Santa Barbara Meat Company is a small meat producer and butcher operation focused on supplying locally sourced, farm raised meats and handcrafted specialty products such as jerky and sausages. The company processes animals at its own farm butcher facility. It sells its products directly to customers through farmers’ markets and by appointment, emphasizing a farm to consumer approach that highlights freshness, transparency, and regional sourcing.
In addition to retail meat sales, Santa Barbara Meat Company offers custom cut and wrap services, allowing customers to purchase whole or partial animals from its own ranch or partner farms and have them processed to specific preferences. Overall, the brand positions itself as a community oriented craft meat provider that combines traditional butchery practices with locally raised livestock and direct market relationships.
This Santa Barbara Meat Company brand is distributed under the same name as Santa Barbara Meat Company, and is located in Gaviota, California. This Santa Barbara Meat Company brand is manufactured by the private label company Boyd Specialties, located in Colton, California, likely making this a stock recipe.
The first review on Santa Barbara Meat Company will focus on a 3 ounce/85 gram bag of Garlic Pepper flavored beef brisket jerky. This bag was purchased at a New Frontiers natural marketplace in Solvang, California.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Beef, Gluten Free Tamari Sauce (Water, Soybeans, Salt, Sugar), Brown Sugar, Water, Garlic Puree (Garlic, Citric Acid), Worcestershire Sauce (Distilled White Vinegar, Molasses, Sugar, Water, Salt, Onions, Anchovies, Garlic, Cloves, Tamarind Extract, Natural Flavorings, Chili Pepper Extract), Hickory Smoke (Water, Natural Hickory Smoke Flavor), Lemon Juice, Ground Pepper, Sea Salt, Granulated Onion. Allergen Warnings: Soy
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 consists of water, a good brand of gluten free tamari sauce, a well-respected brand of Worcestershire sauce, liquid hickory smoke, and healthy lemon juice.
Some healthy ingredients added are garlic puree, black pepper, and granulated onion.
The sugar level is great at 1 gram of sugar per 28 grams of jerky. The salt level is very low at 160mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky.
This jerky does qualify to have no sodium nitrite or any other similar unhealthy preservatives. Admirably, this flavor does qualify to have no MSG added.
Good (8/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
SANTA BARBARA MEAT COMPANY – GARLIC PEPPER BEEF BRISKET JERKY
When I open the bag I smell what I believe is vinegar. The jerky is medium to large in size and sliced rather thin. The jerky is dry but soft in texture, and there is no oily residue left on your fingers.
When I bite into the jerky, I taste salt at a decent level, medium sweetness, and, as advertised, the garlic and pepper are coming through in spades. I also taste light onion and vinegar.
This is a very tasty profile, with all the right flavors coming through quite intensely, and translates into a scrumptious blend of delicious flavors, all in one bag of jerky. Outside of the texture, this is a fantastic flavor of jerky. I am willing to overlook the texture and award this particular flavor a well-deserved 10/10. Gentlemen?
Here is what Mark had to say about this Garlic Pepper beef brisket jerky flavor from Santa Brabara Meat Company: “Thanks Paul for the positive taste review. I generally agree with most things Paul stated. I wouldn’t say the garlic and black pepper flavors come out in spades. The garlic is noticeable but no higher than a mild level. As with so many black pepper based flavors, much of the pepper falls off to the bottom of the bag. When you mix some of the peppers from the bottom of the bag with a jerky strip, yes, then the black pepper flavor comes out in spades.”
“The natural beef flavor has no hint of tasting processed. Brisket is the cut of beef used, which has a renowned reputation of absorbing marinade better than any other cut. The overall taste profile is somewhat complex, but the garlic and black pepper are the dominant flavors. I disagree with Paul that the sweetness is at a medium level, where the sweetness is minimal. I cannot say that I have any clear cut complaints about this flavor other than it lacks some ‘wow’ factor. With Paul at a 10 and myself at a 9, an Excellent (10/10) taste rating will awarded.”
This 3 ounce/85 gram bag of jerky sells for $13.29, which equates to $4.43 an ounce. That rates at an expensive price.
Excellent (10/10) – Taste Rating
Bag Review
This resealable plastic bag has a label affixed to the front and morning on the back. The Santa Barbara Meat Company logo shows cows grazing on grass.
A slogan printed might be “Local – Fresh”. Some facts printed on this bag are “Gluten Free”, “No Added MSG”, “Handcrafted”, “Solid Steak Strips”, “Low in Fat”, and “Proudly Made in the USA”.
The only missing bag category is a blurb about the jerky or company.
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