Freedom Jerky - Payload Pepper

Freedom Jerky was founded in November 2017 by creative producer Jonathan Chia and television actor Vincent "Rocco" Vargas, both combat veterans. The two were inspired to create a line of jerky whose sales benefited the team at War Horses for Veterans, a charity that helps wounded service men and women through experiences with horses.

"Healing those who have been in combat is not just an intention, it is our mission,” says Vargas. “We’ve created a great product to serve the best people we know. Freedom Jerky supports and hires veteran families with a focus on our community."

This "Payload Pepper" is described by the company's as having a, "true steakhouse flavor, with just the right balance of cracked pepper".


Ingredients

Beef, brown sugar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, chili sauce, balsamic vinegar, seasoned rice vinegar, liquid smoke, spices

Review

The first flavor I pick up is a light sweet with shades of vinegar. Hints of Worcestershire slowly come into view. The chewing brings on a more defined Worcestershire with notes of soy sauce and a touch more sweet. The tanginess of vinegar increases a touch. Finally, the black pepper starts to show while a light natural meat flavor follows.

For being marketed as a black pepper beef jerky, this holds up. Certainly there's a lot of cracked black pepper bits on these slices, but the flavor remains light. The pepper is not the star of this show, but more of a supporting role, helping to add a bit of spice to the chewing.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is a sweetened, yet lightly watered-down blend of soy sauce and Worcestershire, with a light vinegar tanginess, and light to moderate black pepper spiciness.

The meat consistency is excellent. It's easy to chew, and feels just like soft pieces of steak once chewed down. I found very little stringiness, ad mostly all meat with just scant pieces of fat.

Verdict

This Payload Pepper variety from Freedom Jerky delivers a lot of bits of cracked black pepper but only a light to moderate spiciness and flavor. It doesn't really make black pepper the dominant flavor, but instead uses it as a spice to help give this jerky some of that familiar bite. It's otherwise an addictive jerky in its own right, and delivers a balanced blend of savory, sweet, salty, and lightly spicy chew. We like the tanginess from the vinegar and chili sauce, and we like the soft chewing and meaty, steak-like texture.

Rating: Good (4/5)