Hello, and welcome back to Eight Years In! If you’re a returning reader, you may remember earlier on this blog, when I taste tested a vegan jerky from Louisville Vegan Jerky Company (you can find it here, if you’re interested).
If you read that post you’ll know that I very much enjoy jerky. Back when I wasn’t vegan yet, beef jerky to me was delicious and symbolized that there was enough money.
Since going vegan, I’ve begun eating quite differently. However, from time to time I do still want to have the familiar experiences of my younger years. So I do buy treats here and there, and when I do, I try to make a point of reviewing it for you all. So that those who are curious about these products can get an idea of what they might be able to expect.
The flavor
The pack of jerky I ordered from Beyond Meat came with two flavors, regular and teriyaki. I was happy to see that they’ve had the thought to create more flavors, not just original. And while it’s not quite as many flavors as Louisville Vegan Jerky Co, it’s definitely a start.
After trying both flavors, I have to say that I prefer the original to teriyaki. Although to be fair, I don’t have much experience with teriyaki in general.
The original flavor was salty, a bit sweet and a hint of peppery smokiness. In my opinion, it was absolutely delicious and perfectly balanced. Definitely my favorite, all things considered.
Later, I found the hot and spicy flavor in the store, which was very exciting. Upon tasting it, I think it was very good. The first flavor note I find is garlic, the second is a slight hint of sweetness, which looking at the ingredients, I would guess is the pomegranate concentrate. And then, the third is the heat. Which is at a pretty good level for a spicy jerky flavor in my opinion. You can definitely taste it, but your mouth won’t be burning forever. This is probably the most exciting flavor, but I don’t recommend it if you don’t like garlic. It kind of reminds me of the flavor profile of the spicy Slim Jims, plus garlic.
The real question
So let’s just get down to it and answer the question you’re really wondering: is this jerky actually meaty?
And oh my gosh, yes! It looks and feels very much like meat. It isn’t quite as hard as beef jerky tends to be in the packages you buy at stores but it is very meaty.
I’m very impressed with Beyond Meat with the work they did on this product. I’m used to them putting out quality vegan products and all, but when it came to jerky, I wasn’t sure what I should be expecting.
In fact, while I was tasting this jerky for the first time, I even went so far as to say they might’ve done a better job with this jerky than they have with their burgers. Which is saying something because I enjoy the Beyond Burgers very much.
What did the meat eaters say?
Usually, when I try to test some sort of meat replacement product, I give it to some of my meat-eating friends or family to try as well, to get their perspective.
Like any product, this one had mixed reviews. One didn’t like the smell of the original, another felt the hot and spicy flavor was too garlicky. However, they definitely agreed that across the board, this was the meatiest vegan jerky they were yet to try. So that definitely means something, in my opinion.
Price
These jerkies are actually cheaper than any other vegan jerky I’ve seen. While not cheap, I would say they’re more or less on par with regular beef jerky. The larger pack I got at the store was $5.29 for three ounces, and the smaller bags worked out to about two dollars for one serving size.
Nutrition
So, as you’ll see on the back of the package, one serving is 90 calories, which is all that you’ll get in one of the smaller bags that I got my hands on. And each serving has ten grams of protein in it, which is approximately the same as the beef jerky you’re used to, as well. Since this isn’t meat, it’s got more carbs than beef jerky, coming in at eight grams per serving. And the sodium is relatively high, coming in at 460 mg or 20% of your RDA.
Not to say this is an incredibly healthy product, but do any of us really eat beef jerky because we think it’s super healthy? Nah. We eat it because it’s delicious and fills us up until our next meal. And as someone who’s been snacking on this on and off the past week and a half, I can tell you it hits the mark. The protein in it (plus the little bit of added fiber you get from the plants it comes from) does the trick and makes it a snack with staying power.
My thoughts
To be honest, I’ll probably buy this again. The packages are well portioned for a snack, at a decent price, and well-seasoned. And so far, they’re truly the most realistic vegan substitute for beef jerky that I’ve tried. Not mention, I’m pretty excited that I can now buy vegan jerky at the store. That’s something I never would have even thought to dream back when I first went vegan!
I really do get that meaty chew, smoky flavor and realistic look. I have to say, good job, Beyond Meat! I’m impressed by this product, and I look forward to any new flavors you might come out with.
Thank you for reading my thoughts. If you’re interested in more vegan content and reviews, be sure to subscribe to the blog to get updates when a new post goes live. And let us know if you’ve tried the Beyond Jerky in the comments below. Did you like it?