Stryve has been around the biltong market for about four years now. You do you, just don’t do it hungrily! Stryving on means something different to everybody, but regardless of what your days may hold, life is always easier to tackle on a full stomach. So, grab a bag of your favorite biltong and carry on with your errands, your workout, your housework, your biking, your work, your swimming, your gardening, your hike, your laundry, your homework, your yoga, your parenting, your training, your EVERYTHING.
Warren, the CBO (Chief Biltong Officer), was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, and had been making biltong himself for nearly 30 years. If you are interested in becoming a brand ambassador or would like to partner with them, please email marketing@stryve.com. This brand of biltong is distributed by Stryve Fods, LLC., and it is based out of Plano, Texas. This biltong is manufactured by the private label company Marfood USA, located in Taylor, Michigan, far as we know.
The next review on the Stryve biltong will focus on a 2.25 ounce/64 gram bag of their Original flavored beef biltong. This flavor is described as being all-natural, with rich flavors of hickory smoke. The bag was purchased at a Target store in Oxnard, California.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Beef, Vinegar, Contains 2% or less of: Salt, Raisin Juice Concentrate, Black Pepper, White Pepper, Garlic Powder, Coriander, Clove, and Nutmeg.
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 is comprised of healthy vinegar and healthy raisin juice concentrate.
There are some healthy ingredients used, such as black pepper, white pepper, garlic powder, coriander, clove, and nutmeg.
As a general rule, biltong is healthier than jerky because no enzymes are destroyed in the air drying process, where the intact enzymes help break down the beef in our bodies.
The sugar level is perfect at having no sugar per 28 grams of biltong. The salt level is high at 430mg of salt per 28 grams of biltong to lose a rating. Our preference is 350mg of salt or less per 28 grams of biltong.
This biltong does qualify to have no sodium nitrite. Instead, salt is the main preservative and, to a lesser degree, healthy vinegar. Commendably, this biltong does qualify to have no MSG added.
Decent (7/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
STRYVE – ORIGINAL BEEF BILTONG
Written by guest jerky reviewer Paul Rekker
When I open the bag I smell very little, maybe a hint of coriander? The biltong looks and feels like all other strips of biltong. The pieces are long, relatively thin, and shiny, indicative of a slight oily residue on your fingers. There is some fat on the biltong, which significantly enhances the flavors.
When I bite into the strips of biltong, I am met with the unmistakable flavors of most biltong. I detect salt, pepper, garlic, vinegar, coriander, not much sweetness, and cured natural beef.
As per all other biltong we have tried, this one tastes quite similar, but the flavors aren’t as intense as some of the other biltong we have tried. Don’t get me wrong, it is good, but some different biltong has had a more intense explosion of flavors going on in my mouth. And for that reason alone, I am going to give this flavor a 9/10, not the usual 10/10 that I usually give biltong. Gentlemen?
Written by guest jerky reviewer Stéphane Leclerc
The Stryve – Original Beef Biltong is tasty. The beefy taste is front and center. The seasoning is light and in the background. The saltiness is also light, and the flavors are subtle. The coriander is barely detectable, if at all, and the flavor profile closes nicely with a hint of clove. This beautiful biltong especially shines where the animal has been well respected, and it shows in each and every bite.
Although coriander and cilantro are part of the same plant (seeds vs. leaves), coriander is much less offensive to some people, and I am part of these freaks of nature. There is a beautiful splash of vinegar. It brightens the flavor profile and balances the flavors to perfection.
This Stryve – Original Beef Biltong is an excellent snack and great tasting biltong. It deserves a 10/10 Taste Rating. Godspeed!
Here is what Mark had to say about this Original beef biltong flavor from Stryve: “Thanks Paul and Stéphane for the honest taste reviews. After my first bite, I knew that we were dealing with stale biltong. I had glanced at the best before date and did not immediately recognize a date. Upon further investigation, I realized that this biltong expired 11 months ago. This Original biltong has all the great hallmark tastes of biltong but was sort of lifeless and not vibrant tasting. In no means is this the fault of Stryve. This taste review is what it is.”
“I agree with everything stated by Paul and Stéphane. I purposefully gave Paul’s portion a healthy dose of strips with fat. Again, it is unfortunate that this biltong was reviewed nearly a year after the best before date. Hopefully, we will review this biltong again at a later date. With Paul at a 9 rating, Stéphane at a 10 rating, and myself at an 8 rating, a Very Good (9/10) taste rating will be awarded.”
This 2.25 ounce/64 gram bag costs $6.29. That equates to a price of $2.79 an ounce for biltong, which rates as a cheap.
Very Good (9/10) – Taste Rating
Bag Review
This resealable plastic bag has everything imprinted on the bag itself, both on the front and back. No labels are affixed to this bag.
A slogan printed on this bag is “Beef Done Better”. Some facts printed are “16g Protein”, “0g Total Sugar”, “Made in the USA”, “Air-Dried Beef Slices”, “100% Natural”, “No Nitrates”, “No Gluten”, “Nothing Artificial”, and “No MSG”. A Pro Tip displayed is “sprinkle your crumbs on a salad or eggs for added protein”.
There are no missing bag categories. A good blurb is printed on the back and front about biltong. Admirably, Stryve offers a guarantee if you are not satisfied. An email address is provided for customer inquiries.
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