Eden and his wife Marie (aka Ria) Van officially launched Ria’s RoadKill Jerky in 2011, based out of Long Beach, California where Eden was raised. Eden is a first generation Cambodian immigrant and Marie is Filipina. Ria’s RoadKill Jerky award winning jerky is smoked in very small batches using all natural ingredients with no preservatives that takes four days to make from start to finish.
Currently, Ria’s RoadKill Jerky sells Original, Chipotle, Canadian, Habanero, Korean BBQ, Spicy Sriracha, and Peppered beef jerky flavors, along with a Mesquite flavor of crispy Jerky Chips. Today, Ria’s RoadKill Jerky now operates out of Sacramento, California.
Unfortunately, we are sad to announce that Ria’s RoadKill Jerky has since gone out of business.
The next review for Ria’s RoadKill Jerky will focus on a 4 ounce/113 gram bag of their Chipotle beef jerky. This jerky was graciously submitted for review by Chef/Owner Eden Van.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Beef, Water, Soy Sauce, Spices, Natural Flavorings. 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.
The only liquids listed in the marinade used here are water and an unknown ingredient list for soy sauce.
Healthy spices are added, which likely includes onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper.
There is no nutrition facts table provided. As a result, the exact sugar and salt levels are unknown.
This jerky does qualify to not use sodium nitrite, or any other similar preservatives. Instead, salt is the main preservative. Admirably, this jerky does qualify to have no MSG added.
Good (8/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
RIA’S ROADKILL JERKY – CHIPOTLE BEEF JERKY
Written by guest jerky reviewer Paul Rekker
When I open the bag, I smell very little, possibly a juice. The jerky is generally medium in size, and it is sliced both thin and medium. The jerky is soft and chewy, and it leaves no oily residue on your fingers.
The first flavors I encounter are salt, pepper, garlic, onion, natural beef, and the unmistakable taste of chipotle. This jerky is definitely hitting large on the ‘wow!’ factor, it is quite the tasty jerky.
Ria, I asked you last review to disclose what highway you were collecting this roadkill jerky from. Time to ‘fess up, I wanna grab me my own roadkill, scrape it off of the asphalt, and doctor it up for consumption. You have a winning recipe here, I pledge my allegiance to the Ria’s Roadkill Cafe, where the second time around is ‘da bomb. A 10/10 gentlemen, this flavor is ‘da bomb 😋👍
Here is what Stéphane had to say: “Ria’s RoadKill Jerky – Chipotle is quite tasty and superb in my book. The smokiness is unmistakable and can be smelled a mile away. A nice little kick of heat is pleasantly balanced with a hint of sweetness. The Spiciness is at a level that will certainly be enjoyed by most jerky enthusiasts.”
“In the end, all the flavors are well displayed without any one of them stealing the show. The texture is nice and tender and it is easy to extract maximum flavor from this little treat.”
“I can only say good things about this jerky and I happily rate it 10/10.”
Here is what Mark had to say about this Chipotle beef jerky flavor from Ria’s RoadKill Jerky: “Thanks Stéphane and Paul. Hard to argue with your logic. The thickness of the strips ranged from borderline thin to thick, where the taste profile was not consistent strip to strip. I wouldn’t say that the chipotle heat level was at a good level, but an acceptable level. On a heat scale the spiciness would rate a 2 out of 5. Ria’s RoadKill Jerky does not shy away from using fat in their jerky strips, which accentuates the natural flavor of beef. Once again with Ria’s RoadKill Jerky, the smoked hickory flavor does steal the show.”
Ria’s RoadKill Jerky sells 2 pounds (eight 4 ounce/113 gram bags of jerky) online for $64.99. That equates to $2.03 an ounce, which rates as a cheap price. Commendably, free shipping is offered on all orders. For smaller orders, visit their EBay and ETSY shops.
Excellent (10/10) – Taste Rating
Bag Review
This beige plastic resealable has a label affixed to both the front and back. The Ria’s RoadKill Jerky logo depicts a picture of a bull’s head. There is a graphic on the front indicating that this is award winning jerky.
A slogan printed on this bag is “The Real Man’s Meat – EST. 2011”. The only fact printed on this bag is “No Preservatives”.
Some bag categories missing are the jerky weight not stated in grams, a USDA stamp, barcode, allergen alerts, distributor address details, best before date, a hole to hang on hooks, a blurb about Ria’s RoadKill Jerky or this flavor, and a nutrition facts table.
Order their jerky online: www.riasroadkilljerky.com
Leave a Comment