Note: For a recent, live taste review, open Perky Jerky – Original Beef Jerky (Recipe #2).
This review will focus on a 2 ounce/56.7 gram bag of Perky Jerky original flavored beef jerky. This bag was purchased at a 7-Eleven store in Kearny, New Jersey, back in 2010.
The Perky Jerky brand name is distributed by Performance Enhancing Meat Snacks, Inc. Back in 2010 they were based out of Englewood, Colorado. Today, they are based out of Greenwood Village, Colorado. It started with a desire to produce a better tasting jerky, with a soft and tender texture, and not chewy or bland tasting. Perky Jerky has since grown to where they are likely in the top 10 for North American jerky sales. Admirably, portions of each bag purchased goes towards five organizations that support Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and Down Syndrome research.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Whole Slices of Beef, Soy Sauce (Water, Wheat, Soybeans, Salt), Brown Sugar, Lemon Juice, Garlic Powder, Pepper, Guarana, Worcestershire Sauce (Vinegar, Molasses, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Anchovies, Water, Onion, Garlic, Tamarind Extract, Cloves, Natural Flavoring, Chili Pepper Extract, Hydrolyzed Soy and Corn Protein). Allergen Warnings: Soy, Wheat, and Anchovies
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 consists of an alright soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and healthy lemon juice. The Worcestershire sauce unfortunately uses the cheap, unhealthy sweetener high fructose corn syrup. Even worse, the highly processed flavor enhancers hydrolyzed soy protein and hydrolyzed corn protein are used. They are a type of unhealthy trans fat.
Easily the most interesting ingredient used is guarana, although recently it may not be used anymore. Guarana is made from seeds of a shrub from the soapberry family. It has similar effects as caffeine, which acts as a stimulant. It is more common to see guarana used in energy drinks.
Healthy spices such as garlic powder and black pepper are used.
The sugar quantity is a little high at 5 grams of sugar per 28 grams of jerky. Our preference is 3 grams of sugar or under. The salt level is very high at 530mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky. Our preference is 350mg of salt or less.
This jerky does qualify to be sodium nitrite free. Instead, salt is the main preservative used here. This jerky does not qualify to be MSG free because unhealthy flavor enhancers hydrolyzed soy protein and hydrolyzed corn protein were used.
Average (5/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
Note: For a recent, live taste review, open Perky Jerky – Original Beef Jerky (Recipe #2).
All I mainly remember from 2010 is that the jerky tasted alright. It was not bad, but not great either.
This 2 ounce/56.7 gram bag cost $4.99, to the best of my knowledge. That works out to $2.50 an ounce, which rates as an expensive price. The recipe and taste has since changed for the better in 2015.
Alright (6/10) – Ingredient Rating
Bag Review
This is a standard sized, resealable bag. Everything is imprinted directly on the bag, both on the front and back. The Perky Jerky logo printed on the front is interesting, which appears to be the outline of a cow’s head.
Some slogans printed on this bag are “Flavored With Guarana”, “Invigorating Beef Jerky”, and “Invigorating Beef Jerky Flavored With Guarana, Grab a Jerk and Go!”.
Most bag categories are covered here. This bag has no transparent window to view the actual jerky. Also missing is a blurb about Perky Jerky.
Order their jerky online: www.perkyjerky.com
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