This next review for Chef’s Cut Real Jerky will focus on a 1.25 ounce/35 gram bag of their Original Recipe flavored beef jerky. This flavor is described as a unique blend, combined with their proprietary smoking process, giving the perfect proportion of salty, spicy, and sweet. The bag was purchased for $3.49 at a ShopRite store in Lyndhurst, New Jersey.
This Chef’s Cut Real Jerky brand name is distributed by RSJ Ventures LLC, and 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”. Chef’s Cut Real Jerky continues to grow, where the company projects it will book over $100 million in retail sales this year. In June 2017, the very talented and beautiful actress Olivia Munn became an official sponsor for Chef’s Cut Real Jerky. Photographs of Olivia have certainly brightened up our jerky centric social media news feeds.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Beef, Soy Sauce (Water, Hydrolyzed Corn and Soy Protein, Corn Syrup, Salt, Caramel Color, Lactic Acid), Worcestershire Sauce (Distilled White Vinegar, Molasses, Sugar, Water, Salt, Onions, Anchovies, Garlic, Cloves, Tamarind Extract, Natural Flavorings, Chili Pepper Extract), Horseradish (Horseradish Roots, Vinegar, Salt and Mustard Oil), Liquid Smoke (Water, Natural Hickory Smoke Flavor, Vinegar, Molasses, Caramel Color, Salt), Celery Powder, Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Red Pepper. Allergen Warnings: Soy, 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 very bad soy sauce, a very good Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke.
Easily the most interesting ingredient used is horseradish, where horseradish roots offer multiple health benefits, and are in the superfood category.
The sugar level is high at 6.4 grams of sugar per 28 grams of jerky. Our preference is 3 grams of sugar or less. The salt level is somewhat high at 392mg 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 celery powder to a lesser extent. This jerky does not qualify to be MSG free, because the highly processed flavor enhancers hydrolyzed corn protein and hydrolyzed soy protein are used.
Average (5/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
These strips of jerky are small in size, and sliced thick. The texture is soft and tender, which is easy 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 sweetness at too high of a level, which tends to drown out all of the other flavors. At a light level is the black pepper. There is a good ratio of soy and Worcestershire sauce at a mild level.
With so much sweetness present, there is not a great deal of natural beef flavor. There is an interesting foreign flavor here, which is likely the horseradish. The saltiness is at a mild level, and there is a faint smoked flavor in the background. Overall, while there is a good flavor, the sweetness overwhelms here.
This 1.25 ounce/35 gram bag cost $3.49, which works out to $2.79 an ounce. That rates as an expensive price. This flavor is only recommended if you would enjoy an overly sweet tasting flavor.
Bag Review
This small, non-resealable bag has everything imprinted directly on the bag itself, both on the front and back. There are no labels affixed to this bag. The Chef’s Cut Real Jerky logo is a graphic of a bull.
One slogan displayed is “Real Steak Jerky”. Some other facts printed on this bag are “High in Protein”, “Made With Premium Beef”, “Smoke Flavor Added”, “Smoked Beef”, “15g Protein”, “Perfectly Tender”, “No Nitrites”, and “Certified Gluten Free”.
The only missing bag categories are that the jerky weight is not stated in grams, and no transparent window to view the jerky. Social media handles are displayed for Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Admirably, an email address is provided for customer inquiries.
I need expiration date please on barcode 58900506.