The jerky brand name Uncle Buck’s Smokehouse Jerky located in West Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, was officially launched back in 2003. Slowly over the years their jerky was sold in other locations. By 2007, new Teriyaki and Barbecue Pepper flavours were introduced, and their jerky was selling in more markets, trade shows, special events, and large events. The Uncle Buck’s Smokehouse Jerky closed their west end Edmonton shop in late 2012, and re-opened in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Canada in early 2013, while adding Cajun, Honey Garlic, and Sweet & Spicy to their featured flavours. In 2018, Uncle Buck’s Smokehouse Jerky officially changed their brand and company name to SNAC Jerky – an acronym referring to Scott, Noel, Alex, Curtis.
The first review on SNAC Jerky will focus on a 3.9 ounce/110 gram bag of their Cajun flavored beef jerky. This bag was kindly purchased by co-worker Michele Malysheff at the Christmas Craft Fair in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, Canada. The city of Lloydminster straddles the border of Saskatchewan and Alberta, and has the uncommon distinction of being a city in both Canadian provinces.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: 100% Alberta Beef, Salt, Sugar, Hydrogized Soy Protein, Jalipino Peppers, Silicon Dioxide, Distilled Vinegar, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Bisofile, Smoke Flavor, Yeast Extract, Chili Peppers, Xantham Gume. Allergen Warnings: Soy
The beef used raised in Alberta 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 is comprised of only very healthy distilled vinegar.
The spiciness is achieved from chili peppers and jalapeno peppers. Hot peppers are healthy if eaten in moderation, which flushes toxins out of the body.
There is no nutrition facts table provided. As a result, the exact sugar and salt levels are unknown. Based on the taste alone, the salt level for sure exceeds 450mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky to lose a rating. Our preference is 350mg of salt or less per 28 grams of jerky.
This jerky does not qualify to have no sodium nitrite, as similarly unhealthy potassium sorbate and sodium bisulfite are used as preservatives to lose a rating. This jerky does not qualify to have no MSG added, as the unhealthy, cheap, highly processed flavor enhancer hydrolyzed soy protein is used to lose another rating.
Average (5/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
Written by guest jerky reviewer Stéphane Leclerc
Whoa! This SNAC Cajun Beef Jerky would have been available to only a select few during the Middle Ages when salt was a precious commodity. I took a first bite and I almost went into anaphylactic shock! I could say this jerky is salty and it would be an understatement. Such words as strong or intense do come to mind and are much more appropriate. This saltiness is followed with much lighter notes of garlic and black pepper. The sweetness and the smokiness are also light to mild and there is a reasonably good amount of natural beef flavor.
It is a bit challenging to define this flavor as Cajun since Cajun has a more elaborate flavor profile. The taste has been mostly overwhelmed by the saltiness and spiciness and other flavors don’t seem to come across at all or as readily. We would rate the spiciness at 2 out of 5 on the heat scale.
These strips of jerky are medium in size and sliced thick. The texture is between dry, soft and requires a reasonable effort to chew. There are minor visible signs of fat and it adds to the natural beef flavor. These strips leave a considerable oily residue on the walls of the bag. The meat has a pink hue, which is indicative that potassium sorbate was used as a preservative.
This flavor is enjoyable and kind of addictive but by no means is it blowing us away. Unfortunately this jerky is probably far too salty to be enjoyed on a regular basis. There is a new thing called hardening of the arteries and high blood pressure and I seriously doubt this jerky will be the remedy. Paul and I really enjoy salty food and this jerky did test our limits.
Here is what Paul had to say: “The very first flavor I detect is (even to me) extreme salt. Holy cow, it is intense! I also detect pepper, it comes across quite powerful as well, garlic, and the unmistakable flavor of Cajun has begun to kick in. After you soldier past the original intense flavor of salt, and allow the Cajun spices to kick in, it is actually an enjoyable flavor”.
We still enjoyed this SNAC Cajun Beef Jerky and we’ve awarded a Good (8/10) taste rating. Cheers!
This 3.9 ounce/110 gram bag of jerky cost $10.00. That works out to $2.56 an ounce, which rates as an average price.
Bag Review
This clear plastic bag has a small label affixed to the front, and nothing on the bag. 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 “100% Alberta Beef”.
There are multiple bag categories missing such as a best before date, Canadian Department of Agriculture (CDA) inspected stamp, graphics, a non-resealable plastic bag, postal code, jerky weight stated in grams, bar code, French translations, jerky web site not stated, nutrition facts table, and a blurb printed about this flavor and/or SNAC Jerky. Admirably, a phone number is displayed for customer inquiries.
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