If you’re a big beef jerky fan, chances are you aren’t satisfied with the generic, overpriced jerky that’s sold at most grocery stores and gas stations. Ideally, jerky contain less than 400mg of sodium and 5g of sugar and is made using organic, grass-fed, or hormone-free beef. If you’re looking for beef jerky that’s not loaded with sodium, MSG, and other unpronounceable ingredients, you may need to order online.
Today, we’re rounding up reviews of five of the top online beef jerky stores in America. They’re churning out amazing jerky that actually tastes like meat, along with being healthier and more delicious than the crap you find at the gas station. Let’s see how some of these contenders stack up.
Omaha Steaks
Omaha Steaks is a popular mail-order steak company that has expanded to offer almost any type of food you can imagine. They’ve been around since 1917.
On their website, you can order everything you need to make a delicious feast, including the meat, sides, spices, wine, and even dessert. They also stock delicious jerky made from Omaha sirloin steak. They offer beef sticks, steak bites, and beef jerky, all made in delicious flavors like teriyaki, hot & spicy, peppercorn, and jalapeno.
If you don’t want to order off the Omaha Steaks website, they also sell some of their beef jerky on Amazon.
Pros
- It’s easy to buy in bulk. In particular, they offer two 4.6oz packages for $9.99 or one package for $6.99.
- Purchasing on their website allows you to earn Steaklover Reward Points, which can be redeemed for more jerky.
Cons
- Some reviewers found their jerky quite tough and chewy.
- Despite containing no artificial ingredients, their jerky is extremely high in sodium — 510mg per serving.
Buffalo Bobs
If you’re tired of regular old beef jerky, Buffalo Bobs offers customers the chance to try jerky made with different exotic meats. Instead of being presented in strips, each meat is processed into a type of pepperoni sausage.
Their jerky is sold either in variety packs — which offer a pretty good bulk saving — or by the individual stick. They try and pair each meat option with complementary seasonings, like Alligator Cajun and Elk Hickory. For example, their Ultimate Everything Exotic Jerky Gift pack contains 27 pieces of jerky made with meats like kangaroo, elk, alligator, and ostrich.
Pros
- They offer a huge variety of different types of meat.
- The price point is quite reasonable. For example, individual sticks are $1.99 each.
Cons
- Reviewers found some of their flavors bland and lacking in meaty flavor.
- They only offer pepperoni-sausage-style jerky, which tends to crumble instead of offering a good chew.
Golden Valley
If top-quality ingredients and healthier jerky are what you’re after, Golden Valley Natural is a manufacturer that offers a ton of different choices when it comes to their jerky products. Their primary focus is beef, turkey, buffalo, and pork jerky, and they have several different in-house brands.
Meliora Organic offers classic beef jerky that’s made with organic, pasture-raised beef with no antibiotics or hormones. Hero Jerky is a high-protein option that helps to support local service members and their families. Ascend is also made with organic ingredients but distinguishes itself with sophisticated flavors like Thanksgiving Turkey and Orange Peel Pepper Beef.
Pros
- Between all their different in-house brands, Golden Valley offers a lot of different flavor options, all with a moderate price point of around $6.99 to 8.99 per 85g bag.
- They offer interesting wild game jerky made with bison and buffo meat.
Cons
- Their multitude of in-house brands makes it difficult to tell the difference between each product.
- Some reviewers didn’t think there was much difference between the different flavor profiles.
Chef’s Cut
Chef’s Cut jerky is available both in stores and online. They offer regular beef jerky, as well as jerky made with turkey, pork, bacon, and chicken. They also offer pepperoni sticks, mini sticks, and sampler bundles that include a variety of different flavors and meats. Their newest flavor is Korean Barbecue. Their classic steak jerky only has 340mg of sodium per serving and they use real ingredients like soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, and freshly ground spices.
You can make a one-time purchase (one 7oz pouch is around $15), but the real savings come when you sign up to receive shipments every month. In fact, you can save as much as 15 percent by getting a monthly subscription.
Pros
- Chef’s Cut jerky is quite soft and retains a lot of fantastic flavor from the seasoning ingredients.
- They offer leaner options like turkey and chicken.
Cons
- They seem to really want you to buy in bulk as it’s difficult to find smaller-sized pouches that don’t come in multi-packs.
- Their multi-packs are definitely on the expensive end. For example, an eight-sample pack is $55.95.
B.U.L.K Beef Jerky
B.U.L.K Beef Jerky is a one-stop shop for anything and everything dried. Not only do they offer multiple flavors, but you can find tons of different jerky sorted by cut (sirloin or brisket) and by style. This means that fans of soft, tender jerky and people who love dry, crispy jerky can both walk away completely satisfied. They also offer meat sticks, kippered beef jerky, wild jerky, and a neat selection of nuts and dried fruit.
Their price point is right on. A 3oz bag of Classic Beef Jerky was only $8 and contained the lowest sodium numbers we saw — only 260mg per serving!
Pros
- Tons of variety and a great price point.
- They even have a keto section, which includes products that were specifically developed for this diet.
Cons
- Some of their wild jerkies come with a premium price tag. For example, 3oz of Ahi Tuna jerky was $16 per package.
- They don’t explain their flavors in detail, so you have to guess how it will taste.
Wherever you choose to shop, you can’t go wrong with any of these picks. They all had great reviews and were passionate about offering the best products they could make to their appreciative customers.