Wisconsin River Brand is the flagship line of meat snacks produced by Wisconsin River Meats, a family owned company. The business traces its roots back to 1978, while Wisconsin River Meats was officially established in 1990 by John Hamm and David Mauer. Using time tested family recipes, the company specializes in naturally hickory smoked meat products made from high quality cuts of meat. Its product lineup includes beef jerky, beef sticks, snack sticks, landjaeger, summer sausage, bacon, and a variety of smoked meats.
In addition to producing its own brand products, Wisconsin River Meats operates a USDA inspected processing facility that serves farmers, hunters, and retail customers throughout Wisconsin. Following a devastating fire in 2022, the company rebuilt its facility and continues to produce its handcrafted meat snacks while maintaining its longstanding commitment to quality, traditional meat processing, and customer service. This Wisconsin River Brand is distributed under the same name, Wisconsin River Brand, located in Mauston, Wisconsin.
The first review on Wisconsin River Brand will focus on a 4 ounce/113 gram bag of their Original flavored beef jerky. This bag was purchased at a gas station in Niagara Falls, New York.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Beef, Water, Salt, Sugar, Maple Syrup, Sodium Nitrite, Flavorings, Sodium Erythorbate.
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 used here consists of just water and healthy maple syrup.
There are no healthy ingredients added.
There is no Nutrition Facts table provided. As a result, the exact sugar and salt levels are unknown.
This jerky does not qualify to be sodium nitrite free, as sodium nitrite is used outright as a preservative, along with sodium erythorbate to lose a rating. Admirably, this jerky also qualifies to have no MSG added.
Decent (7/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
WISCONSIN RIVER BRAND – ORIGINAL BEEF JERKY
Written by guest jerky reviewer Paul Rekker
When I open the bag I smell something sweet, not sure what. The strips of jerky are medium in size and sliced rather thin. The jerky is rigid and dry, just as our forefathers intended.
When I bite into the jerky, I taste a medium level of salt and minimal sweetness, which surprised me a bit, given that I smelled sweetness when I opened the bag. I also taste pepper at a decent level, and the garlic is mild. There is no heat/spice to this flavor, however, it isn’t advertised as such either.
I must say that this flavor of jerky is rather tasty, and it does taste like an original flavor, but it’s not that it’s blowing me away, but it tastes rather good. I would say this review is writing as an 8, and I would concur, an 8/10 it is. Gentlemen?
Here is what Mark had to say about this Original beef jerky flavor from Wisconsin River Brand: “Thanks Paul for the honest taste review. I pretty much agree with everything stated. One aspect missing is a decent level of smokiness in this flavor. I would not say every strip is sliced thin. As Paul noted, there is not much sweetness present, which is much appreciated.”
“The natural flavor of beef has no hint of tasting processed. The overall taste profile is simple, as it should be for an Original flavor, with the main emphasis on the taste of beef. While I agree with Paul that this jerky tastes good, there is no ‘wow’ factor present. A unanimous Good (8/10) taste rating will be awarded.”
This 4 ounce/113 gram bag of jerky was purchased for $9.99. That works out to $2.50 an ounce, which rates as a cheap price.
Bag Review
This silver resealable bag has a label affixed to the front and nothing on the back. The Wisconsin River Brand logo has what appears to be a thunderbird over an illustration of the state of Wisconsin.
A slogan printed on this bag could be “Lean Healthy Beef”. Some facts printed are “Sliced whole muscle, never ground or pressed”, “The Real Beef Jerky”, and “1.4 lb”.
Some bag categories missing are a blurb about the flavor or jerky and the jerky weight stated in grams.
Leave a Comment