· By Matthew Richmond
Best Grass-Fed Beef Jerky UK (2026) – Brands That Actually Use Grass-Fed Beef
Looking for the best grass-fed beef jerky in the UK? As more people move away from ultra-processed snacks and towards better-quality protein, grass-fed jerky has become one of the most interesting parts of the UK meat snack market.
But here’s the problem: not every jerky brand clearly says where its beef comes from.
So for this guide, we’ve focused on brands that explicitly state they use grass-fed beef on their website or product pages. That means fewer brands, but a more useful comparison.
In this guide, we compare grass-fed beef jerky brands based on beef quality, flavour, ingredients, texture, and overall value.
If you’re looking for overall flavour rankings across all jerky styles, check out our guide to the best beef jerky UK brands.
Quick Comparison
We scored each brand based on beef quality, flavour, texture, ingredients, and overall value.
| Brand | Origin | Style | Grass-Fed Claim | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Punk Jerky | UK | Craft jerky | 100% Grass-fed British beef | 9.2 |
| Mason’s Meats | UK | Premium jerky | 100% grass-fed beef | 8.9 |
| Billy Franks | UK | Craft jerky | Grass-fed British beef | 8.2 |
| Ember Snacks | UK | Steak slices / biltong-style snacks | Grass-fed claim appears on specific steak slice range | 7.8 |
Scores are based on our testing, publicly available product information, and how clearly each brand communicates its sourcing. Rankings reflect our opinion, not official awards.
What Does Grass-Fed Beef Jerky Mean?
Grass-fed beef jerky is made using beef from cattle raised primarily on grass rather than grain-heavy feed systems.
People often choose grass-fed beef jerky because they want:
- better-quality beef
- cleaner ingredients
- stronger beef flavour
- fewer unnecessary additives
- a snack that feels closer to real food
In the UK, grass-fed beef is relatively common compared with some countries, but not every jerky brand clearly states this on its packaging or website. For this list, we’ve only included brands where the grass-fed claim is clearly visible.
What Makes Great Grass-Fed Beef Jerky?
The best grass-fed beef jerky is not just about sourcing. It still needs to taste good.
Great grass-fed jerky should have:
- High-quality beef — ideally British grass-fed beef
- Good texture — chewy, but not dry or dusty
- Balanced flavour — savoury, rich, and not overloaded with sugar
- Simple ingredients — no unnecessary fillers or preservatives
- Clear sourcing — the brand should actually say where the beef comes from
Grass-fed jerky usually sits at the more premium end of the category, so the flavour and texture need to justify the higher price.
Brand Reviews
1. Punk Jerky
- Style: Craft jerky
- Origin: UK
- Grass-fed claim: Grass-fed Dorset beef
Punk Jerky uses grass-fed British beef and makes small-batch craft jerky with bold flavours and proper chew. Rather than positioning itself as a bland gym snack, Punk Jerky focuses on flavour-first jerky using better-quality beef and punchier marinades.
The range includes flavours like Original, Thai Spicy, Hawaiian Heat, and Naked Jerky. The texture is softer and more tender than many supermarket jerkies, while still feeling like proper dried beef.
Punk Jerky is the strongest option if you want grass-fed British beef jerky that feels premium, but still fun and full of flavour.
2. Mason’s Meats
- Style: Premium jerky
- Origin: UK
- Grass-fed claim: 100% grass-fed beef
Mason’s Meats is one of the cleanest jerky options in the UK. The brand focuses on a stripped-back approach: beef and salt. No sugar, no gluten, no additives.
Their products use premium grass-fed beef and Anglesey sea salt, creating a very beef-forward style of jerky. It is less about bold marinades and more about the quality of the meat itself.
This makes Mason’s Meats a strong choice for people who want a minimalist, premium, grass-fed jerky with very simple ingredients. Mason’s Meats states that its jerky uses “premium grass-fed beef and Anglesey sea salt".
3. Billy Franks
- Style: Craft jerky
- Origin: UK
- Grass-fed claim: Grass-fed British beef
Billy Franks is one of the better-known UK craft jerky brands, with a wide range of creative flavours including Texan BBQ, Roast Beef & Mustard, Cheeseburger, and Teriyaki.
