Funky’s Meat Snacks is a small batch snack brand that offers a wide variety of beef jerky, meat sticks, seasonings, condiments, and specialty snacks with a bold, playful personality. Founded by Debby Funk during the COVID era as an extension of her gift shop and embroidery business (www.embroideryboutiqueknox.com), the company began by launching its first meat snack flavors in 2022 and has since expanded into numerous savory and spicy offerings.
Funky’s Meat Snacks focuses on flavorful, handcrafted products such as Sweet Korean BBQ Beef Jerky, Tennessee Whiskey Beef Jerky, Cowboy Cut Honeyed Pepper Beef Jerky, jalapeño meat sticks, and salt and pepper jerky varieties. The brand emphasizes fun flavor combinations, eye catching branding, and snack experimentation while maintaining a homemade, independent business feel.
This Funky’s Meat Snacks brand is distributed under the same name Funky’s Meat Snacks, located in Knoxville, Tennessee. This jerky is manufactured by Springville Meat & Cold Storage Co. Inc., and is located in Springville, Utah, making this a stock recipe.
The next review on Funky’s Meat Snacks will focus on a 2.5 ounce/71 gram bag of their Sweet ‘N Hot flavored cowboy cut beef jerky. This jerky was kindly submitted for review by Owner Debby Funk.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Beef, Brown Sugar, Vinegar, Salt, Spices, Worcestershire Sauce [Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup, Molasses, Salt, Vinegar, Caramel Color, Hydrolyzed Protein (Soy), Enriched Wheat Flour (Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Natural Flavor, Guar Gum, Sodium Benzoate], Spices, Garlic Powder, Crushed Red Peppers, Sodium Nitrite. Allergen Warnings: Soy, Wheat
This cut of 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 healthy vinegar and a poor brand of healthy Worcestershire sauce.
Some healthy ingredients added are spices and garlic powder. The heat is achieved from crushed red chili peppers, which are healthy if eaten in moderation.
The sugar level is acceptable at 4 grams of sugar per 28 grams of jerky. The salt level is on the low side at 210mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky.
Super unhealthy high fructose corn syrup is used in the Worcestershire sauce to lose a rating.
This jerky does not qualify to be sodium nitrite free, as sodium nitrite is used outright as a preservative to lose a rating. This jerky does not qualify to have no MSG added because the cheap, highly processed flavor enhancer hydrolyzed soy protein is used in the Worcestershire sauce to lose another rating.
Average (5/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
FUNKY’S MEAT SNACKS – SWEET ‘N HOT BEEF JERKY
Written by guest jerky reviewer Paul Rekker
When I open the bag I smell next to nothing, possibly very light sweet. The pieces are quite oily, although not as oily as when they were originally taken out of the vacuum sealed bag. The jerky strips are medium in both size and thickness. The jerky is reasonably rigid, pretty much just as our forefathers intended.
When I bite into the jerky, I taste a very good level of salt. The sweetness is manageable, and I do taste decent pepper as well. The garlic is to a lesser degree, as is the onion. I do, however, significantly detect some heat as well, although it is not too intense, it is definitely prevalent.
Overall, a very decent flavor. I tried a little piece last night, and I was not nearly as impressed as I am today. Maybe this jerky gets better with time, just like wine. So, all things considered, I am fully content in rating this particular flavor of jerky as a 9/10. Gentlemen?
Here is what Mark had to say about this Sweet ‘N Hot beef jerky flavor from Funky’s Meat Snacks: “Thanks Paul for the candid taste review. It would be difficult to not agree with everything stated. While sweet tasting, thankfully the sweetness does not go overboard. The heat is at a decent level, perhaps more spicy than hot, but enjoyable nonetheless. The heat would rate at a 2 out of 5 or possibly a 2 out of 4 on the heat scale. As advertised, being a Cowboy Cut style of beef jerky, this is a good old fashioned dry and somewhat tough texture, which is our preference.”
“The natural taste of beef has no hint of tasting processed. The overall taste profile is well-balanced, with a focus on sweetness to a lesser extent and on heat, with the familiar taste of soy at a light to mild level in the background. I found this jerky addictive, and my portion was consumed relatively quickly, in part because of its ‘Cowboy Cut’ texture. While I found this jerky very enjoyable, it lacks a bit of the ‘wow’ factor. A unanimous Very Good (9/10) taste rating will be awarded.”
This 4 ounce/113 gram bag of jerky sells online for $12.00. That works out to $3.00 an ounce, which rates as a cheap price.
Very Good (9/10) – Taste Rating
Bag Review
This clear non-resealable plastic bag has a label affixed to the front and nothing on the back. The logo depicts owner Debby Funk introducing Funky’s Meat Snacks. The bag is vacuum sealed, the best way to keep jerky fresh tasting.
There are no slogans printed on this bag. The only fact printed on this bag is “Made in the U.S.A.”.
Some missing bag categories are a blurb about this jerky or flavor and a best before date. You are encouraged to follow Funky’s Meat Snacks on Instagram.
Order their jerky online: www.funkyssnacks.net
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