I Tried The TikTok Vegan Mochi Bacon

I saw this recipe all over TikTok, thank you to the countless number of you that tagged me in this recipe! and s/o to Chef Kennedy for this very cool idea. I needed to know if this was over-hyped or if it was legit. Either way i knew it was going to be a MESSSSS and I was correct.
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[@vincentcolburn7606]

I would love a video where you rank all the vegan bacon recipes you’ve tried.

[@MerleONeal]

Great idea!!

[@vincentcolburn7606]

@@MerleONeal Thanks 😊

[@michaelwong9777]

​@@MerleONeal when are you going to rate your vegan bacon recipes

[@katyfaise]

i'm not vegan or vegitarian by any measure but i love your videos. i really enjoy how you're honest about things not tasting like meat and having healthy expectations about what you're getting. it really inspires me to introduce more meat substitutes and other things into my diet!

[@MerleONeal]

Aw thank you so so much, I'm so glad to hear it

[@MustardSkaven]

I tried falafel the other day and it just felt off cause I didn't taste meat. I guess it would take some getting used to.

[@lisanyugenhascancer6332]

@@MustardSkaven use impossible vegan meat instead of falafel

[@MustardSkaven]

@@lisanyugenhascancer6332 No, I stay away from all that processed garbage. I don't eat processed meat so why would I eat processed fake meat?

[@lisanyugenhascancer6332]

@@MustardSkaven bc you said falafel didn't taste like meat that's wgy

[@wilsonamyc]

Trader Joe's has an umami seasoning that is mushroom powder with salt and a few other seasonings that's really good. I add it to a lot of my fake meat recipes.

[@ry9112]

I was just about to comment this! I love this seasoning too, I have to stock up on it when I go to Trader Joe’s in the mainland because we don’t have one in Hawaii 😢

[@wilsonamyc]

@@ry9112 I live in Canada, so I also have to stock up on it when I'm in the States.

[@HANABiLOG]

I think this is one of those recipes one should make in bulk once in a while and freeze for a prolonged time, so that one can have a vegan bacon alternative whenever one likes. I personally think that Mochi (or rice cakes in general) are not really meant as vegan alternatives. They are SO GOOD on their own already anyway! Like roasted rice cakes with some coconut amino? Yum! That being said, if you, Merle, end up revisiting this or ANYONE for that matter wants to give this a try, maybe, keep a high container with boiling-hot water nearby, keeping your knife hot at all times. That way one might be able to get the thinnest slices out of it, without getting the rice cake sticky immediately; wiping the blade clean in between cuts of course. Btw. one video request/idea I have is re-creating one full meal from your childhood that was full on filled with your most beloved animal products at the time, but -of course- making it vegan! But it HAS to be a dish that you haven't developed a vegan version for yet.

[@MerleONeal]

10000000% agree with this

[@offthesidelines]

Mushroom powder is probably a lot easier to find at an Asian grocery store (at least it is in Montreal); having said that you could probably sub it out with vegetable stock powder or something similar. Also you don't need to leave your rice paper that long in water to rehydrate it. Merle girl, I know you love Viet spring rolls so you should very well know that only a few seconds in the water is more than enough. Any longer and it becomes mush and/or fragile... although since in this case you're not using them as wrappings, I guess it doesn't matter as much. You could've put your mochi dough between two sheets of parchment paper and then rolled it out instead of using so much tapioca starch. That much extra starch could've impacted the taste and consistency of your final product. 😆 If the parchment paper isn't too dirty afterwards, at my house we'd actually wipe it down and save it to reuse again later.

