It all started out with Michael visiting family in Borneo, Malaysia in 2007. Little did Michael know that there was a recipe in his family for over 30 years. Michael’s family in Malaysia are vegetarian Buddhists, and found mushroom jerky to be the perfect alternative to meat, with its meaty like texture. Michael knew that his family had something special that had to be shared with the rest of the world. After a lot of testing, Pan’s Mushroom Jerky was officially launched in 2008. All current four flavors are vegan certified, gluten-free, use organic ingredients, and are Kosher certified. Pan’s Mushroom Jerky is distributed by Panco Foods LLC, and they are located in Vancouver, Washington.
The next review on Pan’s Mushroom Jerky will focus on a 2.2 ounce/62 gram bag of their sea salt & pepper flavored mushroom jerky. This flavor is described as a classic flavor with a sharp peppery bite. The jerky bag was kindly submitted for review by the Owner, Michael Pan.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Organic Dried Shiitake Mushrooms, Avocado Oil, Organic Coconut Sugar, Water, Seasonings Organic (Organic Black Pepper, Himalayan Sea Salt), Organic Chia Seeds.
These organic shiitake mushrooms are a good source of protein, fiber, antioxidants, and are cholesterol free. Mushrooms are a great source (other than the sun) for vitamin D, and are high on the minerals iron and selenium.
Super healthy avocado oil is used, which contains beneficial fats. Organic chia seeds are high in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, protein, fiber, and especially omega 3 fats.
The sugar level is somewhat high at around 5 grams of sugar per 28 grams of jerky to lose a rating. In fairness, organic coconut sugar is the main sweetener used here. Our preference is 3 grams of sugar or less per 28 grams of jerky. Mushrooms contain small amounts of healthy natural sugars. The salt level is respectable at around 250mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky.
This jerky qualifies to have no sodium nitrite, or any other similar unhealthy preservative. Instead, healthy Himalayan sea salt is the main preservative used. With more kudos to Pan’s Mushroom Jerky, this jerky has no MSG added.
Very Good (9/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
Written by guest jerky reviewer Stéphane Leclerc
I should probably begin this review by acknowledging the elephant in the room, mushroom jerky is an alternative to traditional or main stream jerky and it should be treated and enjoyed as such. It is pointless to draw comparisons or conclusions based on one or the other. They both serve similar purposes while being distinctive and that’s probably where these commonalities end.
They both have their place in today’s jerky market and they both serve it really well. It should be said that alternate jerky much like meat jerky are not going anywhere, anytime soon.
In my own opinion, mushroom jerky is a definite major step above any other types of substitute jerky and Yaaa Baby, how do you like them apples!
As per Michael Pan at Pan’s Mushroom Jerky: since our last review, they have grown up quite a bit. They have added two new flavors, new bag designs, all organic ingredients and they are kosher certified. In Michael’s words “they are selling mushroom jerky all over the country”.
Mushroom jerky makers have seen their sales growing and their businesses expanding in recent years as there is a real market for these tasty treats.
Mushroom jerky may not be for everyone but for those who choose to embrace and appreciate this healthy alternative, they will be delighted with Pan’s Mushroom Jerky.
As stated by Dr. Joel Furhman a world renowned leading expert in nutrition, mushrooms are extremely beneficial. They should be an important part of our diet and we should eat them every day. Pan’s Mushroom Jerky is definitely an easy and enjoyable way to achieve just that.
These little jerky morsels are soft, tender and fairly easy to chew. The delicate flavor of the mushroom is gently accentuated with a subtle saltiness followed with black pepper. There is a slight and pleasant little spicy kick paired perfectly with a few sweet notes. The umami flavor of these Shitake mushrooms is well respected and this flavorful seasoning elevates their enjoyable flavor profile.
The Merriam-Webster defines Umami flavor as a meaty or savory taste sensation, it is produced by several amino acids and nucleotides such as glutamate and aspartate.
Therefore, Umami is a pleasant savory taste imparted by glutamate, a type of amino acid and ribonucleotides including inosinate and guanylate which occur naturally in many foods such as meat, fish, vegetables and dairy products.
Many people if not all people enjoy umami flavors and while mushrooms can substitute for meat, they appeal to our taste for protein thanks to higher levels of umami-related compounds.
The Shitake mushroom drying process increases their guanylate content while allowing concentration and providing glutamate, thus boosting their umami flavor. Dried shiitake mushrooms have levels of naturally occurring glutamate of 1060mg/100g and levels of naturally occurring guanylate of 150mg/100g.
In conclusion, this Sea Salt & Pepper Mushroom Jerky is a great traditional jerky alternative. I am sure many people looking for a delightful vegan or vegetarian option will be elated with this mushroom jerky treat. I certainly am and as I’ve kept tasting these morsels, the more I’ve realized just how much I like and how addictive these are becoming more and more.
This great Pan’s Mushroom Jerky Sea Salt & Pepper Mushroom Jerky snack merits a 9/10 taste rating. Great Job, Cheers!
A 2.2 ounce/62 gram bag sells online for $9.00. That works out to $4.09 an ounce, which rates as a very expensive price.
Very Good (9/10) – Taste Rating
Bag Review
This resealable plastic bag has everything imprinted on the bag itself, both on the front and back. There are no labels affixed to this bag. Displayed is a graphic of mushrooms, where appropriately the transparent window is the shape of a mushroom.
Some slogans printed on this bag are “Made With Shiitake Mushrooms” and “No Meat. No Soy. Just ‘Shrooms”. Some facts printed on this bag are “Gluten Free”, “Rich In Vitamin D”, “High in Fiber”, and “Cholesterol Free”. There are a number of stamps printed such as “Certified Paleo”, “Cholesterol Free”, “High Fiber”, “Excellent Source of Vitamin D”, and “Certified Vegan”.
All bag categories are covered with this bag. There is a good blurb printed on the back about Pan’s Mushroom Jerky. You are encourage to follow Pan’s Mushroom Jerky on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest, where their @mushroomjerky social media handle is provided.
Excellent (10/10) – Bag Rating
Order their jerky online: www.mushroomjerky.com
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