Think Jerky, started by Ricky Hirsch, is a company that is striving to take jerky from “gas station food to health food” by minimizing sugar and salt. So, he also partnered with celebrity chefs like Chef Gale Gand and Chef Laurent Gras to create delicious, innovative jerky flavors.
All the jerky is made from grass-fed beef or free-range turkey, are non-GMO, gluten-free and paleo-friendly. Not only is it made from the healthiest ingredients, it’s also philanthropic. 10% of its profits go to the David Lynch Foundation to help veterans with PTSD. A great company with great morals. But how does it taste?
Think Jerky has four flavors: ginger orange, sweet chipotle, Sriracha honey, and Thanksgiving. I wanted a second opinion on this one, so I grabbed my roommate and we embarked on this jerky journey. Here’s what we decided.
Ginger Orange
Photo by Megan Yee
DM: It smelled good. It’s definitely interesting. Very ginger-y. I would say definitely an acquired taste, not for everyone but still good nonetheless.
AL: The orange flavor comes in first, but then the ginger really hits you. I probably wouldn’t eat it normally, but if you like ginger, this would be really good.
Sriracha Honey
Photo by Megan Yee
DM: I liked this one a lot! It’s actually not as spicy as I wanted it to be. The honey mixes well with the Sriracha and probably actually helps undercut the spiciness. I’d definitely snack on it if I were studying or writing a paper or something.
AL: Definitely sweet. The honey pairs with the Sriracha, like in an almost fruity way that is unexpected.
Sweet Chipotle
Photo by Megan Yee
DM: This one smells extremely smoky. It also tastes extremely smoky. It definitely has a little kick to it that I like. It gets better the more you eat. This one has real snacking potential, definitely enjoyable.
AL: The smokiness is great; it tastes what I expect jerky would be. The raspberry part is pretty good too. I wouldn’t mind eating it again at all.
Thanksgiving
Photo by Megan Yee
DM: It’s extremely herb-y. I have no idea which herb it tastes most like but I would guess thyme. The more you chew, the more like it just kind of tastes like herbs. It’s not entirely unpleasant, but it is a bit overpowering. It still doesn’t taste bad, but still I dunno. I am very conflicted.
AL: I am not really looking forward to this. This tastes like cranberry jerky. Like there’s some herb taste to it, but mostly just tastes like cranberry. Yeah I don’t like this one, it’s too sweet.
Favorites?
Photo by Megan Yee
DM: Definitely the Sweet Chipotle
AL: If I had to choose, probably the Sweet Chipotle.