So after making the meatless meat plunge into the soy-based Primal Strips, I decided to tackle the seitan-style flavors.  Those Primal Spirit people seem to be winning me over.  Though I have always snubbed my nose at meat imitations, the soy ones had truly impressed me. 

The seitan-style strips are wheat gluten based.  They aren’t completely soy-free due to the addition of soy sauce, but definitely soy-low.  Before opening the packages, I noticed that the strips appeared similar to the soy-based ones, but were much lighter in color.  I was very surprised to see that these still packed a good dose of protein (10-11g per serving) with a very low calorie profile (74-99).  The calories were particularly surprising as this was a snack that really did seem to satiate. 

To address the similarities, the texture was remarkably similar to the soy-based strips.  They were still quite “meaty”, chewy, and tore apart with a shredding ease.  I think the seitan may have been a bit less chewy once I got into them, but really it was hard to tell.  As for differences, it seemed more about the flavors. 

Thai Peanut

Since I had never come across a Thai peanut flavored jerky, meat or meatless, my curiosity selected this flavor first.  I wasn’t disappointed.  The peanut flavor was mild, yet delicious and inviting.  A warm heat emerged as an aftertaste.  It was spicy, but less spicy than I had anticipated, which was nice.  This is easily my favorite flavor.  My addictions usually arise from a combination of good taste, texture, and uniqueness.  The Thai Peanut certainly possessed all three.

Mesquite Lime

Having no idea what “mesquite” tastes like, I took a chance and selected this flavor next.  I can only assume that the flavor was true to taste, based on the other Primal Strip flavors.  Unfortunately, as it turns out, I am not a big fan of mesquite, at least not in combination with lime.  The sweet and sour mix with the lime really didn’t appeal to my taste buds.

Teriyaki

I was surprised to find that the Teriyaki strips had a good dose of spice.  They weren’t too sweet, as some teriyaki flavored items can be, yet it was a very nice sweet and spicy blend.  I like that the Primal Strips are quite flavorful, yet not overloaded with artificial flavor to try to mask the non-meat backdrop.  The Teriyaki was an excellent example of how they work with the seitan rather than trying to hide it.

Though I was a huge skeptic, this Primal Spirit company has really created not only a “meaty” vegan product, but also a tasty one!  Onto the final version, shiitake mushroom…

My Extra Notes & Tips:

• All of the ingredients were pleasantly recognizable.  It was refreshing to actually see peanuts and basil in the Thai Peanut rather than “natural and artificial flavors.”
• My clumsy self found the primal strips quite difficult to open.  They seemed to require scissors, as each time I tried to peel one back (of course while driving) I could barely break into it.  That is some seriously strong plastic!
• Unfortunately, this stuff just wasn’t very picture worthy.  Tasty, yes … pretty, no.  But what jerky is really?
• One warning, unlike most meat jerky, this stuff is messy, worth it, but messy.  The natural nature of it makes for a caramelized coating of flavor that does leave your fingers a bit sticky.  Keep a napkin on hand or even a wet nap!

Where to Purchase: Primal Strips are sold in stores throughout the U.S. and Canada.  Though they do not have a store locator on the Primal Spirit website, I am sure if you contact them they will be happy to help you locate some!  If you search the web, it also seems to be available from a few vegan online vendors

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