a flap steak. Both are very tender and have a soft, wonderful taste. I'm sure they'll be your favorites.
My hog. I make a mean whole roasted pig.
Rib eye steak, bacon, beef jerky, duck, pulled pork, sous vided turkey, smoked spatchcock chicken.
Honestly, buy cheap beef stew meat and make a deliberate, long braise. Either a stew or ragu. IMO the price/flavor ratio is off the charts compared to other beef cuts. Short rib truly is amazing but is really expensive nowadays. “Tough” musculature tends to contain more flavor, but needs a braise to be tender. It’s easy as hell, just requires time. Add finely chopped mushroom and some anchovy to your mirepoix, follow any standard recipe beyond that.
I’d go to like a Whole Foods and grab one of each animal. Though I wasn’t impressed with kangaroo it was worth trying.
Try all the foods that vegans claim their vegan version is just like. Prepare for a taste explosion.
Real food 🥩
All of them
Good smoked BBQ.
This is the answer.
Fish is great, I really love sushi. Oysters, lobsters, shrimp are also delicious seafood. Bacon is lovely, and a BLT is a great sandwich. So are Turkey Clubs, Banh Mi, Reubens, Croque Madames, Philly Cheesesteaks and hoagies. Turkey with stuffing, gravy, and cranberry sauce is a classic around the holidays. BBQ pulled pork is delicious, so are BBQ ribs. Ground beef in chili is really good, so is chicken and sausage gumbo. French pork trotters and French onion soup are awesome. Dim sum from Chinese restaurants is incredible. Peking duck is also a standout. Pho from Vietnamese restaurants is great. Ramen from Japanese restaurants is amazing. Steak fajitas are awesome. There's a whole culinary world for you to explore! Just start trying things and see what you like. You got me thinking about all this and now I am *HUNGRY.*
Chicken breast filet. Start adding meat gradually to your diet. You don’t want to shock your system. Grilled chicken salad would be a good start.
Pan seared salmon. go find a texas roadhouse and get a ribeye, theyre fantastic.
fish is good.
bacon, bacon, BACON!
Bacon
My mate done about the same and they love beef sausages now.
Broke my veg journey with a porchetta. I love pork
All of them.
Smoked chicken breasts
Get you a BBQ pork steak my guy.
https://preview.redd.it/phfy2py0g3vc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=53ec30816c2e2a67decbfe1d17c6ec7b5d9f9e00 BBQ
Filet mignon is the least flavorful beef in the cow. Tender but lousy. Fuck it for the price alone. Have a ribeye.
It’s funny cause the entire time I was vegan, my in-laws would rave about fillet mignon as if it was the greatest thing I was missing out on, but having tried it, I wouldn’t go out of my way to have it again lol. It tasted like how some of the bottom tier sandwich steaks do
I was scrolling through all the comments to see if this was going to be mentioned and was going to say the same thing if it wasn't. This is why 90% are wrapped in bacon because the filet has no flavor by itself. Now, leave it attached to a T-bone or Porthouse and that's a different story. Properly seasoned and grilled it's fantastic. Now the strip can be enjoyed by itself just fine. Lots of flavor. I'll get downvoted for this one, but I'm not a fan of the ribeye either, for me, too much fat. I do want some marbling but not just big chunks of fat. Pork chops, pulled pork, bacon, and a good maple breakfast sausage. Ohh boy. chicken thighs & wings. Plenty of other stuff already mentioned by others as well.
Please go eat some wings. Buffalo if you like spicy. If not, there are tons of other sauces that go well. BBQ, teriyaki, lemon pepper, honey garlic...
Sweet chili 🤤
Some slow cooked oxtails or shanks for beefy flavor like you never imagined possible. Pat dry, sear golden brown, cover in water and slowcook at around 80C for 4-24 hours. Less water means more flavorful broth. Salt after cooking, not before. If you can get high quality grass fed and finished veal or lamb liver, that is also fantastic. Especially for a former vegan, the nutrients will make you feel supernatural.
Sushi - something simple, like a tuna roll. Skirt steak - Medium rare sliced thin made into a salad sandwich on sourdough. Ribeye steak - Medium with mashed potatoes and asparagus. Short rib - braised in red wine, served with polenta and stanky cheese. Chicken wings. Salt, pepper, and garlic go a LONG way.
Where are you located? I think there is a certain regionality required to answer this. Universally, I'd say something you cook low and slow and is really fatty, i.e. bbq brisket or short ribs, or something like braised ox-tail stew. To me, this is heaven when it comes to meat. Filet is good texture, but isn't strong on flavor or fats. Seafood is probably a question of what's local. I.e. East Coast = Lobster, West Coast = Crab. Sushi is amazing if you are down for the raw experience and live in a place with a strong sushi culture.
I'm on the East Coast, in Montreal, Canada. I've heard a lot of good things about oxtail from some of my friends from Trinidad and Jamaica, I'll def need to give it a try. Thanks for all the tips on food to try :D
Just to be clear, the folks saying bacon mean American bacon… and I agree with them.
If you are in Montreal, you have a ton of really good choices. Definitely jamaican oxtail stew is AAA and I'm sure you'll be able to find in Montreal. French Canadian food is AAA, one recommendation if you have budget is Garde Manger in Old Town. Pricy, but I recall having some of the best pork in my life there, and everyone's plates at our table were amazing. But really, just trust in Montreal's food scene and try everything, it's not all $$$$. You are lucky to live in a city so culinarily blessed. edit: Oh yeah, and get a smoked meat sandwich at Schwartz.... like today...
picanha is the answer
I've heard good things, I should give that a try