About Kalahari Snacks
Kalahari Snacks began with a race rather than a recipe. A group of best friends traveled to South Africa to race 175 miles in an Ironman and an ultramarathon within a week. There, their South African teammate, Brett, introduced them to biltong, which the brand calls his homeland’s unofficial national treasure. They were hooked by the tenderness, the beef-first flavor and the simple ingredients. Ordinary jerky, in their telling, lost its appeal for good. Once home, they set out to bring that way of enjoying beef to their own country. Their stated rule was to never cut corners, use the best beef and be open about every ingredient and step.
What makes Kalahari Snacks different
Biltong is not jerky. Where jerky is cooked or smoked dry, biltong is marinated in vinegar and spices and cured by air alone, which the brand says keeps it tender and beef-forward. The company describes five steps: American top round beef is hand sliced, seasoned with vinegar, black pepper, coriander, rosemary and sea salt, marinated, hung in a climate-controlled room for what one page calls a two-week hang dry, then hand sliced thin against the grain. No high heat, six to eight ingredients, no fillers, sugar or preservatives. The beef is grass fed, grain finished, with no antibiotics or added hormones. The brand also notes a “Best Biltong” nod from New York Magazine and Dr. Axe Keto Diet approval.
Kalahari Snacks flavors we carry
Everything here is beef biltong in two-ounce bags, sliced thin on a shared vinegar, pepper, coriander and rosemary base. Start with the Original, which the manufacturer calls a cross between jerky, slow-roasted beef and fine Italian prosciutto, with no heat called out. Garlic is described as having no heat and sits beside our other garlic beef snacks, while Rosemary Truffle adds black truffle to the marinade, again with no heat called out.
If you like warmth, Chili Lime is billed as the perfect amount of citrus with just a dash of heat, and Spicy Peri Peri, described as mid-level heat, lands on the gentler side of our spicy beef jerky shelf. Fans of classic original beef jerky should expect something softer and less sweet. Everything currently in stock is in the grid above.
Who it’s for
Kalahari Snacks suits you if you prefer tender over tough and savory over sweet; according to the manufacturer, each bag has 0g sugar, 0g carbs and 32g protein and fits keto, paleo and Whole30 lifestyles. Heat tops out at what the brand calls mid-level, so this is not a range for chili-heads. The flavor pages list beef, vinegar, salt, pepper, coriander and rosemary, plus garlic, peri peri chili, black truffle or lime and chili by flavor, with no “Contains” line, so check the bag.
JerkyBrands is an independent retailer; the Kalahari Snacks name and logo are trademarks of their owner.