[@strangev0id]

Jamais vu cette poudre de ma vie au quebec mdr

[@offthesidelines]

@@strangev0id dans les épiceries asiatiques depuis des années. Mais récemment j'ai aussi vu au Maxi so 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@lisaleft97]

Once again, an absolute inspiration. As sad as it is, I never actually get to choose what I eat because of where I work (private yacht) I still get so inspired by you that I try out anything vegan or reduce meat. Thank you for such kindness and openess to transferring to reducing and cutting out meat ❤️

[@MerleONeal]

Aw thank you so much, Lisa

[@kiwifeijoa]

It's good to hear your real opinion on these things, and of course hugely funny. Agree with you, rice paper bacon is very good. Could you try a comparison between using the leftover pulp from making plant milk, and PB2 powder? They don't have PB2 in my country, and I've been using nut pulp instead for those recipes. Just a thought, anyway have a great day Merle.

[@bex_b_]

I’m

[@eliontheinternet3298]

before this video I got an "Arby's: we have the meats" commercial, I think KZbin doesn't know its target audience lol

[@titlee7395]

its mcspicy chicken for me😂

[@Coffeegirl739]

I have a theory it's meat producers lobby 🤔🤔🤔

[@MerleONeal]

*sigh*

[@jerrytroy2677]

It's AI ... Can't expect much

[@tatsukisan]

Could you do a tier list of the dairy free/vegan cream cheeses on like a bagel? My favorite is Boursin Dairy Free Garlic and Herbs and I wanna know if I have good or bad taste!

[@MerleONeal]

Second recommendation for this today! I'll have to try it - and i'm sure you have great taste haha

[@jesscat12345]

Thanks for being a comfort channel for me 💕

[@MerleONeal]

You are so welcome 🫂

[@kimmycup2704]

When I saw you just left the rice paper in the water my heart STOPPED like girl that's asking for them to be harder to handle xD

[@ViCT0RiA6]

i am addicted to your channel and especially your cooking videos Merle ❤

[@MerleONeal]

Thank you so much 😀

[@eudesenvolvedor]

Thanks for taking this recipe for us, it was fun watching and learning to not attempt as it is hard AF 😂

[@MerleONeal]

My pleasure - yeah it was definitely a tricky sticky situation

[@aleeshamiah936]

You're right, handling mochi with oil works and is better, some people even add it to the mix before cooking it in the microwave

[@tialaquitahughes900]

Not fully Vegan and I don’t like bacon or any sort well besides the carrot bacon but I will for sure be trying this ❤

[@angelm1832]

That sweater is INCREDIBLE. Also mochi is delicious lol.

[@TheSaneHatter]

I can't believe that you made a Rocky Horror song about cooking mochi! P.S. We need more "Dinner and a Mystery."

[@MerleONeal]

o0o0o0 I just might have to bring that back

[@maximchahal578]

3:40 ayy she knows the Rocky Horror Picture show

[@MerleONeal]

Its my favorite movie🥺

[@jrobertnunn]

This shirt is everything. Im only a few minutes into the video but just had to say

[@MerleONeal]

Hehehehe thank you Jared 🥺

[@moon8401]

Great recipe as always! Always found your vedio entertaining and informative. Often with new recipes to try! Would love some more gluten free options. Your top is amazing, where's it from? ❤️

[@MerleONeal]

Believe it or not, i've had it since i was EIGHT years old!

[@moon8401]

@@MerleONeal haha , it does look vintage classic 90s! 👌

[@jaafarawadallah514]

thank you for the video Merle O'Neal your amazing

[@tayt_]

Dried porcini mushrooms in a decent blender and you can make some awesome mushroom powder at home! Definitely recommend adding it to your vegan spice rack, it adds this beautiful depth of meaty flavor to any dish that calls for those kinds of flavors.

[@MerleONeal]

Thanks for the tip!

[@dawnw9337]

Me still trying to figure out how Buzzfeed let Merle go. You're the best, Merle! Thanks for the great content!

