Plant Substitutes For Non-Kosher Meat

There is a way to still experience food that is like non-kosher meat without violating the commands of Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14; yes, other parts of the Torah illuminate a handful of other clarifications about what makes a substance kosher food, but they have to do with the universal condemnation of eating blood or fat, as opposed to the flesh of specific classes of animals being permitted or forbidden.  As for how to experience food that is like what these laws condemn, plant-based substitutes are an option for those who are truly observant of Biblical dietary commands and yet desire alternatives to clean meats like beef, chicken, or venison, or to the unclean meats to be avoided.  Amidst all the legalism of Rabbinic Jewish culture, at least this much is often recognized, despite the heavy reliance on tradition and conscience elsewhere in the same broad community.

Approval by rabbis is not what makes something permissible to eat according to the Bible.  No, it is the actual nature of the food itself—and the inherent epistemological problem of hearsay will always mean that you can never know if a reported scientific or historical thing is true, such as that a package of processed food really was inspected and found to be consistent with the dietary laws of Leviticus and Deuteronomy.  The Torah never says to not eat whatever some alleged authority on Mosaic Law says to avoid, but instead details the exact criteria itself.  Since all kinds of plants are permitted, genuine plant-substitutes for something like pork sausage meat could only be kosher even if the superficial similarity to prohibited foods makes some personally uncomfortable.

This is a way to legitimately experience food with the texture or taste of what is prohibited, such as but certainly not restricted to pork, without actually violating the obligations outlined in the Bible regarding diet.  The Bible does not prescribe vegetarianism or veganism whatsoever, so there is no duty to only eat what is derived from plants rather than animals, yet there are no categorical limitations on the type of plants or the vegetables, berries, and broader fruits they can bear, only on the insects that might be taken with them.  As long as there are no problems pertaining to this or the addition of blood (Genesis 9:4, Leviticus 17:10-14), fat (Leviticus 3:17, 7:22-24), or any restricted type of flesh, plants are not sinful to eat even when fashioned to replace pork sausage.

While eating a land-based animal other than certain bugs like grasshoppers is condemned if it does not both chew its cud and have split hooves, hence why pigs are prohibited (they do not chew their cud), consuming something made to imitate its meat without having the same literal substance is not Biblically immoral.  The same would be true of plant-based substitutes for the meat of unclean creatures that live in water or for unclean birds.  If someone truly rejected any of this, they would be violating another command of the Bible: that of not adding to Yahweh's commands as if they are incomplete (Deuteronomy 4:2, 12:32).  Processed plants designed to be eaten in the place of non-kosher food is not condemned directly or indirectly.