In 1997, a band of three young, small-time crooks developed a recipe for a highly potent substance that went by the street name “Jerky”. Within weeks, jerky flooded the streets of Chester Counter, PA. The gang was moving 10 kilos a week, pushing in the back alleys, the street corners, and the recess yards. Supply couldn’t keep up with demand, and the boys got sloppy. In the fall of ’98, a deal went awry in the ninth grade hallway bathroom when a teacher caught the boy’s mid-chew. The three received four harrowing hours of after-school detention without parole.
While on the inside, they conspired with a cellmate who went by the name of “G-off”, a notorious carnivore known for two things: a distribution network that stretched from Brazil to British Columbia and an insatiable thirst for meat. It was this unlikely cellmate-ship that would ultimately change the course of jerky trafficking and American history forever. This Righteous Felon jerky brand is distributed under the name Righteous Felon, LLC., and it is located in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
The next review on Righteous Felon will focus on a 1 ounce/28 gram bag of O.G. Hickory flavored beef stick. This flavor is described as a classic smoky & savory 100% beef meat stick with hints of garlic, onion, and cracked pepper, garnished with sea salt and that crisp snap that takes you back to your favorite childhood meat snack. The bag was purchased at an Ollie’s discount store in Niagara Falls, New York.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Beef, Water, Sea Salt, Contains 2% or less of Brown Sugar, Encapsulated Citric Acid, Cultured Celery Powder (Celery Powder, Sea Salt), Liquid Smoke, Black Pepper, Granulated Garlic, Onion Powder, Cherry Powder, Coriander, Ground Rosemary, Chili Powder, Ground Clove, in Colored Collagen Casing.
This beef is ethically raised, meaning it is guaranteed to be free of growth hormones and additional antibiotics. The cattle are guaranteed to have some 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.
There are many healthy ingredients added, such as black pepper, granulated garlic, onion powder, cherry powder, coriander, ground rosemary, chili powder, and ground clove.
The sugar level is low at 1 gram of sugar per 28 grams of beef stick. The salt level is a little high at 440mg of salt per 28 grams of meat stick. However, the salt level is ignored because healthy, minimally processed sea salt is used.
The artificial color red #40, red #3, or an equivalent is likely used in the collagen casing to lose a rating.
As advertised, this jerky does qualify to have no sodium nitrite or any other similar unhealthy preservatives. Instead, the main preservatives used are sea salt and, to a lesser extent cultured celery powder. Admirably, there is no MSG added.
Good (8/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
RIGHTEOUS FELON – O.G. HICKORY BEEF STICK
Written by guest jerky reviewer Paul Rekker
When I bite off the end of the package I smell hickory and vinegar. The meat stick is pretty much identical to most other meat sticks, in length, girth, and hue. The meat stick is a bit oily to the touch.
When I bite into the meat stick, I notice immediately that the collagen casing has a definitive “snap”, rare these days regarding meat sticks. I taste salt at a very good level, sweetness at a mild level, which is also a good thing. I also taste garlic and vinegar, both at decent levels, along with appropriate levels of both pepper and onion.
It is a very tasty meat stick. I taste the hickory as well, it is prevalent enough to validate the “hickory” in the meat stick’s title. All things considered, this is a very enjoyable taste experience, and, along with the “snap” to the collagen casing, warrants a well-deserved 10/10. Gentlemen?
Here is what Mark had to say about this O.G. Hickory beef stick flavor from Righteous Felon: “Thanks Paul for the candid taste review. I mostly agree with everything stated. Hickory is a beautiful flavor, but I cannot say it is at a strong level, it is mild at best. Regarding the ‘snap’ of the texture, yes, there is some ‘snap’ present. It is not the strongest ‘snap’ that we have reviewed, but at an acceptable level.”
“The taste profile is complex but rather effective, creating a somewhat unique flavor with saltiness being the strongest flavor. As with Paul, I too found this beef stick to be an enjoyable treat. However, there is only a small amount of ‘wow’ factor present. With Paul at a 10 and myself at an 8, a Very Good (9/10) taste rating will be awarded.”
This 1 ounce/28 gram bag of beef stick sold for $1.49. That rates as a borderline cheap price.
Excellent (10/10) – Taste Rating
Bag Review
This bag has everything imprinted on it, both on the front and back. There are no labels affixed to this bag. There is an illustration of a cow wearing a hat and sunglasses.
A slogan printed on this bag could be “Stick With Us”. Some facts printed are “Craft Jerky”, “Savory and Smoky Beef Stick”, “Natural Smoke Flavor Added”, “100% Beef Raised With No Antibiotics or Nitrites”, “Gluten Free”, “Soy Free”, “Paleo Friendly”, “1G Sugar”, “9G Protein”, and “Scan For Free Stick”.
The only missing bag category is a blurb about Righteous Felon or this flavor, which is typical for a meat stick. The @rightesoufelon handle is displayed along with a #righteousfelon hashtag. A QR code is displayed on the back, linking to Righteous rewards and discounts. You are encouraged to follow Righteous Felon on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. To the credit of Righteous Felon, an email address is provided for customer inquiries.
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