The brand states that its beef jerky is made using grass-fed British beef, which makes it a relevant choice for this list. Compared with Mason’s Meats, Billy Franks leans more into flavoured snack territory, with sweeter and more playful recipes.
Good option if you want grass-fed British beef jerky with more variety and a slightly more traditional snack feel.
4. Ember Snacks
- Style: biltong-style snacks
- Origin: UK
- Grass-fed claim: specific range only
Ember Snacks is slightly different because it is better known for biltong and meat snacks rather than traditional American-style beef jerky.
Its main biltong pages describe lean cuts of marinated beef rather than clearly positioning the whole range as grass-fed. However, Ember does make grass-fed claims around specific products, including steak slices made with organic and grass-fed British beef.
So Ember belongs here with a caveat: it is not necessarily a grass-fed jerky brand across the whole range, but specific Ember beef products do make grass-fed sourcing claims.
Choose Ember if you want a softer, biltong-style or steak-slice snack with cleaner ingredients, but check the individual product page before buying if grass-fed sourcing matters to you.
Brands We Did Not Include
Some jerky brands are popular in the UK, but we did not include them in the main ranking because we could not clearly confirm a grass-fed beef claim from their own product pages.
That does not mean they are bad products. It simply means this article is specifically about brands that clearly state they use grass-fed beef.
Examples of brands better suited to a general “best beef jerky UK” list include:
- Wild West Jerky
- Kings Elite Snacks
- Jack Link’s
- supermarket own-brand jerky
For a broader comparison, read our full best beef jerky UK guide.
Grass-Fed Jerky vs Regular Jerky
| Feature | Grass-Fed Jerky | Regular Jerky |
|---|---|---|
| Beef Quality | Usually higher | Varies |
| Sourcing | More clearly stated | Often unclear |
| Flavour | Richer, beefier | Often sweeter |
| Ingredients | Often cleaner | More likely to include additives |
| Price | Usually higher | Usually cheaper |
| Availability | More niche | Easier to find |
Grass-fed jerky usually appeals to people who care more about ingredient quality, sourcing, and flavour than simply grabbing the cheapest meat snack from a supermarket shelf.
Is Grass-Fed Beef Jerky Healthier?
Grass-fed beef jerky can be a healthier choice, but grass-fed alone does not automatically make a product healthy.
You still need to check:
- sugar content
- sodium levels
- preservatives
- additives
- portion size
- total ingredients
A grass-fed jerky with loads of added sugar may still be less healthy than a simpler non-grass-fed product.
If health is your main goal, check out our guide to the healthiest beef jerky UK brands.
Why Is Grass-Fed Beef Jerky More Expensive?
Jerky is already expensive because drying removes a lot of water weight from the beef.
That means a large amount of raw beef turns into a much smaller amount of finished jerky.
Grass-fed jerky can cost more because:
- the beef is usually more expensive
- batches are often smaller
- production is more labour-intensive
- brands are often using better packaging and ingredients
In short: you’re paying for beef quality, flavour, and a more premium snack.
FAQ
Q: What is the best grass-fed beef jerky in the UK?
A: Punk Jerky, Mason’s Meats, and Billy Franks are strong options because they clearly state they use grass-fed beef and offer good flavour, texture, and ingredient quality.
Q: Is all beef jerky grass-fed?
A: No. Many jerky brands do not clearly state whether their beef is grass-fed. If this matters to you, check the product page or packaging before buying.
Q: Is grass-fed beef jerky healthier?
A: It can be, especially when paired with simple ingredients and lower sugar levels. But grass-fed sourcing alone does not automatically make a jerky healthy.
Q: Is grass-fed beef jerky worth it?
A: If you care about beef quality, sourcing, and flavour, grass-fed jerky is usually worth the higher price.
Q: What should I look for in grass-fed beef jerky?
A: Look for clear grass-fed sourcing, high protein, simple ingredients, lower sugar, and a texture that is chewy without being dry.