This next review for Chef’s Cut Real Jerky will be on a 2 ounce/56 gram bag of their Maple flavored bacon jerky. The bag was purchased for $6.49 at a Fairway store in Woodland Park, New Jersey.
This Chef’s Cut Real jerky brand name is distributed by RSJ Ventures LLC. They are based out of Naples, Florida. The chief and founder, Blair Swiler, is a chef. Initially, Blair only made jerky for his family using a proprietary smoking process. Then his business partner, and now co-founder, Dennis Riedel, realized the potential of selling “Filet in a Bag”. In their words, it is “Jerky Done Right”. They aspire to only make the best jerky they can, where they don’t believe that anything, or anyone, should ever stop improving. Their mission is to make the best tasting product, using only the highest quality ingredients.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Natural Bacon (Pork, Water, Salt, Turbinado Sugar, Celery Powder, Lactic Acid Starter Culture [Not From Milk]), Maple Syrup, Powdered Sugar, Brown Sugar, Honey, Water.
This is a surprisingly good ‘natural bacon’ ingredient list, being uncured. It is uncommon to see no sodium based preservatives used with bacon. There are no guarantees that the pigs had free range access, or were ethically raised. As a result, the highest ingredient rating that can be awarded is a Good (8/10) rating.
The liquid marinade consists of water, a good maple syrup, and healthy honey. Maple syrup being a natural sweetener contains over 65 antioxidants, but should be consumed in moderation.
The sugar level is very high at 8 grams of sugar per 28 grams of jerky. For a sweet based flavor as we have here, our preference is 5 grams of sugar or less. In fairness, turbinado sugar, maple syrup, and honey are some of the better sweeteners out there. The salt level is high at 560mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky. Our preference is 350mg of salt or less.
This jerky does qualify to have no sodium nitrite. Instead, salt is the main preservative used, and to a lesser degree celery powder. Admirably, this jerky does qualify to have no MSG added.
Alright (6/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
These strips of bacon are mostly normal in size, and sliced borderline thin. The texture is only slightly crispy, almost being soft and tender. A normal amount of fat is visible considering this is bacon. Handling this jerky leaves some oily residue left on your fingers.
The first flavor detected is the sweetness, which is arguably too sweet tasting. Both the honey and maple are at faint to light levels, with the brown sugar being stronger tasting. The saltiness is curiously only at a mild to light level.
The natural flavor of bacon is no different than a normal strip of bacon, albeit the sweetness tends to drown out the bacon flavor. After consuming multiple strips, you get the feeling that you are eating bacon candy. Overall, you would have to enjoy sweet tasting bacon in order to appreciate this maple flavor.
This 2 ounce/56 gram bag cost $6.49, which works out to $3.25 an ounce. That rates as an expensive price. This jerky is recommended if you would enjoy a sweet based bacon flavor.
Bag Review
This wide resealable plastic bag has everything imprinted on the bag itself, both on the front and back. A pig is displayed on the front. On the back, there is a high resolution picture of bacon with a bottle of maple syrup.
There is no slogan displayed. Some facts printed are “Uncured Bacon Jerky”, “Handcrafted”, “Made With Uncured Bacon”, “Uncured Bacon”, “No Nitrites”, “Gluten Free”, and “Product of USA”. There is a Keepin’ It Real customer comment printed on the back.
The pig displayed on the front has sayings “Nobody Puts Bacon In The Corner”, “My Name’s Bacon. Crispy Bacon”, “Show Me The Bacon”, “Bacon”, “Hasta La Vista Bacon”, and “You Had Me At Bacon”.
The only bag categories missing are the jerky weight not stated in grams, and no transparent window to view the jerky. A very good blurb is printed on the bag about this flavor and the company. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram handles are provided. Commendably, an email address is provided for customer inquiries.
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