The next review for Cheyenne Brand will be on a 2.75 ounce/78 gram bag of their teriyaki beef jerky. This flavor is advertised to be slow cooked for a flavorful experience. The bag was purchased at a gas bar convenience store in New Milford, Pennsylvania.
This Cheyenne Brand of jerky is distributed by Monogram Food Solutions, LLC., and they are located in Memphis, Tennessee. Monogram Foods was recognized as the national meat processing industry’s 2017 Processor of the Year. In 2017, Monogram Foods had planned on investing almost $70 million in upgrading current processing equipment, installing new processing equipment, and training their local team members on that equipment. Monogram Food Solutions is fully committed to be the market leaders in environmental sustainability, community involvement, and ethical products marketing. Since early 2005, revenues have grown from $8 million annually to more than $500 million in 2015. Monogram Foods employs more than 2600 team members in permanent positions that include benefits.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Beef, Water, Sugar, Brown Sugar, Soy Sauce (Water, Soybeans, Rice, Salt). Contains 2% or Less of Fructose, Corn Syrup, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Maltodextrin, Disodium Inosinate and Guanylate, Sodium Erythorbate, Flavorings, Paprika Oleoresin, Sodium Nitrite. Allergen Warnings: Soy
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 water and a good gluten-free soy sauce.
The only healthy ingredient stated is a small amount of paprika oleoresin (similar to paprika extract), whose purpose is likely as a red food coloring agent. The vague term flavorings is used, which could include healthy and/or unhealthy ingredients.
For a sweet based flavor as we have here with teriyaki, the sugar level is acceptable at 4 grams of sugar per 28 grams of jerky. The salt level is also acceptable at 340mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky.
It is disappointing to see that sodium nitrite and sodium erythorbate are used as preservatives.
This jerky does not qualify to be MSG free because the highly processed flavor enhancer hydrolyzed corn protein is used. Additionally, the unhealthy flavor enhancers disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate are used, which work synergistically together.
Average (5/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
Written by guest jerky reviewer Stéphane Leclerc
As I first tasted this Cheyenne Brand Teriyaki Beef Jerky, I did not find any single flavor that really stands out or shines. A mild sweetness and saltiness is noticeable followed by notes of light soy. This is not totally unpleasant and these flavors are much lighter than most typical Teriyaki based flavors. The sweetness could probably be more pronounced but we can live with this lighter sweetness.
In fact, there is not much else to really be reminiscent of a teriyaki flavor. Some traditional teriyaki seasonings such as garlic, ginger and especially Mirin which is a common Sweet Japanese Rice Wine would have been welcomed. Some of these common ingredients would give a Japanese/ Asian flair and brighten or make its flavor profile more appealing as it clearly also lacks any tanginess or sourness. A little splash would certainly cheer up these flavors and bring a little fun and excitement to the party. Although, not listed in the ingredient list, we could also taste what appears to be a slight smokiness.
There is some beef flavor present but not without a processed taste to it. After consuming a few more strips, this unnatural and processed beef flavor becomes more apparent and bothersome.
There are flavor enhancers such as hydrolyzed corn protein and disodium (inosinate and guanylate) used in making this jerky and these generally accentuates all flavors especially beef. Although these flavor enhancers were used, they somewhat fail to really pull the trigger. Instead, they give this jerky a somewhat unnatural savory flavor as well as a processed feel and taste.
These strips of jerky are small in size and sliced reasonably thick. They are mostly uniform in size. The texture is more on the soft and tender side with a slight dryness and reasonably easy to chew.
This Cheyenne Brand Teriyaki Beef Jerky feels flat and uninspiring with no real hooks to make us crave for more. Although, the taste is fine, there is nothing that really stands out at all. This jerky is more of a typical run of the mill jerky flavor without the usual or associated excessive saltiness and sweetness. We’ve granted this jerky an Average (5/10) taste rating.
On a more positive note, the salt level for this flavor has been cut down nearly in half since 2010.
This 2.75 ounce/78 gram bag of jerky cost $6.99. That equates to $2.54 an ounce, which rates as an average price.
Bag Review
Everything is imprinted directly on the plastic bag, both on the front and back. The Cheyenne Brand logo states that this jerky is “Made in Minnesota”.
There is no slogan printed on this bag. Some facts printed on this bag are “Slow Cooked”, “Gluten Free”, and “High Protein”. One fact is covered by a carelessly placed price sticker.
All bag categories are covered here with this bag. The back of this bag has a somewhat generic blurb printed that could describe multiple jerky brands. To the credit of Monogram Food Solutions, LLC., there is a toll free phone number provided for customer inquiries.
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