Krave Beef Jerky - Garlic Chili Pepper

Krave Beef Jerky is a brand owned by Krave Pure Foods, Inc. based out of Sonoma, CA. It started in 2011 by Jon Sebastiani, who got started in the food business working on his family's winery in Sonoma.

Knowing that many people have a negative connotation with jerky, he sought to market Krave to the "non-jerky eater". He designed packaging that didn't look like traditional jerky packaging, and came up with flavor names that would appeal to women and gourmet foodies. He also promoted the health qualities of his jerky, and stayed away from selling Krave in traditional markets like convenience stores and gas stations.

This Garlic Chili Pepper beef jerky is described as the company's spicy offering, with "a robust garlic and chili marinade" topped with real chili flakes, resulting in a "tasty jerky that teases your taste buds with flavors of garlic, light salt, medium soy sauce, and a crescendo of spices."

Ingredients

Beef, evaporated cane syrup, low sodium gluten-free soy sauce, garlic chili sauce, spices, garlic powder, sea salt, celery juice powder.

Taste

The first thing I taste from the surface of these pieces is a strong sweetness, followed by a chile pepper flavor. A lot of garlic flavor also comes in.

The chewing brings in a strong chile pepper sauce flavor and a stronger garlic. The sweetness also seems to create a lightly fruity flavor.  There's a natural meat flavor that comes in towards the end.

For being labeled as "Garlic Chili Pepper", this seems to hold up well. I can taste a lot of garlic and chile pepper flavor, as well as a chile pepper sauce flavor, having touches of vinegar.  It even seems to have light touches of black pepper.

Otherwise, the flavors that seem to define this jerky overall is a strong sweetness, and then followed by the chile sauce flavor, garlic, and chile pepper flavor.  The natural meat flavors also make a significant contribution towards the end.

The natural meat flavors have more of a roast beef flavor than a steak flavor.

The level of heat in this feels to be at a medium level on my personal heat scale (level 3 out of 5).

Meat Consistency

These are slices of whole meat, sliced into slabs of small, medium, and large sizes, and sliced medium thickness.

This is a dry jerky with a slightly moist surface feel, and with a tender, easy chew.  It doesn't chew dry, but feels slightly moist.

The chewing texture starts out feeling tender and soft, offering very little chewing resistance.  It chews down easily and takes on a meaty feel, similar to thick sliced deli roast beef, but not quite as moist.  Once chewed down to a soft mass, it feels very much like real meat, more comparable to roast beef.

I don't see any fat on these slices and no tendon on gristle.  The chewing reveals a light amount of stringiness, but otherwise offers no unchewable tissues.

As far as clean eating goes, my fingers pick up some red pepper flakes, but otherwise no significant stickiness.

Snack Value

Krave Jerky typically sells for $6.99 per 3.25oz package in most stores.  That works out to $2.15 per ounce.

For general jerky snacking purposes, at the $2.15 per ounce price, it's a good value.  I'm getting a flavor that I find to be much better than other major brands, and a meat consistency that's easy to eat, chews like real meat, and offers pure meaty chew.

As for being a "Garlic Chili Pepper" beef jerky, at the same $2.15 per ounce, it's also a good value.  I'm getting a lot of garlic and chili pepper flavor, at a medium level of heat.

Rating

I'm giving this a good rating.

This Garlic Chili Pepper beef jerky from Krave Jerky offers up a tasty blend of chili sauce, natural chili pepper flavor, a well-noticed garlic, all slathered with a strong sweetness.  Add to that a meaty, roast beef-like flavor, and it create a very addicting jerky snacking experience.

But Krave also puts together a tender, easy chewing that chews and feels like eating real beef, without any stringiness or unchewable tissues.

Compared to other major brands of jerky, this Garlic Chili Pepper from Krave definitely has set itself apart of the competition in both taste and meat consistency.

Rating: Good

Buy this online:

• https://www.kravejerky.com/