Sugar Free Beef Jerky: Why Most Jerky Has Sugar and Where Biltong Comes In

Most jerky has sugar because sugar is part of the recipe: it balances the salt, carries the glaze and gives jerky its familiar sweet finish. If you want a beef snack with no sugar in the ingredient list, biltong is the better place to look, and ours is certified Glatt Kosher.

We are a kosher meat-snack maker, so we make both. We air-dry biltong in small batches in Florida from grass-fed beef, and we make a sweet jerky we call Meat Candy. That means we know exactly where the sugar goes in each one. This guide explains why jerky is sweet, how to read a label that says "sugar free," and where biltong fits. Our biltong is certified Glatt Kosher.

Why most jerky has sugar

Jerky is a marinated meat. Beef is sliced thin, soaked in a liquid, then dried with heat. The liquid is where the sugar lives.

Sugar does three jobs in that marinade:

• It balances the salt. Jerky is salty by design. A little sweetness rounds it off so it tastes savory instead of harsh.
• It carries the flavor. Teriyaki, Korean BBQ, hickory smoke and honey-garlic are all sweet-forward styles. Take the sugar out and the flavor changes.
• It makes the glaze. That glossy, slightly sticky surface on a piece of jerky is dried sugar and marinade.

Sugar also hides under other names. A label might not say "sugar" and still contain it as brown sugar, honey, molasses, cane syrup, juice concentrate or dextrose. Teriyaki sauce, barbecue sauce and many soy-based marinades arrive with sugar already inside them. If a jerky is sweet, something sweet is in the bag.

That is not a flaw. It is a style, and many people love it. Our own Meat Candy is cooked, glazed and openly sweet. That is why we named it what we did. If you want a sweet jerky, we will not pretend otherwise.

But if you are cutting back on sugar, you need to know which snack is which before you buy.

What "sugar free" and "zero sugar" jerky actually mean

Search for sugar free jerky and you will find a lot of bags with the words on the front. Read them carefully, because the claim is narrower than it sounds.

The labeling rule is per serving. In the US, a product can claim "sugar free" when a labeled serving has under half a gram of sugar. A small serving size makes that easier to hit. It is a real standard, but it is a number on a serving, not a promise about the whole bag.

"No sugar added" is a different claim. It means no sugar was put in during processing. It does not mean the product has no sugar at all, because the ingredients you start with can carry some.

Some "zero sugar" jerky uses sweeteners. To keep the sweet flavor without sugar, some makers use sugar alcohols or other sweeteners. That is not wrong, but it is a different ingredient, and some people notice it in the taste or prefer to avoid it. If that matters to you, read the whole ingredient list, not just the front of the bag.

Here is the quick checklist we use ourselves:

1. Read the ingredient list from the top. Ingredients are listed by weight, so anything sweet near the top is a big part of the snack.
2. Look for sugar in all its forms: brown sugar, honey, molasses, syrup, juice concentrate, dextrose.
3. Check the sauces. Teriyaki, barbecue and soy-based marinades usually bring sugar with them.
4. Look for sweeteners if you want to avoid them.
5. Check the serving size before you trust a "zero" on the nutrition panel.

We are not going to quote sugar numbers for the snacks we make or for anyone else's, because the label on the bag in your hand is the only number that counts. The ingredient list is always right there. Use it.

Where biltong comes in

Biltong is a different kind of beef snack, and it starts from a different place. It is not marinated in a sweet sauce and cooked. It is cured with vinegar, salt and spices, then air-dried. The seasoning is savory: coriander, black pepper, salt and garlic.

So the sugar question has a simple answer for our Original. Read the ingredients on our Sliced Biltong:

• Original: grass-fed kosher beef, coriander, black pepper, salt, garlic, vinegar. No sugar in the ingredient list.
• Loaded Garlic: grass-fed kosher beef, coriander, garlic, roasted garlic, salt, tomato powder, vinegar. No sugar listed.
• Peri Peri: grass-fed kosher beef, coriander, red pepper, black pepper, salt, garlic, vinegar, brown sugar. This one does contain brown sugar, which is why we are telling you rather than letting you find out at the checkout.

Our Original biltong lists no sugar in its ingredients: grass-fed kosher beef, coriander, black pepper, salt, garlic and vinegar. If sugar is the thing you are avoiding, that is the one built for you, and the Original ingredient list above is the same idea, written out in plain words. Check the product page for what is in stock right now.

