At Shahir, they have an unwavering commitment to providing Halal food choices of integrity and quality. They believe you should never have to compromise on taste or tradition when choosing Shahir. A long-time vision of Ahsan Razak, Shahir is the culmination of Ahsan’s passion for better food choices for Muslim families and his connection to the community. Growing up in Vancouver, Canada, in the 1970s and 1980s with recently immigrated parents, Ahsan noticed that Halal food options were limited.
This sentiment was shared among many community members, whether children or parents, and they often discussed ways to solve the limited options. There were very few, if any, Halal meat shops or restaurants, and Halal availability in the mainstream market was non-existent. However, the Muslim community, intertwined through their shared faith, was determined to create a path for a better future. Today, Insha-Allah, Shahir offers quality products while adhering to Halal integrity.
Shahir sets the standard for quality, taste, and tradition in Halal meats. As they continue to grow and expand the products they offer to the Muslim community, they hope that Shahir becomes the name you rely on to be a part of your family. To them, Shahir represents the products they offer and their relationships within the community. They acknowledge their heritage and cherish being a part of this Muslim community. The Shahir jerky brand name is distributed by Westcadia Foods, and it is located in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada.
The first review on Shahir will focus on a 10.6 ounce/300 gram bag of their teriyaki flavoured Halal beef jerky. This bag was purchased at a Costco store in Brampton, Ontario, Canada.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Halal Beef, Sugars (Brown Sugar, Molasses), Sea Salt, Soy Sauce Powder (Soybeans, Sea Salt, Maltodextrin), Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Dehydrated Garlic, Spices, Sodium Erythorbate, Sodium Nitrite, Natural Smoke Allergen Warnings: Soy
The beef used is not guaranteed to be free of growth hormones or additional antibiotics. Also, the beef is not guaranteed at least partial free range access to graze on grass. This beef is Halal certified. As a result, the highest ingredient rating that can be awarded is a Good (8/10) rating.
There is no liquid marinade used here. Some people would call this old fashioned jerky or a jerky rub.
The only healthy ingredients added are spices and dehydrated garlic.
The sugar level is 6 grams of sugar per 30 grams of jerky to lose a rating. Our preference is 5 grams of sugar or less per 28 grams of jerky for a sweet based flavor, as we have here. The salt level is high at 540mg of salt per 30 grams of jerky to lose another rating. Our preference is 350mg of salt or less per 28 grams of jerky.
This jerky does not qualify to have no sodium nitrite added as sodium nitrite is used outright as a preservative to lose a rating along with sodium erythorbate. This jerky does qualify to have no MSG added as the highly processed cheap flavour enhancer hydrolyzed soy protein is used to lose another rating.
Fair (4/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
SHAHIR – TERIYAKI HALAL BEEF JERKY
Written by guest jerky reviewer Paul Rekker
When I open the bag I smell sweet, intense sweet. The pieces are pretty much uniform in size and thickness, large in size, and sliced thin to medium. The jerky is soft and quite pliable, and there is no oily residue left on your fingers.
The first flavours I encounter are mild salt, medium sweet, and not a whole lot else going on here tastewise.
Nothing really is jumping out at me, as this jerky is quite pedestrian. It’s not too good and not too bad; it’s just okay. As for the teriyaki flavour, it does taste sweet, but not really teriyaki sweet.
Mediocre, pedestrian, and so-so are some of the adjectives I would use to describe this flavour. This review is reading like a 6/10, and I am quite comfortable giving this jerky a 6/10 rating. Gentlemen?
Written by guest jerky reviewer Stéphane Leclerc
Shahir – Teriyaki Halal Beef Jerky, I am not terribly impressed with this so-called jerky, as it is akin to some sort of dried-up detritus. Erk Ptew! This is without a doubt one of the main reasons why dogs have learnt to lick their own asses to improve the fowl taste in their mouths.
Teriyaki? This is not Teriyaki. It tastes more like Honey Garlic if you’d replaced honey with the cheapest refined sugar available and don’t get me started on the processed meat taste. Erk Ptew!
The Shahir – Teriyaki Halal Beef Jerky is dog food and it deserves 5/10 Taste Rating. .Ark Ptew!
Here is what Mark had to say about this Teriyaki Halal beef jerky from Shahir: “Thanks Paul and Stéphane for the interesting taste reviews. I am not sure about Stéphane’s taste review, which is harsher than I had expected. Starting with the beef flavor. The beef does have a big brand processed flavor with no real defined grain to tear these strips, which is a put-off. As for the teriyaki, the sweetness is front and center, but not going overboard for a teriyaki flavor. The soy sauce is at a mild level as is the garlic. Apart from that, there are no other flavours to give this teriyaki flavor an Asian flair such as ginger or pineapple. With Stéphane at a 5 rating and Paul and me at a 6 rating, an Alright (6/10) taste rating will be awarded.”
This 10.6 ounce/300 gram bag of jerky costs $16.99. That works out to $1.60 an ounce, which rates at a very cheap price.
Bag Review
This resealable plastic bag has everything imprinted directly onto the bag, both front and back. There is a high-resolution picture on the front of jerky, soy sauce, onion, garlic, coriander, and ginger. The Shahir logo has a cresent to dot the ‘i’.
There are no slogans printed on this bag. Some facts printed on this bag are “Rich in Protein”, “Natural Smoke”, “Shahir’s Quality Ingredients”, “Zabeeha By Hand”, “Halal”, “Mild”, “All Beef”, “New”, “Gluten Free”, “Lactose Free”, “Extra Lean”, and “No Artificial Flavours or Colours”. A Canadian Halal Food Certifying Agency (CHFCA) stamp is displayed.
All bag categories are covered. As per Canadian law, French translations are provided.
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