Beef Jerky Reviews

Poor-Man's Jerky is owned by Mike Stringfield, based out of Wellsville, KS. A landscaper by day, and jerky chef at all other times.

The company makes both whole-muscle jerky, such as this Hawaiian Heatwave, along with chopped and formed jerky that we reviewed previously. Poor-Man's Jerky doesn't have its own website; all sales comes from local street festivals and county fairs, as well as through Facebook.

This "Hawaiian Heatwave" variety doesn't come with any other description or claims.

Ingredients

Beef eye round ground, pineapple juice, worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, hot sauce, hickory smoke, brown sugar, ginger, spices, habanero

Review

The first flavors I pick up on the tongue are shades of worcestershire and teriyaki sauce, along with a lightly noticible pineapple. The heat starts to come in. The chewing brings on faint traces of chile pepper flavor and ginger, while the heat continues to build.

For being named, "Hawaiian Heatwave", it seems to hold up. I do taste light touch of pineapple, weaker amounts of sweet and teriyaki. But I also get a good deal of heat, and touches of chile pepper flavor. I'd rate the heat as "medium hot" on my personal heat scale (level 4 out of 5).

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is a saucy blend of worcestershire and teriyaki with pineapple overtones, spiced up with some heat and touches of chile pepper flavor.

The meat consistency is excellent. Very lean strips of whole muscle beef with little fat to speak of. The strips are mostly tender and slightly moist, but in some cases can be a little chewy. The texture is excellent, chewing down into something that feels like real steak.

Verdict

This Hawaiian Heatwave variety from Poor-Man's Jerky offers up an excellent meat consistency and chewing texture through its thick strips of pure beef. It's a great jerky for folks who like the heat because it dishes out enough for a good burn without an intense scalding. The flavor is not quite as "Hawaiian" as I would like, though I think it still does the job. I think it should have a thicker sweetness, with stronger fruit flavors, perhaps adding mango, and putting more emphasis on the teriyaki instead of worcestershire. But on its own merits, it's still snackable, and still wins points on its excellent meat consistency and chewing.

Rating:

Good

Buy this online:

https://www.facebook.com/poormans.jerky

The following is a sponsored post from Crazy Horse Jerky...

Super Bowl Weekend is a time for BEEF JERKY! Get a special low price between now and January 29th, 2016 from Crazy Horse Jerky, some of the best beef jerky in the business.

Here's what you get...

 3 oz pack of Original chicken

 3 oz pack of BBQ chicken

 3 oz pack of Original Beef

 3 oz pack of Steakhouse Beef

 3 oz pack of Sweet Beef

 3 oz pack of Cajun Beef

Price: $39.99

This is real wood smoked beef jerky, smoked in an brick-lined smoker right in the middle of Pennsylvania Dutch Country, where it's made the old fashioned way. No fake ingredients, no preservatives, just pure beef and pure chicken, and fresh ingredients.

Also, get free shipping when you order $40.00 or more.

Order Online from Crazy Horse Jerky: http://crazyhorsejerky.com/

Astro Fresh Jerky is a brand owned by HJP Trading, LLC based out of Los Angeles, CA. It was started by Roy Park in early 2015 who found an old family recipe that dated back to the late 1980s.

Since then, Roy has been selling his jerky in local markets and retailers in California. Recently they started a website and are now taking online orders.

This Sweet & Spicy variety makes no additional claims, other than being "sweet & spicy".

Ingredients

Beef, brown sugar, teriyaki sauce, spice, garlic, vinegar, onion powder, liquid smoke, sodium nitrite.

Review

The first flavors that hit my palate is a decent level of sweet, but also salt. The garlic and onion becomes noticeable, along with a faint spicy tingle. The chewing brings on a bit more spiciness, including a light black pepper, as well as a light soy sauce and teriyaki.

For being marketed as "Sweet & Spicy", I think it holds up enough. It's definitely sweet. Not over-the-top, but enough that it's significant. The "spicy" part doesn't give off much chile pepper heat, but more of a sharp, pungent blend of black pepper, garlic, and onion. So, think of spicy in terms of a spice blend, as opposed to something hot. But there is still a light bit of heat, yet it's weak enough that it feels overall mild.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is that of sweet with a seasoning blend of salt, black pepper, garlic, and onion. The teriyaki and soy sauce flavors are light but noticeable.

