Ayoba-Yo - Droëwors

Ayoba-Yo is a brand of biltong and droëwors owned by Ayoba-Yo USA, based out of Oakton, VA. The brand got started in 2013.

Co-founded by Wian van Blommestein, Ayoba-Yo is a family run business that focuses on South African-style meat snacks. Made in a USDA-inspected facility, the company's biltong and droëwors is made from top round and spiced with an old family recipe. It's free of artificial ingredients and preservatives.

Droëwors is a style of sausage originating from South Africa, using ingredients similar to biltong, and is more dry than American-style meat sticks.

Ingredients

Beef, vinegar, salt, water, coriander, pepper, cloves, sheep casing

Review

The first flavors that hit my palate is a blend of tangy vinegar and coriander. The chewing brings on a bit more of the tangy, along with a light salt and a touch of aged beef flavor.

Tasting similar to the company's biltong, this droëwors seems to also rely on the vinegar and coriander to generate much of unique flavor. There's a noticeable fatty oiliness that coats the tongue and creates a light buttery character.

The meat consistency is perhaps a little more fatty than other brands of droëwors I've experienced, but if you like having some fat mixed into your meat, the way I do, it's actually enjoyable. Ayoba-Yo's droëwors feels a little more chewy than other brands, but comparably as light and dry. The casing has a light crisp when biting.

Verdict

This Droëwors from Ayoba-Yo creates an overall light but beefy flavor of the famous South African-style meat stick. It has a significant fatty character but yet it creates a buttery quality that makes it quite decadent. I like the vinegar tanginess, the lower sodium content, and I like the light crisp bite. If you've never had droëwors before, Ayoba-Yo's offering makes a great introduction to the world of South African-style meat snacking, and may just very well convert you from the American-style grease sticks.

Rating: Good (4/5)