Best Turkey Jerky

Last Updated: Apr 27, 2023 @ 3:26 pm.

Best Turkey Jerky Overall: Jack Links MSG Free Turkey Jerky

After sampling 10 brands of turkey jerky, we crown Jack Link’s MSG Free Turkey Jerky as the best overall. It has the best flavor profile overall—not too salty or too tough.

What We Liked

• Right chewy texture—not too tough or too salty.

• No MSG, artificial preservatives or sodium nitrates.

• Only 4 grams of carbs per serving.

• 99% fat free.

• Only 490 mg sodium.

What Needs Work

• Not gluten free. 

• Some folks think it is too salty. 

Best Smoked Turkey Jerky: Hickory Smoke Turkey Jerky by Country Archer

Country Archer won our taste tests for smoked turkey jerky, among the five brands we sampled. Their Hickory Smoke Turkey Jerky won us over not only with taste but also their ingredients: organic, no “junk.”

What We Liked

• Package is easy to open and close.

• Smoked turkey flavor profile hit the right spot, without being too salty. And yes, smoked turkey jerky can sometimes go overboard on that point.

• No nitrates or nitrites.

• No MSG.

• No hormones or antibiotics.

• Gluten free.

• Organic brown sugar. 

• 99% fat free.

What Needs Work

• Texture was more chewy than our top pick. We thought it was fine, but we can see how others think it may be too tough. We wonder if the smoking process adds a bit to the chewiness.

• Pieces could be larger.

Best Gluten Free: Perky Jerky Original Turkey Jerky

You’d think most jerky would be gluten free, but that isn’t the case—several jerky brands we tried used soy sauce with wheat as a flavoring.

Good news: we found a gluten-free turkey jerky that omits the wheat-based soy sauce but still tastes very good: Perky Jerky. Here’s more:

What We Liked

• No artificial preservatives.

• Tender and moist.

• No nitrates or nitrites.

• No MSG.

• 99% fat free.

• Gluten free!

What Needs Work

• Texture is somewhat different than regular jerky. We liked it, but some thought it was too moist and sweet. Others thought it was too bland. We disagree, but we know everyone has a different opinion on that.

• Pricey.

Best Low Sodium: Old Wisconsin Turkey Sausage Snack Sticks

We love jerky—but we know, there is a downside: sodium. A single serving of regular turkey jerky can have 20% to 25% of the daily recommended sodium intake. And who can eat just one?

If you’d prefer a low sodium jerky, we recommend Old Wisconsin Turkey Sausage Snack Sticks. These sticks combine good flavor with 25% to 40% less sodium per serving than other brands we sampled.

What We Liked

• Delicious! These things are addictive.

• No added MSG.

• No fillers or extenders.

What Needs Work

• Less protein per serving than other turkey jerky we sampled. These sticks have 6 grams protein per serving; our top pick has 13 grams per serving.

• Corn syrup as a sweetener.

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing baby gear, including high chairs, since 1994. We do hands-on testing—we buy the products with our own money and evaluate with an eye toward safety, ease of use and affordability.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Baby Bargains is your independent and unbiased source for expert baby gear reviews.