The next review on Jack Link’s will be on a 3.25 ounce/92 gram bag of their chili lime flavored beef jerky. Back in December 2014, while getting off the i81 interstate to fill up with gas, this bag was purchased at a store named Greggs Market Place, in Marathon, New York.
The Jack Link’s brand name is manufactured by Link Snacks, Inc., based out of Minong, Wisconsin. It all started in the 1880’s when Jack Link’s great-grandfather, Chris, settled in Minong, Wisconsin. In 1885 the Jack Link’s brand name was introduced. From generation to generation, they kept on making their legendary sausages and smoked meats. Today, they sell more than 100 different meat snack products in more than 40 countries.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Beef, Water, Sugar, Brown Sugar, Less than 2% Salt, Flavorings, Lime Juice Powder (Corn Syrup, Lime Juice With Added Lime Oil), Natural Smoke Flavor, Yeast Extract, Citric Acid.
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 is just plain old water. The lime flavor is achieved using healthy dried lime juice and lime oil. Unfortunately, the cheap sweetener corn syrup is used, where corn products have no business being in jerky.
The sugar level is 6 grams per 28 grams of jerky. That is somewhat on the high side, where 3 grams or under of sugar per 28 grams of jerky would be preferred. The salt level is reasonable at 310mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky.
This jerky qualifies to have no sodium nitrite, or any other similar unhealthy preservatives. Instead, salt is the main preservative. Flavorings is a very vague ingredient name, which could contain the natural preservative celery powder. With further kudos, this jerky also qualifies to have no MSG added.
Alright (6/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
These strips are mainly small to medium in size, with a medium thickness. This texture is dry, which gives your mouth a workout to chew. There are no visible signs of fat, and handling this jerky leaves no oily residue on your fingers.
The first taste detected is the lime flavor, which is at a good level for a flavor advertised as chili lime. It does not take long for the spiciness to become apparent. For a big brand jerky name, this flavor is surprisingly spicy. The heat level is at a mild to moderate level, depending on your tolerance for spicy foods. There is also a mild smoked taste. One mild complaint is that it’s a little bit too sweet tasting, which mutes the natural beef flavor.
This 3.25 ounce/92 gram bag cost $6.99, which works out to $2.15 an ounce. That equates to an average price. This is not a bad deal for people who enjoy the taste combination of lime, spiciness, and some sweetness.
Bag Review
As with most Jack Link’s bags, they are professional looking, and busy. This is a resealable bag with everything imprinted directly on the front and back. There are no labels affixed to this bag.
Their main slogan is “Feed Your Wild Side”. There are many facts printed on this bag such as “Slow Cooked With Chilis and Sweet Lime”, “Smoke Flavor Added”, “Premium Cuts”, “Wild Side Flavor Limited Edition”, “96% Fat Free”, “10g Protein*”, “8g Total Carbs”, “Packaged in the USA”, and “Carne Asada”.
All bag categories are covered here. There are good blurbs on the back describing this flavor, and about Jack Link’s. To the credit of Jack Link’s, they offer a phone number for customer inquiries. Also to their credit, a “family quality guarantee” is offered.
did not like it