Made By True is a U.S.-based brand specializing in authentic biltong, a traditional South African air-dried beef snack. Their biltong is crafted from 100% natural ingredients, offering a high-protein, zero-sugar option suitable for Keto, Paleo, and Whole30 diets. Made By True’s biltong is available in various flavors, including Original, Smokehouse, Garlic & Herb, and Southwest Verde, catering to diverse tastes.
Committed to quality, Made By True delivers a nutritious, flavorful meat snack ideal for health-conscious consumers seeking convenient, protein-rich options. They offer pre-sliced biltong and whole slabs, allowing customers to enjoy the snack in their preferred style. Being air dried, the enzymes are still intact, making it a healthier product than jerky. This Made By True brand name is distributed by Stormberg Foods, located in Goldsboro, North Carolina.
The first review on Made By True will focus on a 2 ounce/56 gram bag of their Garlic & Herb flavored beef biltong. This flavor is described as having a rich, meaty flavor infused with salt and vinegar, cilantro, and pepper notes in every convenient bag. The bag was purchased in the East Rutherford Beef Jerky Outlet store at the American Dream retail center in New Jersey.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Beef, Vinegar, Salt, Roasted Coriander, Rosemary, Dried Beef Powder, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Crushed Chili and Herbs.
The beef used is not guaranteed to be free of growth hormones or additional antibiotics. Also, the beef is not guaranteed to have at least 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.
Keeping up with South African traditions of making biltong, healthy vinegar is the only liquid used in the marinade.
Some healthy ingredients added are roasted coriander, rosemary, beef powder, garlic powder, onion powder, crushed red chili peppers, and herbs.
The sugar level is perfect at 0 grams of sugar per 28 grams of biltong. The salt level is a little high at 760mg of salt per 57 grams of biltong to lose a rating. Our preference is 350mg of salt or less per 28 grams of biltong.
This biltong does qualify to have no sodium nitrite. Instead, salt is the main preservative used, and to a lesser extent vinegar. Admirably, this biltong has no MSG added.
Decent (7/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
MADE BY TRUE – GARLIC & HERB BILTONG
Written by guest biltong reviewer Paul Rekker
When I open the bag I don’t really smell anything. The biltong is medium in size, and it is sliced rather thin. The jerky is soft-ish, and it is a bit oily. There is an oily residue left on your fingers.
When I bite into the biltong I am met with salt, at a mild level, next to no sweet, and I am picking up on the garlic, it is at a decent level, but I can’t say that I am picking up any sort of herb taste. I have to say, this biltong tastes like a cross between regular jerky and biltong. All biltong, at least up to this point, have had a unique taste, noticeably different from regular jerky, but this biltong tastes like a hybrid version, combining the unmistakable flavor of biltong mixed with the traditional flavor of jerky. It’s more of an observation than a complaint, but I feel it needs to be said.
Overall, I am quite enjoying this biltong/jerky, it is unique, and tasty. The combination is actually favorably caressing my palate enough to award it a 9/10
Here is what Mark had to say about this Garlic & Herb beef biltong flavor from Made By True: “Thanks Paul for the enthusiastic taste review. Paul makes an interesting observation, pointing out that this biltong is similar to jerky. Not so much taste wise but the texture. Biltong is air dried, which generally means the beef has a tendency to melt in your mouth and has a soft, shiny texture. This biltong seems to have been dried at a higher temperature than room temperature.”
“The flavor of garlic comes across fairly well. There are herbal tastes present that taste like herbs and not spices but at light levels. The saltiness is fairly strong, more so than your normal biltong. The familiar taste of coriander is present, a staple ingredient in biltong is at a mild level. Overall, I too enjoyed this biltong, leaving me wanting more. A unanimous Very Good (9/10) taste rating will be awarded.”
This 2 ounce/56 gram bag was purchased for $9.99, which works out to $5.00 an ounce. That rates as an expensive price.
Very Good (9/10) – Taste Rating
Bag Review
This green resealable plastic bag has everything imprinted directly on the bag, both front and back. No labels are affixed to this bag.
Some slogans displayed on this bag could be “Traditionally Air-Dried” and “Carne Diem!” Some facts printed on this bag are “Gluten Free”, “0g Total Sugar”, “32g Protein”, “Paleo Friendly”, “Made in USA”, “Made With 100% U.S. Beef”, “Discovered in South Africa”, and “Rich Meaty Flavor with Strong Garlic and Subtle Savory Herb Notes”.
All bag categories are covered here. A short but good blurb on the back explains what biltong is. You are encouraged to follow the @madebytrue handle on social media. To the credit of Made By True, an email address is provided for customer inquiries.
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