Twelve Cows is a Halal beef jerky brand founded in 2019 in Edmonton, Alberta, created by two friends, Kareem and Fiaz, who saw a gap in the snack food market for tasty, Halal friendly options and set out to “disrupt and innovate” in that space. They position Twelve Cows as Canada’s first Halal beef jerky brand, dedicated to making high-quality, flavourful jerky that appeals even to picky carnivores while showing that they listen to and care about Halal eaters across the country.
The brand offers a variety of artisan style flavours — including Original, Sweet Habanero, Korean Chili, and Jamaican Jerk — all made with Alberta beef and creative seasonings, sold in resealable bags that emphasize both quality and bold taste. Twelve Cows jerky brand name is distributed under the same name Twelve Cows, and it is located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. This jerky is manufactured by Hamel’s Meat and is located in Cold Lake, Alberta.
The first review on Twelve Cows will focus on a 2 ounce/56 gram bag of their Original flavoured beef jerky. This flavour is described as their savoury Original flavour that laid the foundation upon which Twelve Cows has been built. The bag was purchased online from Amazon.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Alberta Beef, Soy Sauce (Water, Soybeans, Wheat, Salt), Worcestershire Sauce (Vinegar, Sugars, Water, Salt, Caramel, Spices, Anchovies, Natural Flavors, Tamarind Extractives, Dimethyl Silicone), Liquid Smoke, Seasoned Salt (Salt, Sugar, Spices, Onion, Garlic, Cornstarch, Tricalcium Phosphate), Sodium Nitrite, Spices. Allergen Warnings: Soy, Wheat, Anchovies
The beef used is ethically raised, meaning it is guaranteed to be free of growth hormones and additional antibiotics. The cattle does not have partial free range access to roam about and graze on grass the way nature intended. As a result, the highest ingredient rating that can be awarded is a Very Good (9/10) rating.
The only liquid marinade used is a decent brand of soy sauce, an alright brand of Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke.
Some healthy ingredients added are garlic, onion, and spices.
The sugar level is very good at 1 gram of sugar per 30 grams of jerky. The salt level is very high at 667mg of salt per 30 grams of jerky to lose a rating. Our preference is 350mg of salt or less per 28 grams of salt.
This jerky does not qualify to have no sodium nitrite added, as sodium nitrite is used outright as a preservative to lose a rating. Admirably, there is no MSG added.
Decent (7/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
TWELVE COWS – ORIGINAL BEEF JERKY
Written by guest jerky reviewer Paul Rekker
When I open the bag I smell nothing. The slices are medium to large in size. The jerky is dry and chewy, and it leaves no oily residue.
When I bite into the jerky, I taste salt and pepper, both at very good levels, minimal sweetness, another good thing, mild garlic and onion, along with natural beef.
This jerky is quite tasty, it is a very flavourful original flavour, and it’s pleasantly massaging my taste buds. A very well deserved 10/10. Gentlemen?
Here is what Mark had to say about this Original beef jerky flavour from Twelve Cows: “Thanks Paul for the favourable taste review. It is hard to disagree with anything stated. This Original flavor very much reminds me of our own Original beef jerky flavor when we were exploring launching our own jerky brand. There are a strong combination of soy and Worcestershire sauce, along with complimentary spices. As Paul mentioned, thankfully, there is minimal sweetness present.”
“The natural beef flavor has no hint of tasting processed and tastes great. This flavor is bold tasting, or as Twelve Cows likes to describe as being savoury tasting. The overall taste profile is well-balanced, where no single flavor stands out, other than the beef, just the way it should be for an Original flavor. While this flavor was a joy to consume, it lacked some ‘wow’ factor. With Paul at a 10 and myself at a 9, an Excellent (10/10) taste rating will be awarded.”
This 2 ounce/56 gram bag of jerky sells online for $8.99. That works out to $4.50 an ounce, which rates as an expensive price.
Very Good (9/10) – Taste Rating
Bag Review
This resealable plastic bag has everything imprinted on the front and back. There are illustrations of garlic, black pepper, and onion on the front, and illustrations of their other flavors on the back.
A slogan printed is “A Snack for Every Adventure”. Some facts printed on this bag are “90 Calories”, “18g Protein”, “Low Fat”, “Alberta Beef”, “Est. 2019”, “Premium Handcrafted”, “Made from Alberta Beef”, “Marinated with Onion, Garlic, & Cracked Black Pepper”, “Halal”, and “Try Out Other Flavours”.
Some missing bag categories are a transparent window to view the jerky and an establishment number. A good blurb is printed on the back about Twelve Cows. You are encouraged to follow Twelve Cows on Instagram with their @twelvecows handle. As per Canadian law, French translations are provided.
Leave a Comment