The first review for Redneck Riviera will focus on a 2.85 ounce/80 gram bag of their Sweet & Spicy BBQ pork jerky. This bag was purchased at an Ollie’s discount store in Niagara Falls, New York.
This Redneck Riviera brand of jerky is distributed by Monogram Foods, LLC., and they are located in Memphis Tennessee. The Redneck Riviera brand is not just limited to jerky. Other Redneck Riviera items include clothes, boots, baseball caps, beer, and whiskey. The Redneck Riviera slogan is “Work Hard. Play Hard.” In their words: “Redneck Riviera celebrates the men and women who make America the greatest nation in the world. It’s based on not only a work ethic that’s second to none, but also a passion for making the most of every moment. With Redneck Riviera, we’re honoring this unique American mindset by celebrating those folks who play every bit as hard as they work.”
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Pork, Brown Sugar, Water, Soy Sauce (Water, Soybeans, Rice, Salt), BBQ Seasoning (Sea Salt, Spices Including Celery Seed, Paprika, Dehydrated Garlic, Sugar, Onion Powder, Citric Acid). Contains 2% or Less of Salt, Flavorings, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Sodium Nitrite, Citric Acid. Allergen Warnings: Soy
The pork used is not guaranteed to be free of growth hormones or additional antibiotics. Also, the pork is not guaranteed to have at least partial free range access to roam about outside. As a result, the highest ingredient rating that can be awarded is a Good (8/10) rating.
The liquid marinade consists of water, a gluten-free soy sauce, and a small amount of healthy lemon juice concentrate.
There are multiple healthy ingredients added such as celery seeds, paprika, dehydrated garlic, and onion powder. The vague, annoying term of flavorings is listed, which could include healthy and unhealthy ingredients.
The sugar level is acceptable at 4 grams of sugar per 28 grams of jerky for a sweet based flavor as we have here with Sweet & Spicy BBQ. The salt level is respectable at 270mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky.
It is disappointing to see that unhealthy sodium nitrite is used as preservative to lose a rating. Admirably, this jerky does qualify to have no MSG added.
Decent (7/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
These strips of jerky are small to medium and size. The thickness ranges from medium to thick. This texture is in between dry and soft, requiring a reasonable amount of effort to chew. There are some visible signs of fat that accentuate the natural pork flavor.
Some of the first flavors detected are a mild level of saltiness, a medium level of sweetness, and natural pork flavor. The barbecue flavor starts to develop more, which may be confused as tasting similar to ketchup. One may argue that this flavor is too sweet tasting, but let’s argue that the sweetness level is borderline acceptable.
As for the spiciness there is zero present, which is both a surprise and disappointment. As a theory, we wonder if this flavor was mistakenly identified as ‘Sweet & Spicy’, and the reason why this jerky is sold at such a ridiculously low price.
We have mixed opinions here on this Sweet & Spicy BBQ flavor. As stated by Paul, ” I am detecting absolutely zero zing/tang/spice to this flavour of jerky. Too much sweet and not enough spice. Nothing whatsoever is jumping out at me. Just decent. A 7 or 8/10 at best I would say.”
I personally found this flavor to be enjoyable, but it did not blow me away, especially with the lack of spiciness.
Stéphane on the other hand was quite receptive to this flavor: “I am tremendously enjoying this Redneck Riviera Sweet and Spicy BBQ Pork Jerky. It is very flavorful and reminiscent of BBQ ribs. The pork is rich and decadent and the seasoning accentuate nicely the overall flavor profile without distracting from the abundance of natural pork flavor. I am unable to find any fault with this jerky except for the spiciness as stated on the bag. I’d recommend this jerky to any Rib Fest survivors or any rib lovers around the world if they manage to find this great meaty treat anywhere else. I confidently and unapologetically rate this excellent jerky a highly favorable 9/10 taste rating.”
This 2.85 ounce/80 gram bag of jerky cost $2.49. That equates to 87 cents an ounce, which rates as a dirt cheap price.
Bag Review
This plastic resealable bag with a paper bag look has everything imprinted directly on the plastic bag, both on the front and back. The trademarked Redneck Riviera logo is a blue and white star separated at the middle, and two R’s below, with one of the R’s being upside down.
The slogan printed on this bag is “Work Hard. Play Hard.” There are no facts printed on this bag.
The only bag category missing is facts about this jerky, where there is a fair amount of unused space on the front. There is a good blurb printed on the back describing the philosophy of Redneck Riviera. To the credit of Redneck Riviera, a toll-free phone number is provided for customer inquiries.
Leave a Comment