Pap’s Beef Jerky, founded in 2012, sprang from the passion of outdoorsman Jim Richardson, who felt existing jerky lacked the right texture and flavor for active adventurers. Richardson’s mantra “just the right amount of chew!” guides the texture that defines Pap’s products, engineered to deliver a satisfying chew reminiscent of traditional jerky while unlocking full flavor as saliva activates subtle taste notes. The brand lives by the slogan Fuel Your Outdoor Lifestyle™, aiming to supply a snack that supports active, nature-loving individuals while maintaining high-quality, real ingredients and bold, original flavors.
At their modern production facility, Pap’s hand-packs large, thin slices of USDA select beef, slow marinated, seasoned, and cooked for hours to develop their signature taste and chew. The jerky is naturally cured, gluten-free, low‑carb, free of unnecessary fillers or preservatives like potassium sorbate, and crafted with health‑conscious consumers in mind. Since 2018, Pap’s has also collaborated with Grippo’s, an iconic Cincinnati barbecue seasoning brand, to create Grippo’s BBQ flavored jerky and beef sticks, blending Pap’s premium texture with Grippo’s sweet, smoky heat in a unique regional partnership that expanded in 2019 to include beef sticks.
Pap’s emphasizes its American identity and values. Committed to doing business the right way, the company donates a portion of sales to local causes like Friends of Metro Animal Services and TKO Boxing, ensuring that every bite contributes to community impact. This Pap’s Beef Jerky brand is distributed under the name Pap’s Foods, located in Louisville, Kentucky.
The first review on Pap’s Beef Jerky will focus on a 2.5 ounce/71 gram bag of Bar-B-Q flavored beef jerky. This flavor is described as harnessing the sweet, smoky heat of the iconic Grippo’s BBQ seasoning. As the flavor develops, the Grippo’s seasoning creates a rush of sweetness, immediately followed by a vinegar-tinged heat that spreads over the tongue and across the palate. The bag was purchased online from Amazon.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Beef, Soy Sauce (Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Salt, Corn Syrup Solid, Caramel Color), Water, Grippo’s Seasoning (Sugar, Torula Yeast, Monosodium Glutamate, Corn Flour, Contains 2% or less of: Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Sunflower Oil, Caramel Color, Silicon Dioxide, Paprika Extract, Natural Smoke Flavor, Containing Sulfiting Agents [>10mg/kg]), Liquid Smoke. Allergen Warnings: Soy and Sulfiting Agents
This United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) 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 is comprised of a poor brand of soy sauce, water, and sunflower oil.
Some healthy ingredients added are onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika extract.
The sugar is a little high at 6 grams of sugar per 28 grams of jerky to lose a rating. Our preference is 5 grams of sugar or under for a sweet based flavor, as we have here. The salt level is acceptable at 300mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky.
This jerky qualifies to have no sodium nitrite or any other similar unhealthy preservatives. Instead, the main preservative used is salt. The unhealthy flavor enhancer monosodium glutamate (MSG) is used to lose a rating. The cheap, highly processed flavor enhancer hydrolyzed corn protein is used to lose another rating.
Average (5/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
PAP’S BEEF JERKY – BAR-B-Q BEEF JERKY
Written by guest jerky reviewer Paul Rekker
When I open the bag I smell a very faint BBQ. The pieces are medium to large, and they are sliced to a medium thickness. The jerky is somewhere in between soft and rigid, and I noticed an ever so slight oily residue on my fingers.
When I bite into the jerky I taste medium salt, maybe a tad too much sweet, but not out of bounds, along with medium pepper and possibly mild garlic. I definitely taste the BBQ, which is likely why the sweetness is a bit bolder than desired. I noticed the dark hue of the jerky, which typically indicates a substantial amount of marinade. I would say that’s an accurate statement in this case, the BBQ flavor is the most prevalent.
A decent tasting jerky, a bit too sweet for me, but well in line with a BBQ flavor, so in fairness, I should award nothing less than an 8/10, which is fine with me. Gentlemen?
Here is what Mark had to say about this Bar-B-Q beef jerky flavor from Pap’s Beef Jerky: “Thanks Paul for the honest taste review. One thing that I am surprised Paul did not cover is that there is a faint heat present, which accentuates the BBQ flavor. As Paul mentioned, the level of sweetness is on par with a barbecue flavor. The Grippo’s seasoning used in this flavor brings an interesting taste to the table, where you could describe this flavor as being bold tasting.”
“There is a light smokiness flavor in the background. The natural flavor of beef has no hint whatsoever of tasting processed. The overall taste profile is well-balanced with no single flavor standing out. I cannot find anything technically wrong with this BBQ flavor, other than that there is no ‘wow’ factor. With Paul at an 8 and myself at a 9, a Very Good (9/10) taste rating will be awarded.”
This 2.5 ounce/71 gram bag of jerky sells online for $7.99, which equates to $3.20 an ounce. That rates as an average price.
Very Good (9/10) – Taste Rating
Bag Review
This red, plastic resealable bag has a everything imprinted on the bag both the front and back. The Pap’s Beef Jerky logo has a mean looking bull wearing a nose ring. There is a high resolution picture on the back of a man rock climbing.
A slogan displayed on this bag is “Fueling Your Outdoor Lifestyle”. Some facts printed are “Grippo’s Famous Sweet Heat”, “Gourmet Beef Jerky”, “12g of Protein”, “$7.99”, and “Smoke Flavor Added”.
Some missing bag categories are a blurb about this jerky or flavor, and a transparent window to view the jerky. You are encouraged to follow @papsjerky on TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram.
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