[@sunny5ma]

I am just so glad you were once on BuzzFeed otherwise I wouldn't have found you or your content!! You're too funny hahaha. I love my vegan queen!! I love these videos so much, they definitely bring me joy! I am not, but if you ever get tired of food videos, I have said it before, as I know you love plants as much as I do, any planting/repotting/gardening videos... I will so be here for them!! And please have Aria make some appearances here !! We miss y'all together in a video!! 💖❤️💖❤️💖🥳

[@MerleONeal]

Thank you for the love and all of the support! I DEF want to try to do some more plant videos

[@lovelifeandcrafts5003]

I'm picky with Japanese mochi (UK version), though one I tried is flavoured mochi with fruit sorbe inside it. It was a few years ago. I love Japanese food though so would love to try and make homemade mochi and taste it with other fillings. Good video merle xx

[@jaygatsby8588]

Gotta try this

[@strangev0id]

Your jumper is so cool Merle !

[@tarynriver]

I’d love to see you try store bought vegan bacons as a a tier vid ❤

[@alexandriasanders9499]

Just making butter Mochi cake was a challenge to work with. Can’t imagine this was fun lol. Though, I’d still try because I like experiments in the kitchen. Also, now I know you’re a rocky horror fan ;)

[@z0wie0]

Could you roll the mochi between 2 non stick papers once dusted? ✨💕

[@MerleONeal]

where were you when i was doing this recipe

[@sarahdee374]

I think YOU could, but seems like Merle is over mochi bacon, and I'm never gonna try it. Way too much work for one acceptable slice. LOL!

[@jerrytroy2677]

@@MerleONeal lmao

[@strawberrysoymilkshake]

Yes someone did say the extra starch probably impacted the taste but hindsight is a great thing 🤣

[@nicktheavatar_]

Great video Merle!

[@MerleONeal]

Thank you!

[@miss_m_yt]

Ohh you could make mushroom powder by taking dehydrated mushrooms and pulsing them into a fine powder

[@judithegli1345]

I am not sure you can buy mushroom powder. I buy dried mushrooms and blend them but I have seen people using a microplane to make dried mushrooms into powder if only a small amount is needed.

[@VerhoevenSimon]

I'd love a ranking of your homebrew vegan bacon recipes. Out of curiousity, why cut it rather than rolling it out thinner?

[@MerleONeal]

now that just might have saved me a few grey hairs

[@chriswu1]

love it this is a spin on vegan pork

[@rebecca6944]

When rolling out sticky things, do you not do it between two sheets of baking paper?

[@MerleONeal]

I certainly SHOULD HAVE 😅

[@hettiebrigham8413]

Don’t go bacon my heart you gotta do more videos 🥓

[@IQzminus2]

The Chinese mushroom seasoning is just MSG. Mushrooms have a lot of it naturally, so it’s just something some youtubers use where you normally would use MSG. Just to not have their whole comment section filled of people who hate MSG. Even if the whole anti-MSG thing have very little if any scientific backing.

[@hallyuniverse]

Is this sweater another iconic Merle thrifting find? Because it's a 10/10

[@MerleONeal]

Ive had it since I was 8 - must have been a dress on me then😅

[@ellenkuang8853]

If you try this again, you can also just try tapioca starch + another parchment paper on top when rolling out

[@MerleONeal]

thank you!!

[@sharihardin1]

Have you tried making wheat starch bacon?

[@MerleONeal]

NOOO i have to invetigate that

[@manilak4415]

I could be completely wrong, but maybe it would be easier to use a food wire thing (idk what it’s called haha) to slice it thin instead of a knife?

[@aerondeguzman]

What about using a mandoline to slice em thinly? Looks good, Merle! 😊

[@suzart00]

I would just make rice paper bacon with the mixture and skip the mochi part 😂

[@TuxedoCrafter]

Bacon is one of the hardest thing to recreate I’ve found.

[@jessicastevens5782]

I've never worked with mochi - is it possible to roll it between 2 pieces of parchment? slicing seems tough, but a mandolin might help. I didn't know prepared mushroom powder was a thing - I just toast dried mushrooms until they smell good, and blitz them in a spice grinder

[@MerleONeal]

Mandolin is BRILLIANT as is rolling with parchment paper I WISH YOU HAD BEEN HERE WHEN I TRIED IT MY STUPID WAY! - there is a great chance it would stick to the parcment tho- like slide around?

