Wild River is the jerky you remember. It’s rugged but rich, dried yet full of flavor. Their premium cut beef takes some time to chew and more time to make. It’s a smoke dried jerky that is meant for those who know that good things and good memories are worth taking time to create. Wild River slowly dries their old fashioned jerky to create an authentic tasting jerky that has a savory taste.
This Wild River brand is distributed under the name Wild River Jerky, and it is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This jerky is made by an unknown private labeler.
The first review on Wild River will focus on a 3.5 ounce/99 gram bag of Mild flavored beef jerky. This jerky is described as marinated in savory spices like cracked black pepper and onion for a classic beef jerky experience. The bag was purchased at a gas station in Portage, Indiana.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Beef, Water, Contains 2% or Less of Salt, Sea Salt, Flavors, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Gluten Free Soy Sauce (Water, Soybeans, Salt, Sugar), Yeast Extract, Maltodextrin, Cultured Celery Extract, Natural Smoke Flavor. Allergen Warnings: Soy
The beef used is not guaranteed to be free of growth hormones or additional antibiotics. Also, the beef is not guaranteed to have 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 consists of just plain old water.
There are no healthy ingredients listed except for the vague term flavors, which can contain healthy and unhealthy ingredients.
The sugar level is great at 0 grams of sugar per 28 grams of jerky. The salt level is sky high at 790mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky. Our preference is 350mg of salt or less per 28 grams of jerky. While minimally processed sea salt is used, processed table salt weighs more by weight to lose a rating.
This jerky does qualify to have no sodium nitrite. Instead, salt and cultured celery extract are used as preservatives. This jerky does not qualify to have no MSG added because the highly processed, cheap flavor enhancer hydrolyzed soy protein is used to lose a rating.
Alright (6/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
WILD RIVER – MILD BEEF JERKY
Written by guest jerky reviewer Paul Rekker
When I open the bag I smell little, maybe slight vinegar. The pieces are medium in size, and they are sliced rather thin. The jerky has a slightly lighter hue than usual, possibly because the jerky is advertised as “light”, which would likely mean less marinade than usual. The jerky is dry(ish) and a tiny bit oily. There is an ever so slight oily residue left on your fingertips.
When I bite into the jerky I am immediately impressed by the texture. It’s dry and a tad tough, just like our forefathers intended. The first flavor to punch me in the face is the salt. The saltiness is at a high level, but not overboard. There is pleasantly not much sweetness, along with pepper, also at a very good level, along with garlic and onion, both at a light level.
I am very much enjoying this flavor of jerky. It is termed “mild”, but “original” jerky tastes quite similar to this.
It is by no means boring, nor is it too flashy, it is just right, confirming my belief that too much marinade does not always intimate a better flavor, just a more intense flavor, and, depending on your tastebuds, more is not always better. What I’m getting at here is less is more, at least in the case of this flavor.
While it does not precisely warrant a “Wow!” factor, it is still very enjoyable, confirming that this review is writing like a 9/10, which I am very comfortable rating. Gentlemen?
Written by guest jerky reviewer Stéphane Leclerc
Wild River Wildly Satisfying Jerky. This jerky lives up to its name, and it is quite delicious. The flavor profile explodes with delicious flavors. The seasoning and the smokiness are in the background and accentuate the flavor of the beef to perfection.
The texture and the aroma are also enticing. This jerky is fantastic although it is quite salty. I don’t really see it as a big problem and some may have some concerns about this level of saltiness.
On the other hand, if you don’t have much time for all the Debbie Downers, killjoys, party poopers, sticks in the mud, pessimists. and all other wet blankets with their heart attacks, high blood pressure, clogged arteries and Blah, Blah, Blah …Boring! Then, have at it and knock yourself out, it’s delicious! I am at a solid 10/10 Taste Rating.
Here is what Mark had to say about this Mild beef jerky flavor from Wild River: “Thanks Paul and Stéphane for the consistent taste reviews. We all agree that this jerky is quite salty. I love salt just as much as the next person, but I believe the saltiness is too dominating, negating the other flavors, especially the natural flavor of beef. If this flavor were named salt rather than mild flavor, I would easily be at a 9 out of 10 rating.”
“For most of our jerky reviews, we are divvying up the contents of one jerky bag three ways. One of the strips in my portion was an unchewable wad of tissue to lose a rating. In fairness, all other jerky strips I consumed were normal. While there is a little bit of ‘wow’ factor, there is not enough to justify losing another rating. With Paul at a 9 rating, Stéphane at a 10 rating, and myself at a 7 rating (9+10+7) / 3 = 8.67, a Very Good (9/10) taste rating will be awarded.”
This 3.5 ounce/99 gram bag of jerky sells for $8.99, which equates to $2.57 an ounce. That rates as a cheap price.
Very Good (9/10) – Taste Rating
Bag Review
This clear resealable plastic bag has a label affixed to the front and nothing on the back. There is an illustration displayed of a winding river that looks to be going downhill.
A slogan printed on this bag is “Wildly Satisfying Jerky”. Some facts printed on this bag are “15g Protein”, “Made With 100% Beef”, “Old Fashioned”, “Slow Dried”, “Natural Smoke Flavor Added”, “Made in the USA”, “0 Gram Sugar”, “<1g Total Carbohydrates", "Gluten Free", "No Nitrites or Nitrates Added" "No Artificial Flavors or Colors", and "No MSG Added".
The only missing bag category is a blurb about Wild River or this flavor. To the credit of Wild River Jerky, a telephone number is provided for customer inquiries.
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