People's Choice - Small Batch Beef Sticks

Earlier this year, People's Choice Beef Jerky added beef sticks to their "Small Batch" line. The company had long offered beef sticks in their "Classic" product line. However, these new sticks are said to be Keto-friendly, with zero sugar, and zero carbs.

People's Choice Beef Jerky is a brand of Peoples Sausage Company, Inc. based out of Los Angeles, CA. It's a family-run business that's been around since 1929.

These new sticks are also marketed as Gluten-Free, and are made with 100% USA Beef, with no preservatives.


Sea Salt & Pepper

Ingredients: beef, seasoning, water

There's a noticeable salt that comes on right away, but flanked soon by a sharp, pungent black pepper. The meat flavors rush in from the chewing, and bring with it a touch of tanginess. The black pepper continues to increase, creating a spiciness that sits on our heat scale at "medium" (level 3 out of 5).

These sticks are bit a more chewy and firm than what you might expect from competing brands. Each bite yields a light snap from the casing, while the chewing experiences a bit of oily, meaty texture.

Verdict: You seriously get a good dose of sea salt and black pepper flavor in these sticks. Expect a moderate spiciness, thus if your tongue is of the tamer persuasion, this may be too hot for you.

Flaming Hot

Ingredients: Beef, seasoning (Jalapeno Pepper, Black Pepper, Sea Salt, Spices, Cayenne Pepper, Habanero Pepper), water

The first bite yields a noticeable chile pepper flavor right off the top, comparable to the flavor of jalapeno, but just a bit more pungent. The salt flavor is toned down considerably from the company's Sea Salt & Pepper variety, however heat is ramped up. These would rate as medium-hot on our heat scale (level 4 out of 5).

These sticks are noticeably more soft than the Sea Salt & Pepper, and have a little less snap in the bite. However, the meat flavor is right there, along with a light bit of tanginess.

Verdict: These sticks have a rich chile pepper flavor, mostly that of jalapeno and habanero, along with enough heat to produce some sweat on the brow. Unlike other brands of sticks that claim to be hot, these sticks from People's Choice actually ARE hot, and deserving of the Flaming Hot name.

Final Verdict

These new Small Batch beef sticks from People's Choice really are a welcome departure from the lot of competitor sticks in that they deliver flavors that taste uniquely different from one variety to the next. The Sea Salt & Pepper taste far more fresh than what I've tried elsewhere, and steps up to the plate with a rich sea salt flavor and a sharp, freshly cracked black pepper. Meanwhile, the Flaming Hot puts the jalapeno and habanero chile flavors front and center, and actually doles out a higher level of heat that lives up to its name. But it's the fresh, natural character that won me over, a quality lacking in many beef sticks today.

Rating: Best (5/5)