[@connerleemusic]

The Jenna Marbles influence is CRACKING me up 🤣🌸

[@rubybobkowski4464]

DAMN IT JANETTTTTT mochi mochi mochi mochiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii. you are amazing, i am obsessed w you.

[@MerleONeal]

LOVE YOU RUBY- we're gonna rewatch that movie

[@MsLisalish]

Fyi you can make mushroom powder by grinding up dried mushrooms :)

[@MerleONeal]

Good tip!

[@BloosSelfReliance]

This definitely looks interesting. I think i would find it a difficult one though because I would have to get my head around it being mochi but not dessert ... cool experiment though hun xox

[@MerleONeal]

Thanks Bloo! The chew was really nice, I have to say

[@MarlowMayhem]

I am too deep into plush making & fabric because I thought they meant mochi minky and my brain needed to reboot (Mochi Minky is a smooth, stretchy fabric that's incredibly soft! Think squishmallows)

[@susy4511]

What can you use to write secret messages about bacon? Invisible oink. 😆 Thanks for the video

[@MerleONeal]

HAHAA wow this is great

[@mael1515]

I had to put on my sunglasses so I wasn't blinded by that beautiful sweater 😎😄

[@MerleONeal]

HAHA Martin, thank you so much

[@IsaacIsaacIsaacson]

Bacon pun themed closer: Thanks for baconing with me

[@darlenepatton2072]

Thank you for trying it out. It is too much work.

[@lenkachmelickova9898]

That rocky horror reference made me happy

[@MerleONeal]

It's my favorite movie

[@michaela879]

2:52 -BODY ONCE TOLD ME

[@Truecrimeresearcher224]

Mochi bacon Interesting

[@annamacdonald2270]

I wonder if it would be worth slicing the frozen block with a mandoline...

[@rachelschaum]

I'm not sure if it's a substitute for plain mushroom powder but Target and Trader Joe's each have an umami seasoning blend that contains a lot of mushroom powder.

[@Emily-jr9ql]

That shirt is everything. 🤩

[@MerleONeal]

hehehe thank you so much

[@stevenkarter7259]

Omg I have been watching your videos for years. I love your channel...what you know about rhps?😄 Mochi song 🎵 Omg 😲 🥰💖

[@MerleONeal]

hehehe thank you so SO much Steven

[@CrimsonStigmata]

Must have not been looking too hard if you couldn't find mushroom seasoning. Could just get dried shitakes and run that through a spice grinder.

[@clairebaker9244]

“Fat seekin lady” sammeee

[@spiderbouquet3670]

I wonder if it would work better air fried?

[@HStacey2011]

you look majestic in your shirt!

[@MerleONeal]

hehehehe thank you

[@MatheusVS123]

It looks like a fried 'Queijo Coalho' cheese from Brazil Northeast

[@JubeiKibagamiFez]

I'm shite when it comes to puns. I only ever do it by accident.

[@MerleONeal]

SAME

[@Tashaaaa19]

Not about bacon, but your eyeshadow was the real star of this video I think….but like of course recreating bacon using mochi was cool to watch. 😅🙈

[@MerleONeal]

Heheheh thank you so much, I got a new Milani eyeshadow palette 👀 (first time in like 7 years!)

[@nastashaerikakang115]

Please try wicked kitchen's lionsmane mushroom steak..

[@MerleONeal]

OH MANN i definitely need to try that

[@nastashaerikakang115]

@@MerleONeal Thank you 🥹

[@RukaiyaReeza96]

ngl felt betrayed when you pulled out the pre made one out of the freezer:P

[@isaacthek]

Trader Joe's makes an umami mushroom seasoning powder.

