In 2018, current CEO James Napier, being a knee down amputee, was determined not to let that disability affect him. James reached out to a friend, fellow patriot, serial entrepreneur, and current COO Lance Wood. Together, while eating some special hot sauces at a local barbecue, James thought that he could sell these hot sauces. In collaboration with their wives, The Patriot Brands LLC was launched shortly afterward selling hot sauces.
James then resurrected his dream of selling jerky. Teaming up with trusted FDA certified processor Kill to Grill with their decades of experience manufacturing jerky, this The Patriot Brands Jerky was officially launched. Late in 2018, The Patriot Brands LLC introduced meat sticks to their line of products for sale. This jerky is distributed by The Patriot Brands LLC, and they are located in Cuba, Missouri.
The next review on The Patriot Brands Jerky will focus on a 6 ounce/170 gram bag of their Hot Little Smokies flavored pork beef stick. The bag was kindly submitted for review by COO Lance Wood.
Ingredient Review
Pork, Beef, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Granulated Sugar, Filtered Water, Citric Acid, Natural Flavors, Artificial Flavors, Sodium Benzoate, FD&C #40, Blue #1, Salt, Spices, Dextrose, Garlic Powder, Natural Spice Extractive, Sodium Nitrite, FD&C #3, Hydrogenated Palm Oil.
The beef and pork 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.
There are some healthy ingredients added such as spices (which likely contains onion powder and black pepper, maybe chili powder), and garlic powder.
There is no nutrition facts table provided. As a result, the exact sugar and salt levels are unknown.
These meat sticks do not qualify to be sodium nitrite free, as sodium nitrite is used outright as a preservative to lose a rating. Commendably, this flavor qualifies to have no MSG added.
Decent (7/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
THE PATRIOT BRANDS JERKY – HOT LITTLE SMOKIES PORK BEEF STICK
Written by guest jerky reviewer Stéphane Leclerc
The Patriot Brands Hot Meat Stick explodes with flavor. The first flavor out of the bag is a generous sourness. This went either way with some of our tasters, some were not too keen on it while others such as myself absolutely loves it.
Then, a gentle spiciness tickles my palate and keeps developing with every bite I take. The onion and garlic flavors are subtle and along with the smokiness, they add to the richness of this succulent flavor profile. I love these flavors and I have a tough time pacing myself, I could probably devour this meat stick in a bite or maybe two …OK definitely one bite!
This meat stick is lean and unlike most meat sticks, there is absolutely no fat rolling on the tongue or any oiliness while chewing. This makes each bite nice, clean and the great quality of this product is unmistakable. Unlike a brand that rhymes with Blim Sim.
This treat will certainly be a favorite with anyone who enjoys some sourness, as it brightens the taste of this well crafted little treats. This meat stick has put a smile on my face and a little ray of sunshine in my day.
The final taste rating varied between tasters, a 9/10 taste rating and a job well done was achieved by The Patriot Brands Jerky.
Here is what Mark had to say about this hot little smokies pork beef stick from The Patriot Brands: “Thanks Stéphane for the great taste review. Agreed that the sour taste from the lactic acid similar to vinegar steals the show, where I happen to enjoy sourness also. Even Ava awarded an 8.4 taste rating, among her highest ratings to date. Ava being our only female representation in these taste reviews.”
“One complaint about this meat stick is that the heat level is nowhere near a ‘hot’ level. While not entirely true, you seem to get more heat from the black pepper. Even Stéphane conceded to me that the heat level is at 1 on the heat level scale. With a flavor name with the name ‘Hot’ in it, there has to be something higher than what we have here to lose a taste rating.”
“Last complaint is that I and others had a hard time detecting the smokiness. With the word ‘Smokies’ in the flavor name, you would think the smoked flavor should be apparent if not obvious to lose another taste rating.”
“These meat sticks were shared between ten people. The majority of participants were in the 7 – 8 taste rating territory. True, the sourness rubbed some people the wrong way, plus the lack of heat and smoke flavor.”
A 6 ounce/170 gram bag currently sells online for sale at $5.00. That works out to 83 cents an ounce, which rates as a cheap price. Free shipping is offered on online orders of $40, and includes a free pocket Constitution!
Bag Review
This non-resealable bag has a label affixed to the front, and nothing on the back. The Patriot Brands Jerky logo resembles a dog tag issued by the military.
There are no slogans or facts printed on this bag.
Some missing bag categories are a blurb printed about The Patriot Brands Jerky or this Hot Little Smokies flavor, a nutrition facts table, and a best before date. A lot number is provided, which could translate to a best before date.
Order their jerky online: www.thepatriotbrands.com
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