Steak crisps are usually disappointing. The promise of “flame grilled steak” creates expectations that powder on potato can’t meet. You’re not eating steak. You’re never eating steak. The gap between name and reality is unbridgeable.
McCoy’s doesn’t bridge the gap. But they narrow it more than most.
The char is present. Actually present, not just implied. There’s a grilled quality to the flavouring that suggests someone thought about what flame-grilled means. The beef provides savoury depth, umami richness, meaty satisfaction that registers as genuine rather than abstract.
The thick ridges are essential here. Meaty flavouring needs substance beneath it. On a thin crisp, this seasoning would taste artificial and overwhelming. On McCoy’s ridges, it tastes appropriate. The format justifies the flavour’s ambition.
Is it steak? No. Is it a satisfying meaty crisp that evokes steak more successfully than competitors? Yes. And in the world of meat-flavoured crisps, that relative success matters.
Buy these when you want something savoury and substantial. Manage expectations. Enjoy anyway.