[@solangemcmurray8441]

Speaking of AI, you should definitely ask an AI for their version of a vegan bacon recipe

[@MerleONeal]

Okay THAT is a brilliant idea

[@firmanang9132]

what the hell Merle sounds exactly like JENNA!

[@SheriLynNut]

Trader Joe’s has a mushroom umami seasoning that’s is bomb!

[@MerleONeal]

o00oo0o thank you!

[@TarotLadyLissa]

maybe slice it on a mandolin?

[@hiruki8]

I feel like this only makes sense if you already make a lot of mochi

[@Nikki-rx8ri]

Don't let perfect be the enemy of good!

[@MerleONeal]

You know it, Nikki!!!

[@johndaniels3187]

I wonder if you could pipe the mochi onto the rice paper and roll it that way

[@MerleONeal]

someone is using big brain thinkig

[@johndaniels3187]

@@MerleONeal I’m just a lazy chef 😂 always thinking how can I make it easier for myself!

[@ignasicolominas4582]

You’re bacon me crazy 😂

[@parcelsarchive]

lol bacon adjacent

[@xPandamon]

It's like all other alternatives, mediocre. Maybe okay on their own, but when actually compared it just falls flat HARD. I tried tons of alternatives just to cut my meat consumption, but only a handful of things are still in my "rebuy" pile, which only happens in sales as the price for such products is just ridiculous

[@ImaginaryMdA]

That marbling looks nice. To me the raw version kinda looks like Kim Chi.

[@MerleONeal]

hahha it really does!!!

[@strawberrysoymilkshake]

Woah. I don't have tiktok so this is all new to me and I think it looks like some kind of meat for sure 😐 If it has chew and flavour I can imagine it in a sandwich with some other crispy version of a vegan bacon. Like rice paper or bread?

[@masdanar9321]

Yay

[@PeiPeisMom]

Great, now I've got Susan Sarandon's voice in my head, but singing about mochi instead of, well, you know 😄

[@MerleONeal]

hehehe mission accomplished

[@jerrytroy2677]

I would have used so many cuss words doing this.

[@MerleONeal]

Ohhhhh a solid bunch of em didn't make the final cut

[@jerrytroy2677]

@@MerleONeal LoL. Poor girl. Keep up the good work.

[@abbxterz]

looks more like pork belly but still looks good

[@missellehansen]

It looks like fried platanos!

[@CMVEGA25]

Maybe instead of slicing into strips, break it up into small pieces for a bacon crumble? Would that work? I have no idea what Mochi is or tastes like LOL! Love the vid!

[@sunnygirl5467]

Wow people really gettin creative for the bacon😂 I turned vegetarian at seven and have been vegan for 4 years and I’ve honestly never had bacon, neither from an animal nor plant based… and It‘s just not appetizing for me, but everyone do you🌱🥰

[@sequoialeoni3287]

It looks like plantains!

[@שירהשיר-ח1צ]

I want your shirt its the best shirt you ever wore

[@emma4557]

All these recipes are bacon me crazy

[@KikiReyesOfficial]

can you please do a ranking video for vegan cream cheese? 🙏🏽

[@MerleONeal]

This is a greeeat idea, I'll add it to my list

[@KikiReyesOfficial]

@@MerleONeal ahh yay! my lactose and talented self is eternally grateful for the ranking vids 🫶🏽 you're amazing Merle!

[@GoldenStarXD24]

8:34 … That cut was really fake… 😂

[@MerleONeal]

It does look wild, truth is, earlier, it was only halfway thawed through so I tried to hack away at it but couldn't make it all the way! that's why the time i FINALLY got it though it looks all chopped up already

[@David-go4ot]

the vegans have gone TOO FAR

[@MerleONeal]

OH NO IS IT OFFICIAL!?

[@starcherry6814]

I have to be honest with you Merle No hate. But that does not look anything remotely like bacon

[@Vero-A.R99]

All of this so you can recreate meat that you don't want to eat...

[@blackeagle4072]

This is bacon?:)))))