WÄGYU offers a pioneering range of value-added products in North America, endorsed by the USDA, Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), Halal, and British Retail Council (BRC). Their jerky is crafted in a certified beef processing facility in Canada, approved by USDA, CFIA, and Halal standards, ensuring the highest quality. With USDA and CFIA approvals, WÄGYU products can reach retailers and food service providers across the United States and Canada. Crafted in Canada, their products are tailored to suit diverse tastes, appealing to a multicultural audience.
Benefiting from a consistent, year-round supply of premium Halal beef, WÄGYU fosters extensive retail and food service initiatives across North America. They prioritize transparency with a comprehensive traceability system, meticulously tracing Halal beef from producers through every processing stage. The WÄGYU jerky brand name is distributed by RIZ Brands Inc., and it is located in Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
The first review on Wagyu will focus on a 2.1 ounce/60 gram bag of their Sweet Heat flavoured Wagyu beef jerky. This bag was purchased at the Fortinos grocery store in Brampton, Ontario, Canada.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Wagyu Beef, Water, Sugars (Cane Sugar), Sea Salt, Spices, Cultured Celery Juice Powder, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Spice Extracts, Natural Maple Hardwood Smoke.
The beef used is certified Wagyu, which implies that the beef is guaranteed to use 100% grass-fed beef. As a result, the cattle are guaranteed to have free range access and be ethically raised. Wagyu has origins in the Kobe region of Japan and is noted for its tender, succulent taste. Wagyu beef is an effective source of essential fatty acids such as Omega 3 and contains 30% more Omega 6 than other beef breeds. Therefore, the ingredient rating starts at an Excellent (10/10) rating.
The only liquid used in the marinade is water.
Some healthy ingredients added are spices, garlic powder, onion powder, and spice extractives.
The sugar level is great at 1 gram of sugar per 30 grams of jerky. The salt level is acceptable at 320mg of salt per 30 grams of jerky.
This jerky does qualify to have no sodium nitrite added. Instead, minimally processed sea salt and cultured celery juice powder are used as preservatives. Admirably, this jerky does qualify as having no MSG added.
Excellent (10/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
WÄGYU – SWEET HEAT HALAL WAGYU BEEF JERKY
Written by guest jerky reviewer Paul Rekker
When I open the bag I smell a little, possibly vinegar. The pieces are medium in size and are sliced thin to medium in thickness. The jerky is not soft, but not hard either. Somewhere in-between. There is no oily residue left on your fingers.
The first flavour I encounter is salt, followed by pepper, and mediocre sweet, a good thing. I am also picking up on the heat at an early stage. The heat is definitely hotter than your typical “sweet heat” flavour, which to me, is a good thing. Although the meat comes across as a bit processed, it is better than your usual processed flavour.
I tried a little piece earlier in the week and was not impressed at all, but this time around, it is tasting much better. It’s not great, but, as I stated earlier, it’s better than your usual sweet heat flavour. And the level of heat is also impressive.
This jerky is by no means blowing me away, but I must, in good conscience, at least award it an 8/10. Gentlemen?
Here is what Mark had to say about this Sweet Heat Halal Wagyu beef jerky flavour from WÄGYU: “Thanks Paul for the candid taste review. I agree that the heat is at a good level, which may be too hot for some people. Thankfully, the sweetness does not go overboard, being at a light level. I would not say that this Wagyu beef tastes a bit processed, it does taste processed. It is a disappointment since highly prized Wagyu beef is used. There are no well defined grains to tear these strips. Wagyu is famous for its marbling but there is not a hint of fat in this jerky.”
“The hue of the jerky is pink, where WÄGYU seems to go overboard with the nitrates in the cultured celery juice powder. Other than light spices, there is not much else going on. I agree with Paul in that there is no ‘wow’ factor with this jerky, but it did well with the Sweet Heat aspect. With Paul at an 8 rating and myself between a 7 and 8 rating, a Good (8/10) taste rating will be awarded.”
This 2.1 ounce/60 gram bag of jerky costs $8.99. That works out to $4.24 an ounce, which rates as an expensive price without considering that expensive Wagyu beef is used.
Bag Review
This resealable plastic bag has everything imprinted on the bag, both on the front and back. The WÄGYU logo has the word WÄGYU and an underlined cow above that.
There are no slogans printed on this bag. Some facts printed on this bag are “Meat Snacks”, “Gluten Free”, “High in Protein”, “Low in Sugar”, “Wagyu Beef”, “Easy to Chew”, “No Soy”, “No Dairy”, “No Egg”, “Healthy Meat Snack”, “Smoked With Real Maple Hardwood” and “No Sodium Nitrite”. A Halal certified stamp is printed.
All bag categories are covered here. As per Canadian law, French translations are provided.
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