Launched in 2022, Five Star Jerky is a premium jerky brand inspired by the quality and performance of luxury supercars. They offer a range of products, including their Signature Wagyu® Beef Jerky and Prime Halal Beef Jerky, which are made from the finest meats and ingredients to provide a high-protein snack suitable for dynamic lifestyles. Their jerky is tender, flavorful, and designed for on the go consumption.
All products are 100% made in the USA and Halal certified, except this Wagyu beef jerky, ensuring quality and adherence to dietary standards. Their flavor offerings include Grilled Mesquite, Roasted Garlic, and Teriyaki, each crafted to deliver a unique taste experience. This award-winning premium Wagyu beef jerky has no artificial ingredients, is nitrate/nitrite-free, and is gluten-free. This Five Star Jerky brand is distributed under the name Caribe Producers, LLC, located in Springdale, Arkansas. The jerky is manufactured by Jerky Junction, located in Moundhouse, Nevada.
The next review of Five Star Jerky will focus on a 2 ounce/57 gram bag of Mesquite flavored Wagyu beef jerky. This flavor is described as smoky and grilled. The bag was purchased online from Amazon.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Wagyu Beef, Brown Sugar, Soy Sauce (Water, Soybeans, Salt, Alcohol), Water, Spices, Granulated Garlic, Liquid Smoke Flavor (Water, Mesquite Smoke Concentrate), Paprika, Onion Powder, Vinegar Powder, Celery Powder (Celery Juice Solids, Sea Salt). Allergen Warnings: Soy
The beef used raised on local farms is certified Wagyu, which implies that the beef is guaranteed to use 100% grass-fed beef. Wagyu beef is a highly prized, premium beef known for its exceptional marbling, tenderness, and rich flavor. As a result, the cattle are guaranteed to have free range access and be ethically raised. Therefore, the ingredient rating starts at an Excellent (10/10) rating.
The liquid marinade is comprised of a respected brand of soy sauce, water, and liquid smoke. Vinegar is added in powdered form.
Some healthy ingredients added are spices, granulated garlic, paprika, and onion powder.
The sugar level is high at 6 grams of sugar per 28 grams of jerky to lose a rating. Our preference is 3 grams of sugar or less per 28 grams of sugar. The salt level is acceptable at 300mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky.
This jerky does qualify to have no sodium nitrite added. Instead, salt and to a lesser extent celery powder act as preservatives. Admirably, there is no MSG added.
Very Good (9/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
FIVE STAR JERKY – MESQUITE WAGYU BEEF JERKY
Written by guest jerky reviewer Paul Rekker
When I open the bag I smell something, but I have no idea what. The jerky is small to medium in size and sliced relatively thin. The jerky is too soft in texture for my liking, but I will reserve judgment for now. There is a slight amount of moisture left on your fingers.
When I bite into the jerky, I taste salt at a decent level, some sweetness, but not too intense. I also detect mild pepper, along with mild garlic and slight onion.
I definitely notice the improved beef flavor, courtesy of the Wagyu beef. The taste experience is favourable, but it is (unfortunately) not blowing me away. This review is writing itself as an 8, and I am quite comfortable awarding an 8/10. Gentlemen?
Here is what Mark had to say about this Mesquite Wagyu beef jerky flavor from Five Star Jerky: “Thanks Paul for the candid taste review. We don’t quite see eye to eye here. While this jerky is advertised as being tender, where I disagree it is not quite soft and tender, but still easy to chew nonetheless. There is a beautiful taste in the background, worthy of a 10/10 taste rating, but it is totally muted by the excessive sweetness that drowns out the natural beef flavor, on highly prized Wagyu beef no less. In my humble opinion, the sweetness is not warranted whatsoever, other than being a cheap filler for Wagyu beef, where a Mesquite flavor does not imply sweetness in any way. Plus, the sweetness comes from brown sugar, white sugar is the same story, which is the worst kind of sweetness, because it tends to dominate the flavor, and drown out the natural beef flavor and the whole taste profile.”
The mesquite flavor itself, which is my favorite type of smoked flavor, comes across as tasting weak. The overall taste profile is well balanced except for the unwarranted sweetness. After Paul had submitted his taste review, and before I had started my taste review, Paul mentioned that after his review was written, he too had some more jerky and concluded that this jerky was way too sweet tasting. Unfortunately, Paul never bothered to update his taste review to reflect this fact. What could have easily been a 10 rating with no sweetness, or minimal sweetness, makes this a unanimous Good (8/10) taste rating.”
Two 2 ounce/57 gram bags of jerky sold online for $19.99, which equates to $5.00 an ounce. That rates as an expensive price.
Bag Review
This black plastic resealable bag has everything imprinted on the bag front and back.
A slogan printed on this bag is “Signature Wagyu”. Some facts printed are “Gluten Free”, “All Natural”, 11 Grams of Protein per Serving”, No Artificial Ingredients”, “Minimally Processed”, “No Nitrates or Nitrites Added**”, and “Smoke Flavor Added”.
Some bag categories missing are a transparent window to view the jerky and a blurb about this jerky or flavor.
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