I find some streaks of fat on some pieces, which adds a light fatty flavor. Otherwise, the stronger sweet makes this jerky somewhat gummy to chew, and lightly sticky to handle. Overall, it's chewy, but still somewhat easy to chew. The chewing texture starts out gummy, but takes on a somewhat meaty character as the sweetness wears off. There's a light bit of stringiness, but nothing unchewable.

Verdict

This Sweet & Spicy from Astro Fresh Jerky does a good job of giving you plenty of sweet without going overboard, and a spiciness from a bold blend of seasonings. It's not really hot, though it might seem like it is. It's really just the garlic and black pepper that make it seem that way. While I found this jerky very snackable for its seasonings and teriyaki marinade, I didn't really find anyting unique, creative, or unusual with this recipe. It tastes something comparable to other Sweet & Spicy offerings from major brands of jerky. Even the meat consistency and chewing texture is not particularly artisan, and feels more mainstream. So for that matter, I felt it achieves its goal of being snackable and satisfying, but not doing enough to differentiate itself.

Rating:

Average

Buy this online:

http://www.astrofreshjerky.com/

Think Jerky is a new brand that hit the scene late last year. Based out of Chicago, IL, the brand spent nearly two years perfecting its recipe for a health-conscious market. The company claims to have "cut the salt in half" and replaced them with herbs and spices.

Think Jerky is a collaboration with three celebrity chefs, Chef Laurent Gras, a three-star Michelin Chef, Chef Matt Troost, a Baconfest champion, and Chef Gale Gand, a TV-host on Food Network. Together, their goal with Think Jerky is to create a great tasting jerky, with grass-fed beef, free-range turkey, that's paleo friendly, gluten free, family-farmed, with no artificial preservatives, and all natural ingredients

This "Ginger Orange" is described by Chef Gand as infusing her recipe with classic ingredients from East Asian cooking, "layering savory atop citrus with a ginger bite for a distinct, singular flavor".

Ingredients

Grass fed beef, tamari sauce, cane sugar, ginger, granulated garlic, orange peel, granulated onion, sesame seeds, cayenne pepper.

Review

The first thing I pick up on my palate is a beefy flavor with a light citrusy orange. I can pick up a faint ginger. The chewing brings on more of an orange zest with a sharper ginger. I can also detect a weak spicy heat and touches of onion.

For being marketed as "Ginger Orange" it seems to hold up well. The orange has more of a citrus tang and zesty orange peel, while the ginger is well noticeable with touches of its natural heat. There's a bit of heat in this, which feels mild to me, but I think is just enough to warrant, "mild medium" on my personal heat scale (level 2 out of 5).

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is a "beefy" flavor, which might be better compared to a beef broth with some actual natural meat flavor. The citrusy tang and orange zest, along with the sharp ginger make significant additions to the flavor. There's a light bit of onion seasoning rounding things out.

The meat consistency looks good in that I see mostly all meat, with little fat or stringiness. The chewing starts out dry, yet tender, but becomes mushy after several chews. It doesn't really have a meaty, or steak-like feel.

Verdict

This Ginger Orange beef jerky from Think Jerky definitely delivers on a combination of tangy orange contrasted with sharp ginger to created a lively flavor over a beefy, onion-seasoning. It hits all areas of the tongue from sweet, spicy, savory, tangy, pungent, yet lightly salty. While the meat consitency is good, and the chewing tender, it tended to chew mushy and not really resemble the texture of natural beef. Overall, an exciting, protein-packed snack that caters to a health-concsious, active lifestyle.

Rating:

Good

Buy this online:

https://www.thinkjerky.com/

Jerky Geek is a new jerky brand, based in St. Louis, MO, that will soon start selling product. The creation of Brian Gilbert, who describes himself as a "life-long cook" and "consummate geek", explains that he loves jerky and has a passion for making jerky.

Jerky Geek's brand is based around themes popular with modern-day geeks such as science fiction, fantasy, and goth. Imagine if jerky was the favorite snack of Star Trek, Dune, Lord of the Rings, or Harry Potter, and you might get the picture.

