KRAVE was envisioned by Jon Sebastian in 2009 while training for the NYC marathon. They have always believed that snack food doesn’t have to be junk food. They marinate it for maximum flavor, cook it low and slow, slice it, and spice it with delectable seasoning. Their snacks ditch the nitrites and grisly texture for bold, culinary-inspired flavors and tender, slow-cooked cuts. If something is good for you, it ought to TASTE that way.
This jerky is advertised as tender, wholesome, entirely gluten-free, and devoid of nitrites, MSG, and corn syrup. Jerky that you can KRAVE — and also feel good about eating. So go on and KRAVE Better. This KRAVE brand is distributed under the name of Krave Pure Foods, Inc., and it is located in Sonoma, California.
The next review on KRAVE will focus on a 2.7 ounce/77 gram bag of Sweet Chipotle flavored beef jerky. This flavor is described as being spiced with a delectable seasoning like smoky southwestern style Chipotle and a hint of honey. The bag was purchased at a gas station in Niagara Falls, Michigan.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Grass Fed Beef, Cane Sugar, Gluten Free Soy Sauce (Water, Soybeans, Salt, Alcohol), Water, Contains 2% or Less of the Following: Garlic Powder, Paprika, Chipotle, Spices (including Celery Seed), White Vinegar, Citric Acid, Fermented Oregano, Flaxseed and Plum. Allergen Warnings: Soy
100% grass-fed beef is used here, just the way nature intended. These cattle are raised ethically, meaning they are not fed growth hormones or additional antibiotics. There is also some free range access for the cattle to roam about. As a result, the ingredient rating starts at Excellent (10/10).
The liquid marinade consists of gluten free soy sauce and healthy vinegar.
Some healthy ingredients added are spices, celery seed, garlic powder, paprika, Chipotle, fermented oregano, flaxseed, and plum.
The sugar level is very high at 9 grams of sugar per 28 grams of jerky to lose a rating. Our preference is 4 grams of sugar or less per 28 grams of jerky for a hot based flavor. The salt level is acceptable at 330mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky.
This jerky does qualify to have no sodium nitrite or any other similar unhealthy preservatives. Admirably, this flavor does qualify to have no MSG added.
Very Good (9/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
KRAVE – SWEET CHIPOTLE 100% GRASS FED BEEF JERKY
Written by guest jerky reviewer Paul Rekker
When I open the bag I smell sweet. The pieces of jerky are reasonably similar in size and thickness. The jerky is soft and easy to chew, not exactly as our forefathers intended.
When I bite into the jerky I am met with light salt, intense sweetness, and not a whole lot else. I’ve only consumed one piece, but I have yet to encounter the Chipotle, or any kick for that matter. I pick up on mild pepper and mild natural beef, but it does not blow me away.
Nothing about this flavor of jerky is providing me with any new or exciting flavors. It is grass fed, which is good, but it is run-of-the-mill as far as flavor(s) go. I’d not feel warranted in giving this jerky any more than an 8/10, and because it’s not hitting on the Chipotle flavor, an 8/10 is my grade. Gentlemen?
Written by guest jerky reviewer Stéphane Leclerc
This KRAVE – Sweet Chipotle Grass Fed Beef Jerky is a cross between bland and boring. The taste is as if the meat had been marinated in water and the flavor was washed away. I also find the flavor, or lack thereof, to vary somewhat between pieces. I mostly taste sweetness and some fruitiness; the texture and aroma are forgettable, and there is no richness or depth of flavor.
I find this product below average, as it relates to its flavor, aroma, and texture. I believe a better name for it would probably be “Sweet Nothing”, as I taste sweet and pretty much nothing beyond that. Another name could be “Covid”, I could barely taste a thing, and I almost went into a frenzy each time I took a bite.
The KRAVE – Sweet Chipotle Grass Fed Beef Jerky is below average, and since 5/10 is average, I can’t go above 4/10 Taste Rating.
Here is what Mark had to say about this Sweet Chipotle 100% grass-fed beef jerky flavor from KRAVE: “Thanks Paul and Stéphane for the diverging taste reviews. I am totally on board with Paul’s taste review here. The sweetness is intense, even for a flavor with Sweet in the flavor name. I agree with both of you in that the spiciness from the Chipotle pepper is nonexistent. Very true in that the texture is soft & tender.”
“I too picked up on the fruitiness, although it is hard to believe it is just the flavor of plum. The soy is present without overdoing it, and the garlic is light. Overall, it has a well-balanced flavor, albeit the lack of Chipotle and excessive sweetness. There is zero ‘wow’ factor with the flavor. With Stéphane at a 4 rating and Paul and myself at an 8 rating, an Alright (6/10) taste rating will be awarded.”
This 2.7 ounce/77 gram bag of jerky sold for $6.19, which equates to $2.30 an ounce. That rates as a cheap price.
Bag Review
This professional resealable plastic bag has everything imprinted on the bag, both on the front and back. An illustration of a two Chipotle peppers is printed on the transparent window. The background has a myriad of facts displayed.
Some slogans printed on this bag are “Curiosity Rewards The Hungry”, ‘Well Hellooo Flavor”, and “Sweetest Chipotle in Town”. Some of the many facts printed are “No Artificial Ingredients”, Minimally Processed”, “Oven Roasted”, “Beef Cuts”, “Made With 100% Grass-Fed Beef”, “9g Protein Per Serving”, and others.
There are no missing bag categories. A great blurb about this flavor is printed on the back. A heat scale is displayed, depicting this flavor as being over half spicy. To the credit of KRAVE an email address is provided for customer inquiries.
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