As a proud vegan foodie, I try to be as adventurous as my diet allows. So naturally when I started seeing vegan jerky on the market, I knew I needed to give it a go.
Given jerky’s history and contents, a decent meatless alternative seemed just a little too far fetched, but keeping the motto “don’t knock it til you try it (as long as it’s vegan)” in mind, I rounded up all the animal-free jerky I had access to, recruited my friend for a non-vegan’s opinion, and began an ultra-scientific vegan jerky taste test.
Gif courtesy of Youtube
We tried seven different jerky snacks from six brands, (purchased at Whole Foods, Vegan Essentials, and Seafood City, an international foods store) and rated them on a scale of 1-5 (5 being the best) in three categories: flavor, texture/mouthfeel, and appearance. After averaging the numbers and discussing our thoughts, here are our verdicts:
1. The Crowd Pleaser: Primal Spirit Meatless Jerky Strips in “Hickory Smoked”
Photo by Sarah Schuette
Flavor
Sarah: 5/Stevie: 5
Texture/Mouthfeel
Sarah: 4.5/Stevie: 5
Appearance
Sarah: 5/Stevie: 5
Overall Average
Sarah: 4.8/Stevie: 5
Final Thoughts: This was the overall favorite. The packaging was a nice size and the jerky definitely looked nom-worthy. My only issue was that I found it to be a bit too thick and squishy; like it should have been two thin strips instead of one big guy. It tasted lightly sweet and savory, very true to the “hickory smoked” flavor claim.
Verdict: A bit juicier than the real thing, but delish. Smells the best, looks the best, tastes the best. Definitely going to invest in their other flavors. Noteworthy quote: “I could do vegan with this” – Stevie
2. The Most Legit: Sam’s Harvest Jerky in “#19 Original Recipe: Medium”
Photo by Sarah Schuette
Flavor
Sarah: 5/Stevie: 5
Texture/Mouthfeel
Sarah: 4.5/Stevie: 4.5
Appearance
Sarah: 5/Stevie: 5
Overall Average
Sarah: 4.8/Stevie: 4.8
Final Thoughts: Tasted like a combination of BBQ and pizza Pringles, but with a totally different texture. Tough and dry, but still pleasantly chewable, this one took the cake for being the best replica of actual jerky.
Verdict: It would be easy to eat a whole bag of these; definitely would purchase again.
3. The Spiciest: Joy Tofu’s “Flavored Dried Bean Curd” with Sichuan Pepper
Photo by Sarah Schuette
Flavor
Sarah: 4.5/Stevie: 3.5
Texture/Mouthfeel
Sarah: 5/Stevie: 4
Look
Sarah: 4/Stevie: 4.5
Overall Average
Sarah: 4.5/Stevie: 4
Final Thoughts: HOT. If you like spicy, this one’s for you. Having them on skewers was nice because they were super oily (probably to help counter the spicy factor), which was my only issue, because you can’t transport them after they’ve been opened without the oil leaking everywhere.
Verdict: Too much oil, but still tasty enough to buy again. And spice-lovers only.
4. The Sweetest: Hsin Tung Yang “Dried Bean Curd: Sesame”
Photo by Sarah Schuette
Flavor
Sarah: 3.5/Stevie: 4
Texture/Mouthfeel
Sarah: 4/Stevie: 4.5
Look
Sarah: 4.5/Stevie: 5
Overall Average
Sarah: 4/Stevie: 4.5
Final Thoughts: Dessert jerky is the best way to describe this one. Not bad, just different. I personally found it to be a little too sugary and moist, but we both agreed that it was good enough to continue eating, though we wouldn’t go out of our way to buy it again. The flavor was a mild blend of sesame, molasses, and licorice.
Verdict: Not bad, but I’d prefer to get my sweet and savory cravings satisfied elsewhere. Stevie would buy it again.
5. The Saltiest: Stonewall’s Jerquee in “Original Mild”
Photo by Sarah Schuette
Flavor
Sarah: 1.5/Stevie: 3.5
Texture/Mouthfeel
Sarah: 4/Stevie: 5
Look
Sarah: 5/Stevie: 4.5
Overall Average
Sarah: 3.5/Stevie: 4.3
Final Thoughts: I admit that I am very sensitive to salt, so this was not the one for me. It also smelled like a dog treat. That said, it does grow on you. Dry with a bit of a spongy quality.
Verdict: Similar enough to real jerky to appeal to non-vegans, and worth buying again if you like salty stuff.
6. The Mildest: Stonewall’s Jerquee in “Teriyaki Beef”
Photo by Sarah Schuette
Flavor
Sarah: 3/Stevie: 3
Texture/Mouthfeel
Sarah: 4/Stevie: 5
Look
Sarah: 5/Stevie: 4.5
Overall Average
Sarah: 4/Stevie: 4.2
Final Thoughts: Less salty than the “original mild”, this one reminded me of a baked Lays chip with a drop of teriyaki sauce. The texture and look were the same as the original, but bonus points to this flavor for tasting even better microwaved (which the packages suggested doing).
Verdict: Could see ourselves craving this after a hike or bike ride. Worth purchasing again.
7. The Fail: Hung Yang Foods Co. “Veggie Jerky”
Photo by Sarah Schuette
Flavor
Sarah: 3/Stevie: 1.5
Texture/Mouthfeel
Sarah: 1/Stevie 1
Look
Sarah: 2/Stevie: 2
Overall Average
Sarah: 2/Stevie: 1.5
Final Thoughts: Like eating sweet leather. It looked like a cross between a dried mango and an animal hide, and my elbow definitely bruised my thigh from the effort it took to rip off a piece. That said, the flavor wasn’t horrible.
In comparison to the others, the non-vegan hated this one, but I (the vegan) didn’t mind it. We both agreed that the aftertaste was decent. The soya sauce and sugar were the strongest flavors, followed by curry, pepper, and then a little licorice.
Verdict: Did it replicate the real deal well? No. Would we buy it again? Nope. Would we eat it again? If there wasn’t anything else around…yeah (What can we say? We’re ravenous college students).