This review will focus on a 2.2 ounce/62.4 gram bag of Perky Jerky original flavored jerky. This bag was graciously submitted by the Perky Jerky team.
The Perky Jerky brand name is distributed by Performance Enhancing Meat Snacks, Inc. They are located in Greenwood Village, Colorado. In their words, Perky Jerky was started by “two Jerks”. The goal was to make a great tasting jerky with a soft and tender texture. Today, Perky Jerky are most 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: Turkey Breast, Soy Sauce (Water, Defatted Soybeans, Wheat, Salt, Ethyl Alcohol, Sugar), Brown Sugar, Lemon Juice, Garlic Powder, Black Pepper, Guarana, Organic Worcestershire Sauce (Water, Organic Vinegar, Organic Gluten-Free Tamri (Water, Organic Soybeans, Salt), Organic Sugar, Salt, Organic Garlic Powder, Organic Onion Powder, Organic Spices). Allergen Warnings: Soy, Wheat
On the whole, turkey is a leaner and healthier choice of meat compared to using beef. Turkeys raised in the US are not allowed to receive growth hormones.
The liquid marinade consists of soy sauce, healthy lemon juice, and organic Worcestershire sauce. As Worcestershire sauces go, this is one of the healthiest ingredient lists you will find in the market.
Easily the most interesting ingredient used is guarana, which you could say is how the Perky Jerky brand name was created. 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.
Both the salt and sugar levels used are at very respectable levels. There is only 2 grams of sugar per 28 grams of jerky. As for the salt, it contains 190mg per 28 grams of jerky.
This jerky does qualify to be sodium nitrite free. Instead, salt is the main preservative used here. With further kudos to Perky Jerky, there is no MSG added.
Very Good (9/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
These strips are medium sized, and sliced surprisingly thin. This jerky does qualify to have a soft and tender texture, which makes for easy chewing. There are no visible signs of fat, and handling this jerky leaves very little oily residue on your fingers.
The first taste detected is the actual natural turkey flavor, which is the way it should be for an original flavor. There is a moderate soy taste, and a slight tang from the lemon juice. The sweet level is mild, and only lightly salty tasting. While mild tasting, onion and garlic are always a great combination. Occasionally, you encounter a small burst of a peppery flavor from the black pepper.
This 2.2 ounce/62.4 gram bag of this jerky sells online for $4.99. That equates to $2.27 an ounce, which classifies as an average price. This jerky is certainly worth your money.
Very Good (9/10) – Taste 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 is a fancy graphic of a turkey.
Some slogans printed on this bag are “Ultra Premium Turkey Jerky”, “The Action Packed Snack!”, and “If you are holding this, you are one of the lucky ones!”. Facts printed on this bag are “No Fat”, “All Natural”, “No Preservatives”, “No Nitrites”, “No MSG Added”, “Product of USA”, “Minimally Processed”, “No Artificial Ingredients”, and “All Natural”.
All bag categories are covered here with one exception. This bag has no transparent window to view the actual jerky. There is a good blurb written on the back about this jerky. It is also stated on the bag that “A portion of our earnings will be devoted to Muscular Dystrophy and Down Syndrome Research”.
The bag listed at the bottom was purchased at a Target store in East Rutherford, New Jersey, back in 2012 for $5.99. While the bag design has slightly changed, the ingredient list has only since been tweaked.
Order their jerky online: www.perkyjerky.com
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