Note: For a more recent review, open Strollo’s – Hot Beef Jerky (Recipe #2).
This will be our second review for Strollo’s beef jerky. The owner of Strollo’s, Michael Strollo, kindly submitted this jerky for review. This review will focus on a 1.5 ounce/42 gram bag of their hot flavor.
Strollo’s is based out of Eatontown, New Jersey, and distributed by Strollo’s Homemade Beef Jerky. Strollo’s produces an artisan jerky (hand crafted) product, and they take great pride in their homemade recipes, using only five ingredients. While we cannot substantiate this claim, Michael Strollo claims to have the lowest sodium content in the USA, along with zero sugars and zero carbs.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Beef, Soy Sauce (Water, Wheat, Soybeans, Salt, Sodium Benzoate {preservative}, Water, Teriyaki Sauce (Brewed Soy Sauce)(Wheat, Soybeans, Salt), Wine, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Water, Vinegar, Salt, Spices, Onion Powder, Succinic Acid, Garlic Powder, Sodium Benzoate {preservative}, Liquid Smoke (Water, Natural Smoke Flavor, Vinegar, Molasses, Caramel Color), Red Pepper. Allergen Warnings: Soy, Wheat
The beef used is not guaranteed to be free of growth hormones or additional antibiotics. Also, the beef is not guaranteed to have at least partial free range access to graze on grass. As a result, the highest ingredient rating that can be awarded is a Good (8/10) rating.
The liquid marinade used here consists of soy sauce, water, teriyaki sauce, and liquid hickory smoke. It is disappointing to see that the highly processed sweetener high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is used in the teriyaki sauce. As a general rule, corn based products have no business being in jerky.
The heat in this flavor is achieved from using hot red peppers, which are quite visible on these strips of jerky. As a general rule, hot peppers are healthy if eaten in moderation.
This jerky contains no sugar. It does not get any better than that from a health perspective. The salt level is extremely low at only 65mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky.
There is no sodium nitrite added, or any other similar unhealthy preservative. While the soy sauce and teriyaki sauce contains small amounts of the not so healthy preservative sodium benzoate, the jerky drying process pretty much renders the sodium benzoate effectiveness as useless. Admirably, there is also no MSG added in this jerky.
Decent (7/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
Note: For a more recent review, open Strollo’s – Hot Beef Jerky (Recipe #2).
These jerky strips are medium, to small in size. Strollo’s confirmed that these jerky strips are hand sliced. The jerky strips are sliced fairly thin, a borderline thin to medium thickness. The texture is dry, with pretty much a perfect dry texture, which is still relatively easy to chew because they are almost thinly sliced. The red peppers are quite visible, but not uniformly on all pieces. There are no signs of fat visible anywhere on this jerky. Except for the odd red pepper falling off the jerky, there is no residue left on your fingers after handling this jerky.
The smokiness flavor stands out first, which is quickly overridden by the soy sauce taste that remains prevalent. This jerky is just a touch salty. There is certainly some heat with this jerky, but not overpowering. You could say the spiciness is at a medium level, depending on your tolerance for heat. What stands out is a great deal of natural beef flavor. Overall, a very tasty jerky that leaves you wanting more, where the bag was empty in no time.
On the Strollo’s web site, a six pack of this jerky costs $23.00. That works out to $3.83 a bag, which works out to $2.55 an ounce. That would rate as a slightly expensive price. This jerky is still well worth the money, where it is not every day you find such a fine artisan jerky product.
Excellent (10/10) – Taste Rating
Bag Review
We have a somewhat uncommon plastic bag here. There are slits lining the top, where you can rip open the bag, tearing down, instead of across like most other bags. This is a clear plastic bag, with one label affixed to the front, and nothing on the back. This bag is vacuum sealed, normally the best way possible to help preserve jerky, where oxygen is the enemy of jerky.
The logo is entertaining. It depicts a strong, muscular, tough looking cow, who had just punched somebody senseless. On the ground is his baseball cap, with the word “Competitor” written across. The slogan for Strollo’s is “Our Meat Can’t Be Beat”.
The major bag categories are covered with this bag. The only complaint is that the bag has no blurb about Strollo’s Homemade Beef Jerky, granted there is not much free space available.
The second bag at the bottom is Strollo’s old bag design. That 1.5 ounce/42 gram bag was purchased in Phillipsburgh, New Jersey, in 2013, at a Bourbon Street Liquors store, for $4.99.
Order their jerky online: www.strolloshomemadebeefjerky.com
Been eatn this brand for a while really good
will def be ordering this! wow low sodium and 0 sugar