Soft, low(er)-sugar beef jerky?

January 18, 2024 11:07 AM

I prefer the texture of more-processed "soft" beef jerky, but not the sugary taste that comes along with it in most versions. I'm not on any specific diet, just don't like my jerky tasting too sweet, so low-sugar rather than no-sugar options are fine. Can anyone recommend specific brands to try with lower sugar content but not tooth-breaking chewiness?
posted by serelliya to Food & Drink (8 answers total)

Best answer: Costco Steak Strips (aka Kirkland Signature Premium Extra Thick Steak Strips)?
posted by I EAT TAPAS at 11:11 AM on January 18

Old Trapper is pretty soft and not sweet. I don't know where you are so they might not have distributors near you
posted by Dr. Twist at 11:12 AM on January 18

Best answer: You might try biltong, which is a South African style of beef jerky made without any sugar at all. I haven't had it in a while but I remember the texture being less jaw-exhausting, and the flavor was very nice. (I haven't tried that particular brand but they seem likely to ship to wherever you are, otherwise it's just a good search term.)
posted by restless_nomad at 11:14 AM on January 18

Best answer: You might try Chomps and Epic Provisions beef sticks (both for sale online, also available at lots of grocery stores, especially ones that lean organic/natural/whatever like Whole Foods or Sprouts or whatnot).
posted by box at 12:10 PM on January 18

I look for and appreciate tooth-breaking chewiness in jerky, and Tillamook’s sugar free jerky is too soft for me but maybe you’ll like it. The taste is great and I tend to just leave the bag open so it dries out a bit.
posted by jeoc at 4:22 PM on January 18

I had some Buk Hua Lan beef jerky recently and it was really tender.
posted by The corpse in the library at 4:30 PM on January 18

Best answer: Krave is a softer beef snack and comes in a zero sugar version that does not taste sweet. It's soft, I think it's made from some mechanically processed beef that's then shaped into jerky-like squares. Definitely not just strips of dried chewy meat. Honestly I didn't care for it, it reminded me more than a bit of the treats you'd give your dog, but I'm being a little silly. Worth a try?

I also love Slim Jims and other forms of meat sticks that are basically very thin sausages. They are full of fat though.
posted by Nelson at 6:46 AM on January 20

Response by poster: Thanks all! I started trying this list from the top down and I'm already a fan of the Costco beef strips -- easy to find, relatively affordable, very tender and only a teensy bit too sweet (4g sugar per 1 oz, in case anyone else can't find the nutrition label online). I've enjoyed Chomps beef sticks from Costco in the past as well, but they are a little heavy-handed on the salt. Going to try out some of the softer zero-sugar options next!
posted by serelliya at 9:03 AM on January 22 [1 favorite]