Founder Ricky Hirsch was astounded by the excessive sugar content in most jerky products, igniting his mission to create a jerky that’s both delectable and health-conscious. Collaborating with world-renowned chefs, he committed to reducing sugar and salt while prioritizing premium, wholesome ingredients. This transformative journey elevated jerky from a gas station snack to a healthy choice. Think Jerky exclusively sources sustainably raised 100% grass-fed beef or 100% natural turkey, free from added hormones or antibiotics. Furthermore, all our ingredients are gluten-free and align with paleo dietary principles.
Each Think Jerky flavor is a one-of-a-kind creation meticulously crafted by a different celebrity chef. These recipes incorporate only the finest, restaurant-quality ingredients you’d expect to find in a seasoned chef’s kitchen. Beyond crafting exceptional jerky, Think Jerky is deeply committed to philanthropy. Through their partnership with the David Lynch Foundation, a portion of our profits is dedicated to aiding veterans with PTSD, teaching them natural healing through meditation. This Think Jerky brand is distributed under the name Think Foods, and it is located in Chicago, Illinois.
The first review on Think Jerky will focus on a 2.2 ounce/62.4 gram bag of Classic flavored grass-fed beef jerky brought to you by Chef Doug Sohn. This flavor is described as combining savory beef with a hint of pepper for a modern twist on a classic. The bag was purchased at a Goddess & Grocer store in Chicago, Illinois.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: 100% Grass-Fed Beef, Water, Brown Sugar, Orange Juice Concentrate (Oranges), Salt, Hardwood Smoked Sugar, Granulated Garlic, Granulated Onion, Black Pepper.
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 only water and healthy orange juice concentrate.
Some healthy ingredients added are granulated garlic, black pepper, and granulated onion.
The sugar level is high at 7 grams of sugar per 28 grams of jerky to lose a rating. Our preference is 3 grams of sugar or less per 28 grams of jerky. The salt level is acceptable at 290mg 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
THINK JERKY – CLASSIC GRASS-FED BEEF JERKY
Written by guest jerky reviewer Paul Rekker
When I open the bag I smell what I believe to be soy. The pieces are small to medium in size, and they are sliced thin to medium in thickness. The jerky is mediocre dry, and relatively easy to chew. There is no oily residue.
The first flavors present are salt, pepper, and sweet at too high a level for my liking, but not crazy sweet. I am also picking up on a bit of fruitiness, but I don’t know which fruit though. I believe I am also tasting soy and natural beef.
Overall, this beef jerky flavor is decent, but it’s not blowing me away. Mind you, most original flavors don’t blow me away, and this one is no different. I feel like the most accurate rating for this particular flavor would be a 7/10, so we’ll go with that. Gentlemen?
Written by guest jerky reviewer Stéphane Leclerc
The Think Jerky Grass-Fed Beef Jerky Classic is sweet for a Classic Flavor. The taste is flat at first and builds up after a few bites. The flavors are subtle, with the garlic, smokiness, black pepper, and meaty flavor building up. The complexity and depth are gradually showing up after a few bites. The aroma and texture are pleasant.
The flavor of the Think Jerky Grass-Fed Beef Jerky Classic is good, although it wasn’t really what I expected after looking at the bag. I wasn’t too impressed with the first bite, and it kind of grows on you after a few bites. I’d rate this jerky an 8 or 9\10.
Here is what Mark had to say about this Classic grass-fed beef jerky flavor from Think Jerky: “Thanks Paul and Stéphane for the candid taste reviews. I am more or less on board with both of your reviews. First, there is way too much sweetness present for an original flavor, which mutes the natural beef flavor and is an overall nuisance. The beef tastes processed, which I am fairly certain is grass-fed beef from New Zealand with its cheap price and quality. With the excessive sweetness and processed beef flavor, this jerky comes across as big brand tasting that you would find at a gas station, exactly what Think Jerky vowed not to do.”
“The onion and garlic are at mild levels, and a mild fruity flavor present, presumably from the oranges. There is little ‘wow’ factor present, and the overall taste profile is unexceptional. In the background is a light smoked flavor. With Stéphane Leclerc at an 8 rating and Paul Rekker and me at a 7 rating, a Decent (7/10) taste rating will be awarded.”
This 2.2 ounce/62.4 gram bag of jerky was purchased for $5.95, which equates to $2.70 an ounce. That rates as a cheap price.
Bag Review
This elegant looking, resealable plastic bag has everything imprinted on the bag, both on the front and back. The front has a high-resolution picture of spices, garlic, and green onions. The back has a picture of Chef Doug Sohn, the creator of this classic flavor.
A slogan printed on this bag is “Think Before You Eat”. Some facts printed on this bag are “70 Calories”, “12g Protein”, “Gluten Free”, “Grass-Fed Beef Used”, “Recipe by Doug Sohn”, “Beef Raised”, “Exclusive Recipe by Doug Sohn”, “Greetings from Chicago”, “Classic Recipe by Chef Doug Sohn of Hot Doug’s”, “100% Grass-Fed”, “No Added Antibiotics”, “No Added Hormones”, and “No Nitrites or Nitrates”.
The only missing bag category is a transparent window to view the jerky. A good blurb about Chef Doug Sohn is printed on the back, who created this Classic flavor. To the credit of Think Jerky, an email address is provided for customer inquiries.
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