Mikey V’s Foods is a veteran owned, award winning artisanal food company best known for its bold spicy foods, including hot sauces, salsas, BBQ sauces, pickles, seasonings, and a range of flavorful jerky products. Founded and run by self-taught chef Michael “Mikey V” Valencia and his wife, the brand grew from a passion for handmade, high quality food into a celebrated craft producer with over 100 awards at competitions like the Scovie Awards and the NYC Hot Sauce Expo, reflecting its dedication to freshness, all natural ingredients, and intense flavor profiles.
Alongside its extensive lineup of sauces and spicy condiments, Mikey V’s offers jerky that embodies the same commitment to big, bold flavor, combining premium cuts of meat with seasoned heat that appeals to spice lovers and snack enthusiasts seeking artisanal, Texas style snacks. The company also operates a brick and mortar hot sauce shop and taco restaurant, reinforcing its community roots while making its products available both locally and online.
This Mikey V’s jerky brand is distributed under the name of Mikey V’s Foods, located in Georgetown, Texas. This jerky is manufactured by Fatman Beef Jerky, and is located in Hagerman, New Mexico.
The first review on Mikey V’s will focus on a 2 ounce/57 gram bag of Cowboy Black Pepper flavored beef jerky. This flavor is described as being made with premium cuts of beef and a generous amount of black pepper, with just the right amount of heat to give it a kick without being overwhelming. The bag was purchased at a Beef Jerky Outlet store in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Bottom Round Roast, Soy Sauce (Water, Organic Soybeans, Organic Wheat, Salt), Liquid Smoke (Water, Natural Hickory Smoke Flavor, Vinegar, Molasses, Caramel Color, Salt), Brown Sugar (Sugar, Cane Syrup), Worcestershire Sauce (Distilled White Vinegar, Molasses, Sugar, Water, Salt, Onions, Anchovies, Garlic, Cloves, Tamarind Extract, Natural Flavorings, Chili Pepper Extract), Kosher Salt, Black Pepper, White Pepper, Tenderizer (Salt, Sugar, Corn Syrup, Bromelain), Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Paprika. Allergen Warnings: Soy, Wheat, Anchovies
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.
The liquid marinade is comprised of organic soy sauce, hickory liquid smoke, and a well-respected brand of Worcestershire sauce.
Some healthy ingredients added are black pepper, white pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.
There is no nutrition facts table provided. As a result, the exact salt and sugar levels are unknown.
This jerky does qualify to have no sodium nitrite or any other similar unhealthy preservatives. Instead, the main preservative used is salt. Admirably, there is no MSG added.
Good (8/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
MIKEY V’S – COWBOY BLACK PEPPER BEEF JERKY
Written by guest jerky reviewer Paul Rekker
When I open the bag I smell maybe a slight vinegar, and nothing else. The pieces are so varied in size, from small to medium to somewhat large, to crumbs on the bottom of the bag. Inconsistent, so to speak. The jerky is crisp and very dry, absolutely a home run as far as our forefathers are concerned.
When I bite into the jerky, it is very crispy, a complete “treat”, delicious in every sense of the word. I taste decent salt, minimal to no sweetness, intense pepper, a grand slam in and of itself, along with decent garlic and onion.
My goodness, as I consume more of the pepper, it is taking front stage, as advertised, and it is making this jerky experience a “home run”. A definitive 10/10. Gentlemen?
Here is what Mark had to say about this Cowboy Black Pepper beef jerky flavor from Mikey V’s: “Thanks Paul for the glowing taste review. We are in complete agreement. A crispy/crunchy texture happens to be my favorite type of texture. There is no mistaking that you are consuming a black pepper based flavor, another favorite of ours.”
“Paul pretty much covered everything except stating that these jerky strips are sliced thin and the familiar blend of soy sauce/Worcestershire sauce is prominent in the background. A well-deserved Excellent (10/10) taste rating will be awarded. Take a bow Mikey V’s. A very enthusiastic two thumbs up!!👍👍
A 2 ounce/57 gram bag of jerky sells online for $8.99, which equates to $4.50 an ounce. That rates as an expensive price.
Excellent (10/10) – Taste Rating
Bag Review
This clear plastic resealable bag has a label affixed to the front and nothing on the back. The Mikey V’s logo has the state of Texas with two chili peppers in front of it.
There are no slogans printed. The only facts printed are “Mild” and “100% American Beef”.
Some missing bag categories are a blurb about this jerky or flavor, a best before date, an anchovy allergen alert, a company website, and no nutrition facts table is provided. A QR code is displayed to view Mikey V’s products.
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