The first review for Jonty Jacobs will be on a 4 ounce/113.4 gram bag of their original flavored beef biltong. This bag was kindly submitted for review by co-owner Camran St Luce.
This jerky is distributed under the same name of Jonty Jacobs, located in Brooklyn, New York. The actual Jonty Jacobs store is located in New York, New York, in Manhattan. The company was founded by Camran’s wife Monique Daniels of South African descent, who grew up in Australia, and moved to New York in 2010. Disappointed in the quality and taste of beef jerky sold in the USA, she decided to open up her own store in 2013. Their biltong is air dried for 21 days, and cured, following a 400 year old South African marinade recipe and method.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Beef, Salt, Brown Sugar, Vinegar and Flavorings.
The beef used is not guaranteed to be growth hormone free, or having grass in the cattle’s diet. As a result, the highest ingredient list rating that can be achieved is a Good (8/10) rating. However, Jonty Jacobs does offer the choice of buying 100% grass fed biltong in all of their products.
Flavorings should just mean various spices. Traditional biltong spices used may have been coriander, cloves, garlic powder, and black pepper.
Admirably, there is almost no sugar used. The salt level is quite high at 470mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky. Our preference is 350mg of salt or less.
As advertised, this jerky does qualify as having no sodium nitrite, or any other similar unhealthy preservatives. Salt is the main preservative used here, and healthy vinegar also aids in preserving beef. Another bonus is that there is no MSG added.
Decent (7/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
These strips are small in size, and sliced thin. The texture is near soft and tender, but not quite. In the Jonty Jacobs store you have the option of getting biltong cut in front of you that could have a softer texture. Another style of biltong is also sold in their store that is tenderer. Chewing this biltong is very easy. There are some signs of fat, which adds to the natural beef flavor. Handling this biltong does leave a small oily film on your fingers.
South African biltong has a certain unique flavor, and this biltong manages to capture it. The vinegar level here seems mild, and the spices used are a pleasant tasting blend. Without question, the most dominant taste here is the natural beef flavor. The sweetness is faint, and the salt level is moderate. This Jonty Jacobs biltong is a very enjoyable and tasty snack.
This 4 ounce/113.4 gram bag sells for $9.99. That works out to $2.50 an ounce, which works out to a slightly expensive price. This biltong is absolutely worth your money, where anybody who enjoys beef should experience biltong.
Excellent (10/10) – Taste Rating
Bag Review
Everything is imprinted directly on the bag, both on the front and back. There are no labels affixed, and the bag is resealable.
The Jonty Jacobs logo is a drawing of a springbok, with “Purveyor of Fine Beef Products” as their slogan printed under it. Another slogan displayed is “If you like a fine steak, you’ll love Biltong”. Some facts stated on this bag are “Keep Refrigerated”, “No Sodium Nitrate”, “No Artificial Flavoring, Coloring, or Preservatives”, “USDA approved”, “0g Trans Fat”, and “No MSG”.
Every bag category is addressed in this bag. There is great blurb printed on the back describing Jonty Jacobs and biltong. Something you do not see often, there are detailed “Safe Handling Instructions”. To the credit of Jonty Jacobs, they provide a phone number for customer inquiries.
Order their biltong online: www.jontyjacobs.com
I would like to order some of the Biltong, just didn’t know how. Looked around and “clicked” away but no luck! Please send me a website where I can place an order.
Thanks.
Hi Anilda, If you open up http://www.jontyjacobs.com, click on the Shop button. Under the type of product that you want to buy, click on the Buy Now button, and add an item to your cart.