The next review for 4 Seasons Jerky will focus on a 2 ounce/56.7 gram bag of their Sweet Chili Sriracha flavored beef jerky. This flavor is advertised as a savory marriage of chili peppers and beef, marinated together with Sriracha hot sauce to kick the flavor up a notch. The bag was kindly submitted for review by the owner, Thom Le, which is short for Thomas
This 4 Seasons Jerky brand named is distributed under the same name of 4 Seasons Jerky, and they are based out of Highland, California. Thom is an avid outdoorsman, and started making homemade jerky to keep up his energy level. His jerky became a big hit with his friends, and in October 2016, Thom launched this 4 Seasons Jerky brand. Their motto is “Quality Jerky For Any Occasion, All Year Long”. Currently for the Christmas holidays all jerky is on sale!
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Beef, Sweet Chili Sauce, Sriracha Sauce, Black Pepper, Soy Sauce, Worcestershire Sauce, Smoke Liquid, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Red Crush Pepper, Other Spices. Allergen Warnings: Soy, Wheat, 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 a sweet chili sauce, a good brand of sriracha sauce, a decent soy sauce, a decent Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke. The popularity of sriracha sauce in the USA has soared in the last 5 years, and it offers some health benefits.
Healthy spices are used such as black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and others. The heat is achieved from hot peppers, which are healthy if eaten in moderation, and flush toxins out of the body.
The salt level is a little high at 380mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky. Our preferred level is 350mg of salt or less per 28 grams of jerky. The sugar level is 5 grams of sugar per 28 grams of jerky, which is the acceptable upper limit for a sweet based flavor.
This jerky does qualify to have no sodium nitrite, or any other similar unhealthy preservatives. Instead, the main preservative used is salt. Commendably, there is no MSG added.
Decent (7/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
These strips of jerky are mainly medium in size, and sliced to a medium thickness. The texture is sort of dry, and reasonably easy to chew. There are a few signs of fat that accentuate the natural beef flavor. Handling this jerky leaves no oily residue on your fingers.
A good level of chili sauce is noticeable right away. There is some sweetness, but it does not go overboard. Each bite finishes off with a light level of smokiness. A great mild level of black pepper is present, as is light levels of garlic and onion.
While this flavor is quite flavorful, the sriracha flavor itself is not all that strong tasting. On a heat scale, it would rate a 2 out of 5. The combination of soy and Worcestershire sauce are at light levels. Overall, a great bold tasting flavor that just falls short on the Sriracha sauce.
A 4 ounce/113 gram bag sells online for $9.49. That works out to $2.37 an ounce, which rates as just a slightly expensive price. This flavor is wholly recommended as worthwhile for people who enjoy chili sauce with a little spiciness.
Very Good (9/10) – Taste Rating
Bag Review
This plastic bag has the whole front covered in a paper bag look, and the back is 100% transparent to view the jerky. There is a label affixed to the front, and nothing on the back. The logo is mountains, which illustrates the outdoors.
There is no slogan printed on the bag. Facts provided are “13g Protein”, “Tender & Savory”, “0g Trans Fat”, “Natural Ingredients”, “High Energy”, “Great Snack”, “Healthy Choice”, and “Low Carb”.
There are some bag categories missing such as a best before date, bar code, allergen alerts, distributor address details, and a blurb about the jerky or flavor.
Order their jerky online: www.4seasonsjerky.com
Thank you guys for always putting forth effort and time. Amazing work you do for the jerky community. Bravo.
For all you jerky lovers out there, our jerky products are all ON SALE thru the Christmas holiday! Use promo code: TISTHESEASON at checkout and save an additional 10% OFF already discounted prices! Valid thru Christmas!