Best beef jerky & biltong, according to chefs
Three picks, each tied to a named taster and a public source — from Jake Dickson, Charlie Marshall, John Ratliff and Samantha Maxwell. Recommendations come from epicurious.com, youtube.com and pastemagazine.com.
Snacks & Sweets · The ranking
- 1Top pick
Brooklyn Biltong Original Air-Dried Beef
Chosen by- Jake DicksonFounder, Dickson’s Farmstand Meats · New York
- Charlie MarshallChef-owner, The Marshal · New Yorkthe-marshal.com ↗
- John RatliffFounder, Ends Meat · Brooklynendsmeatnyc.com ↗
Also chosen by- Jake Dickson · Founder, Dickson’s Farmstand Meats · New York source ↗
The panel’s favorite: “You could taste the beef. There was fat present,” and it was “dry but moist,” with zero sweetness. One taster’s verdict: “People should eat the [beep] out of this.” South African-style biltong: air-dried, not smoked or cooked.
- 2
No Man’s Land Slow-Dried Beef Jerky (Old Fashioned, Hot)
Chosen by- Jake DicksonFounder, Dickson’s Farmstand Meats · New York
- Charlie MarshallChef-owner, The Marshal · New Yorkthe-marshal.com ↗
- John RatliffFounder, Ends Meat · Brooklynendsmeatnyc.com ↗
“Very toothy, very traditional, very slow dried”: one panelist said it “tasted exactly like the ingredients” and “makes me trust the product,” and rated the flavor “nine outta ten.” 17 grams of protein per ounce, no preservatives, and honey as the only sweetener.
- 3
Vacadillos Carne Seca
Chosen by- Samantha MaxwellTasting Tabletastingtable.com ↗
Maxwell’s #1 of the jerky, biltong and carne seca she ranked: ultra-thin, fatty, with real chile heat. Carne seca is the Southwestern cousin of jerky: thin-sliced, dried beef.
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Questions, answered
- What is the best beef jerky & biltong, according to chefs?
- MyTastr’s top pick is Brooklyn Biltong Original Air-Dried Beef, chosen by Jake Dickson (Dickson’s Farmstand Meats); Charlie Marshall (The Marshal, New York); John Ratliff (Ends Meat, Brooklyn). The panel’s favorite: “You could taste the beef. There was fat present,” and it was “dry but moist,” with zero sweetness. One taster’s verdict: “People should eat the [beep] out of this.” South African-style biltong: air-dried, not smoked or cooked. Source: epicurious.com ↗
- What are the other top picks for beef jerky & biltong?
- No. 2 is No Man’s Land Slow-Dried Beef Jerky (Old Fashioned, Hot), chosen by Jake Dickson (Dickson’s Farmstand Meats); Charlie Marshall (The Marshal, New York); John Ratliff (Ends Meat, Brooklyn). No. 3 is Vacadillos Carne Seca, chosen by Samantha Maxwell (Paste). Each card above links to the original source.
- How does MyTastr choose these picks?
- Every pick is tied to a named chef, cookbook author or food expert and links to the public interview, panel or article it came from. We survey dozens, often hundreds, of top chefs, food writers and critics, and order reflects how often and how strongly a brand is recommended. Only organic recommendations count — paid endorsements don’t — and brands can’t buy a spot. Read how we pick.