Bourgeois Meat Market is a historic Cajun butcher shop and smokehouse with roots dating back to 1891. Founded by Valerie Jean-Batiste Bourgeois, the family business began with fresh meat deliveries by horse and carriage through the bayou communities of South Louisiana before eventually growing into a permanent storefront and regional culinary landmark. Over four generations, the Bourgeois family has preserved traditional Cajun butchery methods while becoming widely known for specialties such as smoked sausage, boudin, and their world famous Cajun beef jerky. The market’s deep connection to Louisiana culture, smokehouse traditions, and family craftsmanship has made it one of the most recognized meat markets in the region.
Bourgeois Meat Market is especially celebrated for its distinctive Cajun style beef jerky, made from lean strips of beef marinated for at least 24 hours and slowly smoked using old-fashioned methods in custom smokehouses designed by the founding family. The jerky, which contains no artificial smoke flavorings or preservatives, developed a devoted following after being accidentally created in the early 1980s by Donald Bourgeois while experimenting with recipes for friends and local customers. Today, the company reportedly produces around 1,000 pounds of jerky each week and ships products across the United States, helping introduce authentic South Louisiana flavors to a national audience.
Now led by fourth generation owner Beau Bourgeois, the company continues to balance heritage and modernization while maintaining the same family oriented approach that built its reputation more than 130 years ago. The business remains a symbol of South Louisiana food culture, blending generations of butcher shop knowledge with the bold flavors and hospitality of Cajun cuisine. This Bourgeois Meat Market brand is distributed under the same name as Bourgeois Meat Market, located in Thibodaux, Louisiana.
The first review on Bourgeois Meat Market will focus on a 4 ounce/113 gram bag of Cajun flavored beef jerky. This flavor is described as being slightly sweet with just a little heat. The jerky was kindly submitted for review by Professor of Shipping, Maria Sanchez.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Beef, Salt, Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper and Cajun Spices.
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.
There is no liquid marinade used. Some people refer to it as a dry rub or old fashioned jerky.
Some healthy ingredients added are black pepper, cayenne pepper, and Cajun spices.
There is no nutrition facts table provided. As a result, the exact sugar and salt levels are unknown.
There are no unhealthy preservatives used, and the jerky is confirmed as having no sodium nitrite. Instead, the main preservative is salt. Admirably, this jerky has no MSG added.
Good (8/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
BOURGEOIS MEAT MARKET- CAJUN BEEF JERKY
Written by guest jerky reviewer Paul Rekker
When I open the bag I smell a slight vinegar, or at least that is what I believe I’m smelling. The strips of jerky are long and sliced reasonably thick. The jerky is quite moist and leaves a fair bit of an oily residue on your fingers.
When I bite into the jerky, I taste a myriad of flavors, all very good. The salt is at a perfect level, and the sweetness is rather mild. I also taste decent levels of pepper and garlic, and I also detect the Cajun spice. It is not very intense, but it is definitely a very TASTY heat. I am enjoying it immensely. Every bite makes me enjoy it just a little bit more, if that’s possible.
I can find nothing to warrant anything less than a solid 10/10. Gentlemen?
Written by guest jerky reviewer Stéphane Leclerc
This jerky is phenomenal, and the flavor is well balanced. It has a robust, beefy flavor followed by an exquisite smokiness and the right amount of saltiness. The jerky has richness and depth of flavor. The taste is simple while being complex at the same time. The flavor is reminiscent of a “bacony” flavor, and it is highly addictive.
The meat to fat ratio is delightful. It is not too dry nor fatty. It simply tastes like a high quality product, and it is full of flavor. The taste of beef is elevated and right in the spotlight where it belongs, with just the perfect level of delicious smokiness. The seasoning is in the background without any other components intruding or attempting to steal the show.
I can only find great qualities in this product, the aroma, flavor, and texture are delightful, and no issues can be noted. This is a gem and a treat, it is an easy and very well deserved 10/10 Taste Rating.
Let the Good Times Roll!
Here is what Mark had to say about this Cajun beef jerky flavor from Bourgeois Meat Market: “Thanks Paul and Stéphane for the glowing taste reviews. You guys nailed it, this flavor is the bomb. The texture is quite interesting, being thick, where it does sort of resemble a meat stick, but not nearly as dense. These Cajun spices are lightly seasoned with barely any hint of spiciness. I agree with Stéphane that there is a certain ‘bacony’ flavor to this jerky. The lack of sweetness allows the natural beef flavor to shine instead of being muted by sugar.”
“There is no hint of the beef tasting processed. I tend to favor bold tasting flavors, but I have no ground to stand on here, as the light seasoning blends beautifully with the natural beef flavor. This is most certainly a delectable treat to eat, which is addictive as heck, leaving you wanting more. A no doubter, unanimous Excellent (10/10) taste rating will be awarded. Take a bow Bourgeois Meat Market, two very enthusiastic thumbs up!!👍👍”
A 4 ounce/113 gram bag of jerky sells online for $8.99, which equates to $2.25 an ounce. That rates as a cheap price.
Excellent (10/10) – Taste Rating
Bag Review
This clear plastic resealable bag has what looks like a label imprinted on the front and nothing on the back. The Bourgeois Meat Market logo has a woman playing an accordion.
A slogan printed could be “Miracles in Meat”. The only facts printed are “Since 1891” and “A Product of Cajun Louisiana”.
Some missing bag categories are a blurb about this jerky or flavor, a best before date, a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) logo, an establishment number, a nutrition facts table, and a bar code. To the credit of Bourgeois Meat Market, a phone number is provided for customer inquiries.
Order their jerky online: www.bourgeoismeatmarket.com
My problem is finding a jerky that tastes bold without tasting processed. Your note about the dry rub and the slight sweetness with just a little heat is what caught me. I like that there is no MSG and no sodium nitrite, since salt doing the preserving sounds old fashioned in a good way.