EPIC Provisions
Beef Barbacoa-Inspired Bar
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
A true meat-based protein bar with a short, kitchen-style ingredient list—beef, spices, salt, and curing helpers—no protein powders, sweeteners, or grains. The barbacoa-inspired spice blend brings tangy, smoky, chili-warm flavor while keeping carbs and sugar extremely low.
When to choose EPIC Provisions Beef Barbacoa-Inspired Bar
Choose it if you want a savory, portable protein hit without dairy, soy, nuts, or sugar alcohols. It’s a low-carb trail or glove-box staple for keto/paleo eaters and anyone who prefers real-food protein over sweet, dessert-like bars.
What's in the EPIC Provisions bar?
Think jerky in bar form: EPIC Provisions’ Beef Barbacoa-Inspired Bar leans on real beef for its protein and a pantry’s worth of spices for flavor—garlic, onion, paprika, cumin, oregano, red pepper, cloves, and cilantro.
With 11 grams of meat protein, ultra‑low carbs and sugar (4g carbs, 0g sugar), and just 110 calories, it eats like a savory pick‑me‑up rather than a dessert bar. A touch of lactic acid adds gentle tang and cultured celery powder provides classic cured‑meat protection, all without added sweeteners or grains.
- Protein
- 11 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Calories
- 110
Protein
1115LOWAll 11 grams of protein come from beef—complete, highly digestible meat protein with all the essential amino acids. It’s a bit lower than heavy whey bars, but the quality is top tier and strictly from a real-food source.
Fat
69LOWThe 6 grams of fat are naturally occurring in the beef, giving a mix of saturated and monounsaturated fats. There are no added seed or vegetable oils here—just meat and spices—so the fat profile mirrors lean cooked beef.
Carbs
420LOWOnly 4 grams of carbs, largely from the seasoning blend (dehydrated onion and garlic plus herbs and spices), not from grains, syrups, or starches. These are ‘clean’ carbs used for flavor, so energy comes primarily from protein and fat—steady, no sugar crash.
Sugar
04LOWZero grams of sugar because this is a savory build—no fruit purees, syrups, or added sugars. Sweetness isn’t swapped for sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners either; flavor comes from the spice blend.
Calories
110210LOWAt 110 calories, this bar is unusually light because it’s mostly lean beef and spices. Roughly half the calories come from fat, nearly as much from protein, and very little from carbs—more snack than meal replacement.
Vitamins & Minerals
No vitamins or minerals are called out above 10% DV on the label. Still, the beef naturally contributes small amounts of vitamin B12, iron, and zinc—nice bonuses, just not primary sources in a 110‑calorie bar.
Additives
A short, kitchen‑style list uses two functional helpers: encapsulated lactic acid to keep pH in a safe, tangy zone, and cultured celery powder as a plant‑derived nitrite source for curing. Both are common in meat snacks; note that nitrite from celery powder functions like conventional curing even when labeled as “uncured.”
Ingredient List
Meat from cattle
Plant sugars
Garlic bulbs
Bulb onions (Allium cepa)
Sweet red Capsicum annuum peppers
Unripe berries of Piper nigrum
Cuminum cyminum seeds
Leaves of Origanum species
Capsicum annuum ripe pods
Clove tree flower buds
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“Epic bars. Done and done. They’re the bees knees.”
“Epic bars are essentially cured meat, and very tasty. They even have a keto selection.”
“those chicken sriracha bars are sooooo tasty. they’re like a “clean” slim jim 🥵”
Main Praise
Fans love that this is actual beef—no milky shake vibes, no protein isolates, no sweeteners. On Reddit, EPIC bars get called “the bees knees” and “very tasty,” especially by keto folks who crave savory.
Amazon reviewers echo the sentiment, praising the clean, real-food protein and the little kick of spice.
Gear and wellness outlets like Outside, CleverHiker, and Shape also highlight the straightforward ingredient list and how a savory, zero-sugar bar can sit easier than ultra-sweet options loaded with syrups or sugar alcohols.
Add the practical stuff—pocketable, non-melty, and still flavorful when you’re tired of sweet snacks—and you get a reliable, satisfying break from the usual bar routine.
Main Criticism
Taste is polarizing. Some people flat-out love the jerky-meets-taco profile; others on Reddit say it’s “gross” or “garbage warmed over.
” The texture leans chewy and a touch dry, as cured meat usually does, and the tang from lactic acid plus a robust spice blend can read sour-spicy to certain palates.
Sodium runs high, typical of shelf-stable meat snacks, and several reviewers call that out—plan to pair with water. You’re also getting 11 grams of protein, not the 20-plus you see in heavy whey bars, so it’s a snack, not a meal.
A few buyers note size-for-price frustrations, and occasional label changes have caused confusion about calorie and protein counts across different boxes.
The Middle Ground
So who’s right: the “bees knees” crowd or the “hard pass” brigade? Probably both—because expectations do the heavy lifting here.
If you’re hunting for soft, sweet, 200-calorie dessert bars, this is not your bar. If you like jerky and want a tidy square of real beef with bold spices and no sweetener stash, you’ll likely be thrilled.
The saltiness and chew come with the territory of cured meat; reviewers at Shape and Outside call that out plainly and suggest water and a bit of timing (maybe not right before a workout).
And for label purists: yes, the “cultured celery powder” supplies nitrite the same way conventional curing does—clean-sounding, but functionally similar, which is worth knowing. The middle ground: it’s a lean, flavorful, zero-sugar, meat-first snack with a specific audience.
If that’s you, it hits the spot; if not, it won’t try to convince you with frosting.
What's the bottom line?
EPIC Provisions’ Beef Barbacoa-Inspired Bar is dinner-in-a-wrapper for people who want savory protein without the candy-bar costume. You get 11 grams of complete beef protein, 110 calories, and a short list of recognizable ingredients seasoned like barbacoa—bold, a touch tangy, and unapologetically meaty. The upsides are real-food simplicity, easy packability, and a welcome break from sweet bars.
The trade-offs are equally clear: salty, chewy, and lighter on protein and calories than meal-replacement bars. If you love jerky and prefer zero-sugar snacks without sugar alcohols, this is a smart, stashable option for hikes, commutes, and between-meal moments.
Pair it with water (and, if you’re not low-carb, maybe some fruit or crackers) and treat it like what it is: a savory protein boost, not dessert. Quick listicle takeaway: A bold, barbacoa-spiced meat bar that’s clean, portable, and satisfying for savory snackers—salty and chewy by design, best with a sip of water.