You can see every size and flavor on Buy Biltong Online.

What biltong tastes like if you are coming from jerky

Do not expect jerky without the sugar. Expect something else.

Biltong is savory first. You taste beef, then the warm, slightly citrus note of coriander, then pepper and garlic. The texture is also different. Jerky is cooked quickly, sliced across the grain and often tough. Biltong is air-dried slowly and it gives way when you bite it instead of fighting back. If you have only had jerky, the first bag surprises people.

If you have never had biltong, start with Original. It is the reference point. Everything else is a variation on it. Our guide to what is actually in biltong goes through the ingredients in more detail.

When biltong is the wrong pick

We would rather tell you than lose you on the second order. Biltong is the wrong pick in these cases:

• You want a sweet snack. Biltong is savory. If sweet-and-smoky is what you love about jerky, biltong will feel like a different food, and you may prefer our Meat Candy.
• You want a firm, chewy piece. Biltong has a softer bite and a drier edge. Some people who grew up on tough jerky miss the chew.
• You are avoiding salt. Both snacks are cured and salty. Sugar is one thing to watch. Salt is another. Biltong has no free pass there.
• You need a specific diet answer. If you are managing blood sugar or another medical condition, ask your doctor. A snack with no sugar in the ingredient list is not medical advice.

Also, a quick honesty note on Meat Candy. It is cooked, glazed and sweet. If you buy it, check the label for the sweeteners and glaze ingredients so you know exactly what is in your bag.

Is Grub biltong the same as sugar free jerky?

It is the closest thing, but it is not the same, and that matters.

Jerky and biltong are different foods made by different methods. Our Original biltong lists no sugar in its ingredients: grass-fed kosher beef, coriander, black pepper, salt, garlic and vinegar. We are telling you that if what you want is a high-protein beef snack without a sweet marinade, biltong was built that way from the start. Some of our flavors have sugar and some do not, and we list the ingredients so you can choose.

If you are not sure which way you lean, the Biltong Sampler Pack has one mini bag each of Original, Peri Peri and Loaded Garlic. It is the smallest amount that tells you anything, and it lets you taste the difference between the plain and the spiced.

If you also want to look at jerky made to kosher standards, our kosher beef jerky collection has the sweeter end of the shelf in one place.

Bottom line

Most jerky has sugar because the marinade needs it. "Sugar free" on a bag is a claim about one serving, so read the ingredients. Biltong is cured with vinegar and spices instead of a sweet sauce, so our Original and Loaded Garlic list no sugar, while Peri Peri has a little brown sugar. Pick biltong if you want savory. Pick jerky if you want sweet. Check the label either way. US orders over $50 ship free.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does beef jerky have so much sugar?

Jerky is marinated, and the marinade usually includes sugar or a sweet sauce. The sugar balances the salt, helps build the glaze and gives the jerky its sweet finish. Not every jerky is sweet, but most flavored ones are.

Is there any jerky with no sugar at all?

Some makers sell jerky with no added sugar, and some use sweeteners instead of sugar. The only way to know is to read the ingredient list, not the front of the bag. Look for sugar in all its names, including honey, molasses, syrup and juice concentrate.

What does "sugar free" mean on a jerky label?

In the US it generally means less than half a gram of sugar per labeled serving. That is a claim about a serving, not the whole bag. "No sugar added" is a different claim, so check which one you are reading.

Does Grub biltong have sugar in it?

Our Original and Loaded Garlic ingredient lists do not include sugar. Our Peri Peri includes brown sugar. Our Original biltong lists no sugar in its ingredients: grass-fed kosher beef, coriander, black pepper, salt, garlic and vinegar. Check the product page for the current ingredient list before you order.

Is Meat Candy sugar free?

No. Meat Candy is cooked, glazed and sweet on purpose. If you are avoiding sugar, choose biltong instead, or read the Meat Candy label carefully before you buy.

Is biltong a good snack if I am watching sugar?

It can be, because the seasoning is savory and the beef is high in protein. It is still a salty, cured snack, and we make no health claims beyond that. If you are managing a medical condition, ask your doctor.

Is your biltong kosher?

Yes. It is certified Glatt Kosher.