LTT Sponsor Product Review: Savage Jerky

[PineyCreek]

UPDATE 1: Tried the Mojo Jalapeño, added my opinion to the list.

UPDATE 2: Tried the Habanero Buffalo Sauce flavor, added my opinion to the list.

UPDATE 3: Tried the Ghost Pepper Buffalo Sauce flavor, added my opinion to the list.

 

Disclaimer: Jerky is easily purchased in the USA.  With a little effort and a dehydrator you can make your own as well.  Taste is subjective to the person.  This is an opinion.  CHILL.

 

Background information: Beef jerky is typically made with meat from a round cut.  Savage Jerky's beef jerky is made with USDA brisket.  Brisket is from the breast or lower chest of the bovine. This tends to be more flavorful but must be handled carefully to tenderize the usually large amount of connective tissue.  Typical store-bought jerky is machine-processed, while Savage Jerky's selling point is that their jerky is hand-crafted (and the fact that it's brisket).  Typical beef jerky found in stores from beef round will be a flattened strip. Savage Jerky appears to be hand-cut pieces of brisket tossed in whatever flavorings/spices is called for.  Bacon jerky, turkey jerky, and non-bacon pork jerky, beef jerky (both round and 'steak' cuts) are easily available where I live.  This is my perspective/opinion/understanding.

 

Purchased:

1 x Teriyaki (beef jerky) 2.2oz

1 x Sriracha Teriyaki (beef jerky) 2.2oz

1 x Maple Buffalo Bacon (bacon jerky) 2oz.

1 x Sriracha Bacon (bacon jerky) 2oz.

1 x Sweet Sriracha BBQ (beef jerky) 2.2oz.

1 x Cracked Pepper and Sea Salt (beef jerky) 2.2 oz.

1 x Traditional Mojo (beef jerky) 2.2oz.

1 x Mojo Jalapeño (beef jerky) 2.2oz.

1 x Habanero Buffalo Sauce (beef jerky) 2.2oz

1 x Ghost Pepper Buffalo Sauce (beef jerky) 2.2oz

Beef jerky was at $6.99 (USD) per bag, bacon jerky was at $7.99 a bag.

Coupon codes exist (including 'LTT') but make sure when purchasing your discount doesn't end up costing you the free shipping for having more than $49 in your cart at checkout.

 

Purchasing jerky rather than making your own is always more expensive.  From my perspective, Savage Jerky's price per bag (from my perspective, a small bag) seems high, but I have to also allow for the fact that they are their own company, do not sell in large stores (that I'm aware of), are primarily an online business, and are also using a superior cut of meat for their beef jerky that is on average double the cost of standard round in the US.  Savage Jerky appears to have no brick-and-mortar locations where one can purchase their jerky except in the state of Arizona.

 

My opinions on each:

 

Teriyaki - It's teriyaki-flavored.  Personally I don't think the change to brisket here helped over my usual go-to Bridgeford or Jack Links teriyaki jerky.  There's less sauce flavor.  The ginger is very apparent.

Sriracha Teriyaki - This one resulted in a resounding MEH.  The flavor was vague.

Maple Buffalo Bacon - Bacon jerky is always pretty good to me due to the texture of the meat.  The flavoring was a bonus.  However, for this one, I wouldn't buy it again due to high cost.

Sriracha Bacon - I don't know what it was about this one, but this was by far superior to most bacon jerky that I've eaten.  I couldn't stop eating it.

Sweet Sriracha BBQ - Interesting.  It's almost like the sweetness of the BBQ flavor cancels out the spice.  Most of what I could taste was chili flavor and a hint of tomato.

Cracked Pepper and Sea Salt - I think this one's going to be fairly polarizing and will depend mostly on the person eating it.  I couldn't taste the meat at all.  Just salt and a bit of throat burn from the pepper.

Traditional Mojo - Now THIS was a surprise.  Something entirely different from any jerky I've tried.  Really good.  Lightly spicy, citrusy, and the texture was still pleasing.

Mojo Jalapeño - Tastes like Traditional Mojo with nice extra spice.  It doesn't really shy away from it either, it's a good kick.  Not for people that can't take a bit of heat in their mouths.  I might be exaggerating since I was dehydrated and drinking soda when I tried this the first time, which would exaggerate spice.

Habanero Buffalo Sauce - Though the heat level indicator printed on the back of the package shows this to be hotter than the Mojo Jalapeño if I remember correctly, this one felt about the same level of heat.  If you like the taste of buffalo sauce (hot wings, etc.) you'll probably be fine with this flavor.  Easiest thing I can associate to is a wing sauce-basted beef jerky.  It's alright.

Ghost Pepper Buffalo Sauce - I kind of liked this better than the Habanero flavor.  For some reason this jerky tasted a bit more savory than the habanero, and it definitely brought the increase in heat.  Not a super strong heat on the tongue, but it sits in your throat for a few minutes pleasantly.  Either way, this is my limit.  I've got no desire to try the Carolina Reaper flavor.