This will be the first review done for Black Tiger premium jerky. The first review will be on a 3 ounce/85 gram bag of their Teriyaki Honey Spice flavored turkey jerky. This bag was kindly submitted for review by the Black Tiger team.
Black Tiger jerky is manufactured and distributed by Black Tiger LLC., located in La Mirada, California. This company was founded by health and culinary enthusiasts with a passion to produce premium jerky products. Their defining words are RARE, BOLD, and EXOTIC. Their mission statement is simply to provide a healthy, exciting, and new snacking experience.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Turkey, Soy Sauce (Water, Wheat, Soybeans, Salt), Brown Sugar, Pineapple Juice (100%), Honey, Mirin, Spice, Vinegar, Liquid Smoke, Celery Salt, Sea Salt Allergen Warnings: Soy, Wheat
The turkey used is confirmed to have been ethically raised meaning no growth hormones or additional antibiotics are given.
For the liquid marinade we have soy sauce, pineapple juice, honey, mirin, vinegar, and liquid smoke. Pineapples contain an enzyme named bromelain that is widely used in the food industry, because it acts as a natural meat tenderizer. Mirin is a great choice for a teriyaki based flavor, which is a popular cooking wine used in Japanese cuisine.
For a sweet based flavor such as teriyaki, the sugar level is good at 4 grams of sugar per 28 grams of jerky. The salt level is rather high at 405mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky. However, much of that is negated due to minimally processed sea salt being used.
This jerky does qualify to have no sodium nitrite, or any other similar unhealthy preservatives. Instead, celery salt is the main preservative used, where celery has naturally occurring nitrates. Again to the credit of Black Tiger, this jerky has no MSG added.
Very Good (9/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
These slices of jerky are mostly medium in size, with some smaller sized pieces also. The thickness is borderline thick, or might just pass for medium thickness. This jerky texture is dry, but certainly not too dry. Chewing this jerky is reasonably easy, where I only find one small part in a jerky slice was tough to chew.
The first taste noticed is the sweetness, where the honey taste is perceptible, along with the taste of brown sugar. As more strips are eaten, the sweetness remains at about a medium level. The saltiness is at a light level. While not consistent with each bite, occasionally a light peppery taste is detected. The soy taste is quite noticeable, but not overbearing. On the other hand, the hickory smoke flavor is mild at best.
While this jerky does have some teriyaki taste that you would expect, using one of the Black Tiger defining words, this jerky does not classify as being bold. It is more like a mild flavor that is pleasant tasting. With this being a mild tasting jerky, it has a fair amount of natural turkey flavor.
You can purchase this 3 ounce/85 gram bag online for $8.00. That would equate to $2.67 an ounce, which translates to an expensive price. Given that there is a very healthy ingredient list used, this jerky is recommended as worth your money.
Bag Review
This is a fairly large bag, especially the height, and a common bag to use in the jerky industry. There is a label affixed to the front, and nothing on the back. The logo is quite interesting, with what looks like two lions with serpent shaped bodies that have crowns above their heads. It looks mythological, and has a “B” and a “T” in a very fancy font, denoting Black Tiger of course.
Their slogan is “Rare”, “Bold”, “Exotic”. Some facts printed on this bag are “Liquid Smoke Added”, “Natural Style”, “Low Fat”, “High Protein”, and “Premium Cuts of Lean Turkey Made with Our Special Marinade”.
All bag categories are covered here with one very minor exception. The jerky weight is not stated in grams. Whomever does the artwork for Black Tiger is one talented individual with a great imagination.
Order their jerky online: www.blacktigerjerky.com
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