If you’re looking for a vegan snack, look no further. Voted the best vegan jerky by Rhett & Link in the vegan jerky taste test episode of Good Mythical Morning, Louisville Vegan Jerky Co. makes vegan jerky so good even meat eaters will like it. But which flavor is the best? We tasted all six flavors of their signature line-up and ranked them. 

According to the Louisville Jerky website, the company first started producing vegan jerky back in 2012 when founder Stanley Chase III overcooked his vegan manapua—a Hawaiian take on char siu bao or barbecue pork buns. He tasted the now chewy BBQ soy protein and got inspired. The origin story makes sense once you taste the jerky, because it is very pulled pork-esque. It’s definitely a softer style of jerky. 

Today, the Louisville, Kentucky, company is still family-run and independent, but they make more than just BBQ jerky. Here are all the Louisville Vegan Jerky flavors, ranked. 

Louisville Vegan Jerky!

As an NYC expat, I was excited about the General Tso’s flavor but it didn’t quite hit for me. I wanted a bit more tang and spice. Instead, I mostly tasted sweet soy flavor. If that sounds good to you, then you’ll love this vegan jerky. But don’t expect it to taste like your favorite Chinese takeout joint’s famous lunch special.

Rating:

6.5/10

Sporks

Louisville Vegan Jerky!

The team was torn on this one. Senior staff writer Jordan Myrick, in particular, was a fan. “It’s a little bit spicy and it has a nice savory flavor without being overpowering,” they said. “I could eat a decent amount without being like, that’s too much.” My only quibble with this one is that I don’t think it tastes like pepperoni. I think it tastes like pizza. It has some oregano spice notes and a definite cheesiness—I just didn’t get a lot of actual pepperoni flavor. 

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Louisville Vegan Jerky!

I loved the heat on this vegan jerky. There’s lots of savory flavor. It’s seriously meaty. If you’re looking for a more traditional flavor profile (and you can handle a little spice), Smoked Black Pepper is the way to go.

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Louisville Vegan Jerky!

I gotta say, I did not expect to like this one as much as I did. I am a bit “over” the whole sweet bacon thing. I lived through 2007. But this vegan jerky’s balanced flavor cut through my snobbiness. It’s the meatiest of the bunch with a great balcon-y quality and just a hint of maple. It’s the vegan jerky you can eat for breakfast!

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Louisville Vegan Jerky!

This was the flavor that won over Rhett & Link (they are Carolina boys, after all). It’s very tangy and bright with a hint of spice on the end and lots of zip. It really tastes like pulled pork. So, if you’ve ever wished you could just snack on a bag of Carolina BBQ pulled pork in the car, then your dream has finally come true. Bonus: No pigs were harmed in the making of it!

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Louisville Vegan Jerky!

This vegan jerky is fun. This is an exciting snack. It has the butteriness of Buffalo sauce with lots of creeping heat that warms your face. Then there’s the tang of dill—almost like a pickle. My feeling is, as long as you’re pushing the boundaries of jerky and redefining what can be used to make jerky, you should also be taking chances with new flavors. LVJC did exactly that in the case of Buffalo Dill and it paid off. 

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

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