Soo Jerky was founded in Vancouver, British Columbia, by married couple Phillip and Soo Wong in 1985 with a 1,400 sq. ft facility. They now use a 10,000 sq. ft facility specializing in Singaporean and Malaysian-style beef, salmon, and pork jerky. There is a heavy presence of Asians in Vancouver, British Columbia, where this Soo Jerky brand became popular in Chinatown. Currently, they sell over 40 different types of meat snacks.
Soo Jerky made its first major debut at the 1986 World Exposition hosted in beautiful Vancouver, BC, Canada. Soo Jerky sells this jerky to other Canadian provinces, including some American cities. This Soo Jerky brand name is distributed by Soo Jerky Ltd., based out of Richmond, British Columbia, Canada.
The next review on Soo Jerky will focus on a 3 ounce/85 gram bag of their Spicy Szechaun Style flavored beef jerky. This bag of jerky was purchased at a 99 Ranch Market store in Hackensack, New Jersey.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Beef, Soy Sauce (Water, Soybeans, Wheat, Salt), Glucose, Ground Chili, Spices, Paprika Extract, Sodium Nitrite. Allergen Warnings: May Contain Fish, Sesame
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.
There are some healthy ingredients added, such as spices and paprika extract. The heat is achieved from the red chili peppers, that is healthy if eaten in moderation and flush toxins out of the body.
The sugar level is very high at around 10 grams of sugar per 30 grams of jerky to lose a rating. Our preference is 4 grams of sugar or less per 28 grams of jerky for a spicy based flavor as we have here. The salt level is acceptable at 320mg of salt per 30 grams of jerky.
This jerky qualifies does not qualify to have no sodium nitrite, as sodium nitrite is used outright to lose a rating. Admirably, this jerky has no MSG added.
Alright (6/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
SOO JERKY – SPICY SZECHUAN STYLE JERKY
Written by guest jerky reviewer Paul Rekker
When I open the bag I immediately smell a sort of vinegar. The strips are medium in size, and they are sliced to a medium thickness. The jerky is rather soft and kind of moist, and it leaves a slight oily residue on your fingers. There is some fat on the jerky, which, as usual, enhances the flavors.
The flavors that I am encountering are salt, sweet (much too sweet for my liking), pepper, onion, garlic, and some spicy heat from the Szechuan, but not to the degree that I would have expected, based on it being called “Spicy Szechuan”.
It’s not a bad flavor, it’s just too sweet, and the other flavors are too non-descript to really blow me away.
I can go no higher than an 8/10, although a 7/10 would I believe be more accurate. It’s too sweet, not spicy enough, and too non-descript in general to go any higher. Change my assessment to a 7/10. Gentlemen?
Written by guest jerky reviewer Stéphane Leclerc
I have tried this jerky multiple times over the past few days. and I simply can’t wrap my mind around it. There is a bunch of flavors going on at various degrees. The flavor profile is unbalanced. There is some spiciness, and it is offset with a lot of sweetness. The spiciness is mainly bitterness with some numbing of the tongue due to the nature of the Szechuan pepper.
The pieces of meat have the texture of a dry sponge, and I am not crazy about it. There is simply too much going on, and the flavor of the beef is getting lost in transit.
I wanted to like this jerky, but I simply can’t make sense of it. I’d rate this 5 or 6/10 Taste Rating.
Here is what Mark had to say about this Spicy Szechuan Style beef jerky flavor from Soo Jerky: “Thanks Paul and Stéphane for the honest taste reviews. We are in agreement here. This jerky is much too sweet for my liking. The natural beef flavor is drowned out by the sweetness. Nor is this Szeucuan flavor all that spicy barely registering. There is some Asian flair present but not all that much, excluding the sweetness.
With this jerky being in a vacuum-sealed bag, it was a challenge after photographing these jerky strips. The jerky strips seemed fused together into one big glob. It was challenging even to tear away the individual strips, so I divided this glob into three chunks.
I too tried this jerky a couple of times, being somewhat confused with this flavor. Eventually, the taste profile came across and tasted alright. With Paul at an 7 rating, Stéphane at a 5 rating, and myself at a 6 rating, an Alright (6/10) taste rating will be awarded.”
This 3 ounce/85 gram bag was purchased for $5.99, which works out to $2.00 an ounce. That rates as a cheap price.
Bag Review
This resealable plastic bag has everything printed on the bag itself, both on the front and back. There is a label affixed to the front. There is a picture of food on the front. This bag is vacuum sealed, the best way to keep jerky fresh tasting.
There are no slogans printed on this bag. The only facts printed are “Processed of Canada” and “Ready To Eat”. There are some things printed in Mandarin on the bag.
The only missing bag category is a best before date. A lot number is provided, which could translate to a best before date.
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