Listen. We said our beef jerky is the best. We never said it was the cheapest. You want cheap beef jerky? Sorry ‘bout your luck.
You want amazing beef jerky? Buy ours.
As much as we cringe at clichés like "you get what you pay for," when it comes to jerky ... you get what you pay for. The cut and quality of beef, the ingredients, and the jerky-making process all factor into the price of Savage’s jerky products.
We’re not making excuses. We’re making damn good jerky.
Tender Beef Jerky vs Chewy Cheap Jerky
In recent years, the price of meat has sharply increased. In fact, we have seen an average 17.6% increase in beef and pork prices from our suppliers. That’s another reason that beef jerky costs so much — beef prices in general have increased.
But we're not trying to blame our suppliers for the rising cost of meat. It's really about the quality of our beef that determines how much beef jerky costs.
Savage Jerky beef jerky is made from the best cuts of meat — brisket.
Chewy beef jerky, on the other hand, is made from "cheap" cuts of meat like beef round, which tends to be very marbled, tough and chewy. That’s the kind of jerky that makes your jaws ache after chewing it.
“Fun” fact: The most expensive beef jerky you'll find comes from Wagyu beef. Wagyu is a Japanese cattle breed that we don't use here at Savage Jerky. We’re all about quality, but we’re not out of our minds. We set out to create bold flavored beef jerky, but not so much that no one could afford it. Besides, all of our products are made in the US.
Perhaps even more than the price of the meat itself, it's the process that affects the cost of beef jerky. Hand-made beef jerky takes time, and it's a labor-intensive process.
The Slowwwww Jerky-Making Process
One of the main reasons why beef jerky costs so much is because of the way it is made. Making jerky is a labor-intensive process. A single batch can take days to make — from the time the raw meat arrives at our kitchens to the time it is packaged for sale takes 3 to 4 days:
- 1 day to trim/slice the beef and mix the marinade
- 1 day to marinade (full 24 hours)
- 4 hours to cook
- 1 day to pack and ship
That jerky you picked up on the cheap? Note whether it has straight, smooth edges or rough, natural edges. Does it look like it came off an assembly line? It probably did.
Our beef jerky is hand processed, and no two pieces are alike.
Preservatives, Additives and Stuff You Can't Pronounce
Some manufacturers who-shall-remain-unnamed pack their jerky treats with cheap ingredients, including sugar and other chemicals, which can bulk up product weight and make you think you’re getting more for your money.
You get what you pay for in every ounce. Check out the ingredients in our jerky versus the other guys’ — The first three ingredients in Savage’s traditional beef jerky: beef, tamari and Worcestershire sauce — flavor, flavor, flavor. The first three ingredients in theirs? Beef, water and sugar.
We pack our beef jerky with beef and bold flavors. It’s always the first ingredient listed, because it’s what you get the most of. We don’t use preservatives, and the ingredients we use to flavor our meats are natural. Call us purists, but we believe that artificial preservatives detract from the quality and the flavor of food. Instead, our jerky is made using a more careful processing method, and we usually recommend that you refrigerate after opening the jerky ... that is, if you can resist eating the entire bag in one sitting.