Note: For a more current taste review open up Kings Meat – Original Beef Jerky (Review #2).
The first review for Kings Meat will be on a 1.267 ounce/36 gram bag of their original flavored beef jerky. This flavor is described as having a classic taste with health benefits, and it is perfectly suited as an appetizer for a dry red wine and craft beer. The jerky bag was kindly submitted for review by the owner, Joel Babb.
Kings Meat is distributed by Kings Meat Company, and it is located within Moscow city limits, meaning it is not necessary to refer that they are located in the Russian oblast of Moscow Oblast, Russia. Joel’s childhood was spent on family farms in Southeast South Dakota. Back in those days the farm was self-sufficient and organic.
About 20 years ago, Joel moved to Russia. The current undertaking is Kings Meat Company which he won in a poker game when the former owner went “all in”. (Most of that prior statement is true.) The company has been in existence for over 12 years. The company has been focused on the HORECA market and provides breakfast sausages to the major hotels and has developed a delicatessen line of specialty meats including roast beef, pastrami, bacon, and turkey.
All products sold meet the highest world standards, where the focus is on quality rather than quantity. In 2016, Kings Meat Company launched their Kings Meat jerky brand, which is advertised as using whole cuts of choice beef, and marinated in a special sauce with natural spices. Kings Meat jerky strips are suspended from hooks, and carefully dried at a precise temperature. This hanging process keeps the moisture/juice/flavor in the beef, as opposed to drying jerky strips flat on a tray.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Beef, Spices, Spice Extracts, E-300 (Ascorbic Acid), E-551 (Silicon Dioxide), Sugar, Salt, Himalayan Pink Salt, Sodium Nitrite.
The Russian black angus beef used here is sourced from PrimeBeef, and is arguably even healthier than 100% grass-fed beef. Cattle are raised in the ecologically clean and fertile Kaluga and Voronezh regions. The cows are fed a diet of grass and hay for most of their lives, and finished with non-GMO corn. To get more details, visit http://primebeef.ru/en. The beef used is guaranteed to be ethically raised, meaning free of growth hormones or additional antibiotics. These cattle also are guaranteed to have at least partial free range access to roam about. As a result, the ingredient rating starts at an Excellent (10/10) rating.
Healthy spices and spice extractives are used, which may include paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder.
A nutrition facts table is displayed on the bag, but the sugar and salt levels seem to be measured differently in Russia compared to North America. Judging on the saltiness and sweetness alone, both the sugar and salt levels are well within reason.
This jerky does not qualify to have no sodium nitrite, where sodium nitrite is used outright as a preservative. Commendably, there is no MSG added.
Very Good (9/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
Written by guest jerky reviewer Stéphane Leclerc
This is a very unusual jerky. I dipped my nose in the bag to get acquainted with the flavors and get a general understanding of this jerky. I get a nice and pleasant smell of what appears to be a roasting aroma. This is a familiar, comforting and mouth-watering aroma of perhaps what seems to be corn.
I took a small bite and I was immediately hit by its delicious meaty flavor with undertones of buttery popcorn. These strips of jerky are small in size and thinly sliced against the grain. The texture is fairly dry and slightly leathery as is common with many jerky.
This however is probably the only commonality shared with most beef jerky. There is richness and decadence to this beef and a very unique flavor. The seasoning is rather mild with modest notes of garlic and black pepper and the saltiness is not over done.
As my brain is searching to identify these other flavors, I find myself looking for an extra dash of salt and a couple extra turn of freshly cracked black pepper, as it would make the flavor “POP” and act as a reference to this uncommon and somewhat mysterious flavor profile.
I really appreciate this great jerky as it is unique, fun and it quickly becomes addictive. This is a flavorful and refreshing experience much like a joyful and exciting stroll downtown Flavorville.
This is not your usual run of the mill jerky and it is well worth the healthy, pleasurable and mind expanding experience. There are no doubts, your taste buds will be pleased and be thankful for it. I gladly rate this beef jerky 9/10.
A 1.267 ounce/36 gram bag sells for around 200-250 rubles, which is converted to approximately $3.50-$4.00. That works out to $2.75 an ounce, which rates as an average price.
Very Good (9/10) – Taste Rating
Bag Review
This resealable plastic bag has everything imprinted directly on the bag, both on the front and back. A high resolution picture of jerky strips is displayed on the front. Cleverly, the jerky itself is packaged inside a vacuum sealed bag, the best way to keep jerky fresh tasting.
Some facts printed on this bag are “Beef-Dried 100% Meat”, “Traditional North American Recipe”, “Handmade Without Any GMO or Dyes”, “100% Natural Meat”, “Source of Protein and Energy”, “Rich Protein”, “Low Fat Content”, “Without Dyes”, and “Ready To Eat”.
The only bag category missing is that there is no transparent window to view the actual jerky. There are some blurbs printed on the back that describe Kings Meat jerky. Their @kingsmeat.ru Facebook handle is provided.
Order their jerky online: www.kingsmeatjerky.ru
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