Over 60 years ago, in the small Taiwanese city of Chang Hua, a former medical student began a quest to create food that did not require refrigeration given the country’s scarce resources. By blending art and science, he and his family created Golden Island gourmet jerky. Thankfully his brought the family’s unique process and traditional recipes to North America!
Today, they still use the same unique method to create their jerky & snack bites. They fire grill their meats to perfection to deliver enticing aromas and a deliciously complex flavour from fiery to sweet to zesty to smoky. It is a snack that satisfies like no other. This Golden Island jerky brand is distributed under the name of LSI Enterprises, and it is located in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. This jerky is manufactured by @2021 Link Snacks, Inc., and it is located in Minong, Wisconsin, interestingly, their address is 1 Snack Food Lane. @2021 Link Snacks, Inc. was started way back in the 1880s.
The first review on Golden Island will focus on a 14.5 ounce/410 gram bag of their Korean BBQ flavoured pork jerky. This jerky is described to excite all of your senses with sweet and savory. The bag was purchased at a Costco store in Brampton, Ontario, Canada.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Pork, Sugars (Sugar, Brown Sugar), Water, Soy Sauce (Water, Soybeans, Salt), Sesame Seeds, Garlic Powder, Salt, Spices, Sesame Oil, Onion Powder. Allergen Warnings: Soy, Sesame
The pork used is guaranteed to be raised ethically with no antibiotics and no added hormones. This pork is not guaranteed to have at least partial free range access to roam about outside. As a result, the highest ingredient rating that can be awarded is a Very Good (9/10) rating.
The liquid marinade is comprised of water, a gluten free brand of soy sauce, and healthy sesame oil.
Some healthy ingredients are added, such as spices, sesame seeds, garlic powder, and onion powder.
The sugar level is very high at 9 grams of sugar per 28 grams of jerky to lose a rating. Our preference is 5 grams of sugar or less for a sweet flavour as we have here. The salt level is reasonable at 280mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky.
This jerky does qualify to have no sodium nitrite or any other similar unhealthy preservatives. Admirably, this flavour does qualify to have no MSG added.
Good (8/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
GOLDEN ISLAND – KOREAN BARBECUE PORK JERKY
Written by guest jerky reviewer Paul Rekker
When I open the bag I smell pork and barbecue. The jerky is light in hue and sliced rather thin. The jerky is soft to the touch, and dry. I would have thought that a Korean barbecue flavour would be moister and would have left an oily residue on your fingers, but it does not. There are also sesame seeds on the jerky, but not too many, which to me is a good thing.
When I bite into the jerky I am immediately disappointed in how soft the texture is, meaning it is definitely not in accordance with our forefathers.
The first flavours I encounter are minimal salt, too much sweetness, and slight garlic and pepper. The Korean barbecue flavour is also coming through, but not nearly to the level I would have hoped.
Where to start. Deduct a point for the soft texture, deduct a point for the intense sweetness, and deduct a point for the Korean barbecue flavour not being intense enough for me. We are at a 7/10, which pretty much accurately sums up where I’m at with this particular jerky flavour. I might have even gone as low as a 6/10, but I believe the most accurate score I can give it is a 7/10. Gentlemen?
Written by guest jerky reviewer Stéphane Leclerc
Golden Island – Korean Barbecue Pork Jerky. I really enjoyed this jerky, it was tasty and delicious. I went through this bag like nobody’s business, and I even got scared of losing a finger or two at times.
The flavour profile has all the elements of a promising Korean Barbecue flavour. The jerky is reasonably sweet, and the garlic and sesame are undeniable, adding a great Asian flair to this flavour bomb. The texture and aroma are also fantastic, as it is moist and tender. This type of texture works well with pork, chicken, and turkey, where the jerky can quickly end up with the texture of a dish rag or a piece of cardboard if it is too dry.
This was delicious and I am certain this jerky maker did their homework and market research to create such a flavourful treat. This jerky is decadent, addictive and I rate this little gem a solid 10/10 Taste Rating.
Here is what Mark had to say about this Korean Barbecue pork jerky flavour from Golden Island: “Thanks Paul and Stéphane for the candid taste reviews. I am with Stéphane here. Paul is fond of saying that if the texture is not tough and dry, it is not as our forefathers intended. I do not believe that our forefathers envisioned having pork jerky, whereas that saying is more applicable to beef jerky. My one complaint is that this jerky is advertised as being flame grill. We have reviewed Asian flame grilled pork jerky in the past. This soft texture does not resemble being flame grilled whatsoever, with nary a hint of a grill mark on the jerky strips.”
“The Korean Barbecue aspect comes across rather well. The soy and garlic are at light to mild levels. I am a sucker for sesame seeds and oil, which puts this flavour over the top. It is very true that the sweetness is high, but inline for a Korean Barbecue flavour. The soft texture is not for everyone. As with Stéphane, I found this Korean Barbecue pork jerky surprisingly addictive. With Stéphane at a 10, Paul at a 7 and myself at a 9, a Very Good (9/10) taste rating will be awarded.”
This 14.5 ounce/410 gram bag of jerky sells for $15.99, which equates to $1.10 an ounce. That rates at a very cheap price.
Bag Review
This resealable, professional-looking plastic bag has everything imprinted on the bag, including the front and back. There is a high-resolution picture of what is likely the founder of Golden Island.
There are no slogans printed on this bag. Some facts printed on this bag are “Fire-Grilled”, “Product of USA”, “Pork With Natural Ingredients”, “Gluten Free”, and “No Nitrites”.
The only missing bag category is a website. As per Canadian law, French translations are provided. There are good blurbs on the back printed about Golden Island.
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