EPIC Provisions
Beef Sea Salt + Pepper Bar
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
A truly savory, zero-sugar protein bar made almost entirely of seasoned beef—seven straightforward ingredients, no sweeteners, no protein powders.
When to choose EPIC Provisions Beef Sea Salt + Pepper Bar
Best for keto/paleo snackers, hikers, and anyone craving a clean, salty break from sweet bars. Less ideal if you want 20g of protein in one go or need to watch sodium closely.
What's in the EPIC Provisions bar?
EPIC Provisions’ Beef Sea Salt + Pepper Bar is more like a portable piece of seasoned steak than a dessert-like protein bar. The protein comes from a single source—beef—so you get complete, highly digestible meat protein without dairy or soy.
What may surprise you is the macro profile: carbs sit near the bottom of the category and sugar is truly zero, while fat lands mid-pack and calories are notably low.
The simple flavor build—sea salt, black pepper, onion, and garlic—does the heavy lifting, and the bar is naturally cured with cultured celery powder plus a touch of encapsulated lactic acid for safety.
In short, it’s a savory, minimalist take on a protein bar: modest in protein per bar, very light on carbs, and true to its Beef Sea Salt + Pepper name.
- Protein
- 10 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Calories
- 130
Protein
1015LOWAll of the protein comes from beef—complete, highly digestible animal protein with no isolates or blends. At 10g per bar (below the category average), it’s a savory bump rather than a 20-gram powerhouse. No whey, soy, or egg proteins here, which can be a plus if you’re avoiding them.
Fat
99MIDThe 9g of fat are the beef’s own—mostly a mix of saturated and monounsaturated fats—with no added seed oils. That mid-range fat level adds flavor and staying power, though saturated fat is naturally higher than in nut- or olive-oil–based bars. It’s whole‑food animal fat rather than processed shortenings.
Carbs
320LOWWith just 3g of carbs, nearly all of it comes from the seasoning—tiny amounts of onion and garlic powders—rather than grains or syrups. These are very low‑glycemic, ‘clean’ carbs that won’t spike blood sugar; energy here leans on protein and fat. Among protein bars, this one sits at the extreme low end for carbs.
Sugar
04LOWThis bar has 0g of sugar because it’s not sweetened at all—no syrups, fruit purees, sugar alcohols, or artificial sweeteners. Seasonings (sea salt, pepper, onion, garlic) provide flavor instead of sweetness. If you’re avoiding both sugar and sweeteners, this fits cleanly.
Calories
130210LOWAt 130 calories, it’s one of the lighter bars on the shelf. Most of those calories come from the beef’s fat, with a solid assist from its 10g of protein and almost no contribution from carbs. Think compact, savory snack rather than a full meal replacement.
Vitamins & Minerals
There are no standout vitamins or minerals over 10% of daily value. You do get small, naturally occurring amounts of iron (6% DV), calcium (6% DV), and potassium (4% DV) from the beef. Consider this more of a protein‑and‑minerals snack than a fortified bar.
Additives
Additives are kept to a minimum: encapsulated lactic acid and cultured celery powder. The lactic acid (encased in fat so it releases gradually) lowers pH for safety and a gentle tang, while the celery powder contributes natural nitrite for curing and preservation. Everything else—beef, sea salt, pepper, onion, garlic—is straightforward, though the bar still counts as a cured, processed meat.
Ingredient List
Meat from cattle
Bulb onions (Allium cepa)
Garlic bulbs
Unripe berries of Piper nigrum
Celery plant extract, fermented
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 bar tastes like what it says on the wrapper: beef, sea salt, black pepper.
Reviewers across hiking and fitness sites call it a welcome change of pace from syrupy, ultra-sweet protein options, and a number of Redditors praise EPIC for delivering a “clean Slim Jim” vibe—jerky-like, but with better ingredients.
Dietitians writing for Outside and Shape also give it points for digestibility and simplicity; without whey or sugar alcohols, it tends to sit well for people who struggle with dessert-style bars.
The macros are tailor-made for low-carb eaters—very low carbs, zero sugar, and enough fat to keep you coasting between meals. And for anyone who avoids dairy and soy, the single-source meat protein is a straightforward win.
Main Criticism
Not everyone is charmed.
Taste is polarizing: a few Redditors flat-out loathe EPIC bars, calling them dry or off-putting, and Amazon critics occasionally complain about chewiness and a slight tang (that comes from the lactic acid used for safe curing).
Sodium is the consistent, legitimate knock—third-party reviews peg it around a quarter of your daily value per bar—so this isn’t the pick if you’re tightly limiting salt. It’s also modest on protein at 10g, which may feel underpowered next to the 20-gram heavy hitters.
Some shoppers grumble about price for size, and across the broader EPIC lineup, flavors vary—some include fruit or a touch of sugar—so you have to read labels if you’re strict. This particular Beef Sea Salt + Pepper bar, though, is truly zero sugar.
The Middle Ground
Here’s where the truth lands: this is a jerky-adjacent protein bar that behaves like one. If you come in expecting a brownie-textured 20g of protein, you’ll be disappointed; but if you want meat, spice, and a clean label, it’s exactly that.
The sodium critique is fair—salt is part of what makes cured meat safe, tasty, and shelf-stable—so plan it into your day and drink water, especially on the trail. The texture complaints likely boil down to preference and freshness; one Redditor’s “garbage warmed over” is another’s “bees knees.
” Outside’s and Shape’s dietitians highlight the same trade-offs most honestly: lower carbs and simpler ingredients usually mean fewer additives and gentler digestion, but also less protein per bar and more salt.
If you’re using it as a steady, savory snack—say, between meetings or at mile six—it shines. If you need a meal replacement or a fast 25g protein slam, pair it with a yogurt, a hard-boiled egg, or even a second bar.
What's the bottom line?
EPIC’s Beef Sea Salt + Pepper Bar is the rare protein bar that refuses to taste like dessert—and that’s its superpower. It delivers 10g of complete beef protein, zero sugar, and a short ingredient list you can read in one breath. Hikers and keto/paleo eaters will appreciate the stable energy and straightforward macros, while anyone tired of sticky-sweet bars will welcome the peppery snap.
The trade-offs are clear: higher sodium, a love-it-or-hate-it jerky texture, and less protein than the bodybuilding crowd might want. If that equation works for your goals, this is a trustworthy, portable bite of seasoned steak.
If not, no hard feelings—there are plenty of sweet, high-protein options. For the savory set, though, this one’s a keeper: clean, compact, and confidently simple.