The first review on Freedom Jerky will focus on a 2.5 ounce/70.9 gram bag of their American Original flavored beef jerky. This American Original flavor is described as a special blend of spices in a unique marinade refined over three decades resulting in a savory classic jerky with a well-balanced natural beef flavor; soft and tender decadence in every bite. The jerky bag was kindly submitted for review by lead role, and former combat veteran, Jonathan Chia.
Freedom Jerky is distributed by Freedom Jerky, LLC, and they are located in Stilwell, Kansas, who launched on Veterans Day November 11/2017. Every bag of jerky sold supports the nonprofit, War Horses for Veterans, a powerful equestrian healing experience for combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) adjusting back to civilian life. At no cost, combat veterans go to their farm for three days in Stilwell, Kansas, and experience horsemanship. The lasting effects of the connection and trust built between the horse and veteran is like no other. Former combat veteran and lead actor of the upcoming Sons of Anarchy spinoff Mayans Vincent “Rocco” Vargas partnered with Freedom Jerky, and also to promote the benefits of War Horses for Veterans. All Freedom Jerky is made in small batches using a quality cut of USDA beef, which is MSG and nitrate free.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Beef, Brown Sugar, Soy Sauce (Water, Wheat, Soybeans, Salt), Worcestershire Sauce (Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Distilled Vinegar, Worcestershire Sauce Base (Distilled Vinegar, Molasses, Corn Syrup, Water, Salt, Caramel Color, Garlic Powder, Sugar, Spices, Tamarind, Natural Flavor), Salt, Citric Acid), Chili Sauce (Sugar, Water, Corn Syrup Powder, Garlic, Salted Chili Peppers, Rice Vinegar, Salt, Modified Corn Starch, Concentrated Pineapple Juice, Shallot, Garlic Powder, Acetic Acid, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Paprika Oleorskin), Balsamic Vinegar, Seasoned Rice Vinegar (Rice Vinegar, Corn Syrup, Salt, Brown Sugar), Liquid Smoke, Spices. Allergen Warnings: Soy, Wheat
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.
This busy liquid marinade used here is comprised of a decent soy sauce, an average Worcestershire sauce, a decent chili sauce, healthy balsamic vinegar, an alright seasoned rice vinegar, and liquid smoke. It is disappointing to see that the highly processed cheap sweetener high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is used in the Worcestershire sauce.
Unfortunately, corn syrup is listed three times in the ingredient list, which deducts an ingredient rating.
The sugar level is great at only 1 gram of sugar per 28 grams of jerky. The salt level is extremely low at only 80mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky.
This jerky qualifies to have no sodium nitrite, or any other similar unhealthy preservative. Instead, salt is the main preservative used, and the various vinegars to a lesser degree. With more kudos to Freedom Jerky, this jerky has no MSG added.
Alright (6/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
Written by guest jerky reviewer Stéphane Leclerc
I am almost speechless and can only say: Wow! You should really get this American Original beef jerky by Freedom Jerky before it gets outlawed!
I’ve opened the bag and I was delighted with a beautifully rich and inviting aroma complimented by a few little notes of vinegar. The first flavors are a mildly sweet and savory deliciousness followed by a perfect blend of soy and Worcestershire sauce with a slight accent on the Worcestershire. These great flavors aren’t overpowering and its natural beef flavor is a true testament to this fact.
The chili sauce is an excellent addition and complements the overall flavor really well. There is a tiny spicy bite present and after chewing a few strips, its subtle kick slightly increases and gently tickles the tongue. There is an exquisite level of acidity and tanginess from the balsamic vinegar and rice vinegar in every bite …this is a good thing!
The garlic is at a light level and the onion is at a lesser degree with a hint of smokiness in the background. There is a generous level of great natural beef flavor and it is inline with a respectable original flavor.
These strips are medium to small in size and sliced to a perfect medium thickness. The texture is on the soft and tender side and easy to chew. I really appreciate this jerky as it is slightly dryer than most soft and tender jerky and it is quickly becoming my favorite.
This beef jerky has a very unique flavor profile; I would term this as a wonderfully complex blend of flavors and spices. This is a fun and interesting jerky and the flavor and texture keeps you on your toes. This could certainly be attributed to some great quality ingredients such as the chili sauce, soy and Worcestershire sauces and a beautiful balsamic vinegar and blend of spices.
As I chew another strip, the flavor and texture seems to get better and better, this jerky is highly addictive and I keep discovering more intricacies and nuances with every bite. This jerky is absolutely delicious on its own and would be amazing chopped up and generously sprinkled over eggs or omelets, some waffles or crepes, in a favorite sandwich, burger or grilled cheese, a Mac & Cheese or pastas, mashed potatoes or as a topping over a baked potato, salads, a delicious pizza and a great poutine or simply folded in a veggie dip to name just a few!
I absolutely agree with the statement on the Freedom Jerky website, where this savory classic is rich and decadent in every little bite. The attention to details is outstanding, this jerky was brilliantly and cleverly developed and all the flavors are well-balanced as such beef delicacy can only be.
This is an exceptional treat and I enthusiastically recommend and rate this flavor as Excellent 10/10 as it certainly tastes like more.
A 2.5 ounce/70.9 gram bag of jerky sells online for $7.00, which works out to $2.80 an ounce. That would rate as an average price.
Excellent (10/10) – Taste Rating
Bag Review
This white plastic resealable bag has a label affixed to the front, and nothing on the back. The Freedom Jerky logo has a cool, interesting looking bull’s head in the middle.
While maybe not official, the slogan printed on this bag is “Each Bag Helps War Horses For Veterans”. Some facts printed are “Award Winning”, “American Made”, and “Natural Smoke Flavoring Added”.
The only bag category missing is a blurb printed about Freedom Jerky, or this American Original flavor. To the credit of Freedom Jerky, a toll free phone number is provided for customer inquiries.
Order their jerky online: www.freedomjerky.com
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