This review will focus on a 3 ounce/85 gram bag of the Duck Dynasty jerky brand name for their hickory smoked bacon jerky. The bag was purchased back in December 2013, at a ShopRite store in Lyndhurst, New Jersey.
The very large, successful private labeler Monogram Foods LLC. manufactures and distributes this jerky. They are located in Memphis, Tennessee, although they have other locations in the USA also. That makes this a stock recipe. During my limited travels in the United States, it is quite remarkable the reach that Monogram Foods LLC. has in the jerky market. They may even rival Jack Link’s in North American bagged jerky sales.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Cured With Water, Salt, Sugar, Smoke Flavoring, Sodium Phosphate, Sodium Erythorbate, Sodium Nitrite
The only liquid used in this marinade is water. While this jerky is advertised to be a hickory smoked flavor, the vague term smoke flavoring is used, without actually stating that hickory wood was used.
Even though sugar is listed second in the ingredient list by weight, the nutrition facts table suggests that there is no sugar used. The salt level is very high at 660mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky, but that is an average level for bacon jerky.
Lastly, we are hit with three sodium based preservatives. None of them are healthy. This jerky does qualify to have no MSG added.
Bad (3/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
These jerky strips are mainly small in size, with a number of very small pieces. The thickness is medium to thin. The texture is dry, but not overly dry, a nice texture that makes for easy chewing. There is a fair amount of fat in this jerky that adds to the overall flavor. Handling this jerky leaves a little bit of oily residue on your fingers.
As soon as you open this bag, the smell of bacon is quite strong. The taste is no different, it is that unmistakable bacon flavor. This jerky is salty, but within reason. Other than that, this jerky more or less tastes like any standard bacon you would buy in stores, and not overly cooked.
This 3 ounce/85 gram bag of jerky was purchased for $6.99. That works out to $2.33 an ounce, which rates as a borderline average price, with $2.35 an ounce being the upper threshold. Given that an unhealthy ingredient list was used, this jerky is not recommended as being worth your money.
Bag Review
This is a professional looking bag, with everything imprinted directly on the bag, both the front and back. There are no labels affixed on this bag. The front of the bag has a high resolution picture of the Duck Dynasty cast.
There is a blurb printed about this bacon jerky on the back. Slogans printed are “Guaranteed to put a little OINK in your QUACK” and “It’s so good, You’ll speak Baconese!”. Some facts printed on this bag are “Official Duck Dynasty Bacon Jerky” and “100% Real Bacon”.
All important bag categories are covered here. Some minor exceptions are that the jerky weight is not printed in grams, and there is no phone number provided for customer inquiries.
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