Field Trip Snacks is a company that specializes in crafting high-quality, artisanal jerky and other meat snacks. Founded in 2010 by Tom Donigan, Matt Levey, and Scott Fiesinger, Field Trip Snacks aims to provide consumers with delicious, convenient, and healthy snack options made from premium ingredients. The company takes pride in sourcing only the finest cuts of meat, which are then carefully seasoned and marinated to create flavorful jerky products.
Field Trip is also committed to using natural ingredients and avoiding artificial additives and preservatives whenever possible. This commitment to quality and transparency has helped the brand gain a loyal following among health-conscious consumers who appreciate the company’s dedication to creating delicious and nutritious snacks. In addition to jerky, Field Trip has expanded its product line to include other meat-based snacks, such as meat sticks and bites, providing customers with even more options to satisfy their cravings for protein-packed snacks on the go. This Field Trip brand is distributed by Provisionaire & Co LLC, and it is located in Westport, Connecticut.
The next review on Field Trip will focus on a 2.2 ounce/62 gram bag of their Gochujang flavored grass fed beef jerky. This flavor is described as using spicy gochujang sauce with a sweet pear puree marinade. The bag was purchased at a coffee shop inside a Hilton Suites in Chicago, Illinois.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Grass Fed Beef, Brown Sugar, Gluten Free Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce (Water, Soybeans, Salt, Alcohol), Pear Puree (Pears, Cane Sugar, Malic Acid, Natural Flavor, Ascorbic Acid), Water, Sea Salt, Rice Vinegar, Red Wine (Rice, Alcohol, Salt, Water), Gochujang Chili Pepper, Gluten Free Red Miso Paste (Water, Organic Whole Soybeans, Cultured Rice, Sea Salt, Koji Starter), Ginger, Granulated Garlic, Granulated Onion, Black Pepper, Sesame Seeds, Sesame Oil. Allergen Warnings: Soy, Sesame
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 is comprised of a brand of gluten free reduced sodium soy sauce, healthy rice vinegar, healthy red wine, and super healthy sesame oil.
Some healthy ingredients added are pears, Gochujang chili peppers, ginger, granulated garlic, granulated onion, black pepper, and sesame seeds.
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 based flavor, as we have here. The salt level is a little high at 390mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky. However, the salt level is ignored because healthy, minimally processed sea salt is used instead of heavily processed table salt.
As advertised, this jerky does qualify to have no sodium nitrite or any other similar unhealthy preservatives. Instead, the main preservative used is sea salt and, to a lesser extent rice vinegar. Admirably, there is no MSG added.
Very Good (9/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
FIELD TRIP – GOCHUJANG GRASS-FED BEEF JERKY
When I open the bag, I smell soy, not much, if anything else. The jerky is sliced rather thin, and the pieces are small except for one very large piece. It is somewhat soft yet dry, leaving no oily residue on your fingers.
When I bite into the jerky, I am immediately hit by its intense sweetness. Salt is also high on the list but not nearly as intense as the sweet. I don’t really pick up on much else as far as flavors go. Maybe some light garlic, but it’s pretty much sweet and salty. I smelled the soy, but I am not really tasting it.
It does resemble the Korean BBQ flavor, but the Korean BBQ flavor is more BBQ and less sweet.
I can’t say I am not enjoying this flavor, but the sweetness is taking away from the whole jerky eating experience. I see some sesame seeds adhering to the jerky, which is a bonus for some, but not necessarily myself.
As I consume more, I am picking up on a kick. It has a bit of a bite to it. It’s not too much, but it’s definitely noticeable.
This review is writing itself as an 8/10, deducting a point for too much sweetness and another point for the lack of a “Wow!!” factor. So be it, this jerky rates as an 8/10 in my estimation.
Here is what Mark had to say about this Gochujang grass-fed beef jerky flavor from Field Trip: “Thanks Paul for the candid taste review. This really comes down to whether this Korean BBQ based flavor tastes too sweet. It certainly tastes sweet, which can be a distraction and dulls the natural beef flavor. My bias says yes, it’s too sweet tasting, while my common sense says it’s borderline acceptable.”
“The Korean BBQ aspect comes across fairly well, but with light tasting garlic, onion, soy, and sesame. The heat from the Gochujang chili peppers is faint, which barely registers a 1 out of 5 on the heat scale. As advertised, the texture is soft and tender. There is some ‘wow’ favor present, and overall, this was an enjoyable treat to eat. With Paul at an 8 rating and myself at a 9, a Very Good (9/10) taste rating will be awarded.”
This 2.2 ounce/62 gram bag was purchased for $8.95, which works out to $4.07 an ounce. That rates as an expensive price.
Very Good (9/10) – Taste Rating
Bag Review
This resealable plastic bag has everything imprinted on it, both on the front and back. No labels are affixed to this bag. There is a clever picture of a cow with trees, mountains, and sun in the background.
Some slogans printed on this bag could be “Tasty & Tender”, “Amazingly Delicious”, and “Get Out There”. Some facts printed on this bag are “Korean BBQ Recipe”, “90 Calories”, “10g Protein”, “1.5g Fat”, “All Natural”, “Made With 100% Grass Fed Beef”, “High Protein”, “No Preservatives”, “No MSG Added”, “No Nitrates”, “Minimally Processed”, “No Artificial Ingredients”, and “American Crafted Best Taste Guaranteed”. You are encouraged to try their other jerky flavors.
The only bag category missing is a transparent window to view the jerky. On the back, there is a great blurb about Field Trip and this Gochujang flavor. Admirably, a phone number and email address are provided for customer inquiries. Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook handles are provided.
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