Says Gilbert, "I make jerky with complex character. I make jerky that is affordable, imaginative, and fanstasically flavorful". Gilbert says he's worked every job in the restaurant industry from dishwasher to Sous Chef. Jerky Geek is claimed to be made from grass-fed beef, with no artificial preservatives, nitrates, nitrites, or extra-terrestrial embryos.

He funded his business through a Kickstarter campaign that recently completed a week ago. The packaging and labeling you see depicted here is not the final form.

Currently, he's developing six flavors. We have four of them here to sample. Because Jerky Geek is still in development form, I'm withholding reviews. Below are descriptions from the company...

Lemongrass Beef Jerky

Subtitled, "Elvish Edibles", it's described as, "It's an ancient recipe that has been been closely guarded by the natives of the Woodland Realm". Tt's marinated in soy sauce, fish sauce, and brown sugar, then seasoned with lemongrass, white pepper, and garlic.

Southern Molasses BBQ

Subtitled, "Deep-Space Delight", it's described as, "This molasses sweetened treat packs all the flavor and protein you need in order to go where no-one has gone before". This is one is marinated in soy sauce, brown sugar, honey and spiced rum, then seasoned with onion, garlic, and black strap molasses.

Caribbean Jerk

Subtitled, "Sci-Fi Spice", it's described as, "...it might give you the strength and inspiration you need to make it through your day without being devoured by sand-worms". This jerky is marinated in dark rum, malt vinegar, soy sauce, and lime juice, then seasoned with garlic, thyme, cayenne, allspice, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and black pepper.

Sriracha Teriyaki

Subtitled, "Salt & Burn", it's described as, "The bold, spicy flavor is equally good for vanquishing poltergeists or simply slaying your epic hunger". It's marinated in soy sauce, brown sugar, vodka, and seasoned with garlic and ginger.

Where to Buy

Go to Jerky Geek's website to get on their mailing list, or Facebook, and learn when the first batches start selling...

http://jerkygeek.com/

Think Jerky is a new brand that hit the scene late last year. Based out of Chicago, IL, the brand spent nearly two years perfecting its recipe for a health-conscious market. The company claims to have "cut the salt in half" and replaced them with herbs and spices.

Think Jerky is a collaboration with three celebrity chefs, Chef Laurent Gras, a three-star Michelin Chef, Chef Matt Troost, a Baconfest champion, and Chef Gale Gand, a TV-host on Food Network. Together, their goal with Think Jerky is to create a great tasting jerky, with grass-fed beef, free-range turkey, that's paleo friendly, gluten free, family-farmed, with no artificial preservatives, and all natural ingredients

This "Sweet Chipotle" is described by Chef Troost as, "a one-two punch of flavors", "...the sweetness of real raspberries, then a three pepper blend for a spicy finish".

Ingredients

Grass fed beef, water, cane sugar, raspberry juice concentrate, sea salt, smoked chipotle pepper powder, ancho chili pepper powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, cayenne pepper.

Review

The first thing I pick up on my palate is a smokiness. There's a light sweet that soon comes in followed by a light spicy heat. The chewing brings on a fruity character, along with a more defined chipotle, while the heat picks up a bit more. The natural meat flavors become more noticeable towards the end.

For being dubbed, "Sweet Chipotle" it definitely fits the bill. The chipotle, with its smoky, chile pepper flavor, is front and center, with the fruity sweet body balancing things out. A light salt and a natural meat flavor fills in the background.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is that of chipotle and sweet, having a light fruity character, with a natural meat flavor that brings up the rear. There's a spicy heat, but light. It'd rate it on my personal heat scale as "medium" (level 3 out of 5).

The meat consistency is much better than the Ginger Orange I reviewed last week from this company. It's still dry and tender, but has a meaty chew. It's still not quite steak-like because it tends to crumble down. But at least it feels like meat fibers instead of the mushy feel of the Ginger Orange variety.

Verdict

This Sweet Chipotle has a very lively flavor that dances on the tongue with its combination of sweet and heat. The fruity, tangy raspberry creates a lot of excitement over a rich, smoky chipotle pepper. It has enough heat to satisfy spicy food lovers without setting tongues ablaze. I can even pick up the natural meat flavors to help create the sense of eating real, natural beef jerky. I found the chewing texture much more meaty than compared to the company's Ginger Orange. The chewing remains tender, but offers that feel of eating real beef.

Rating:

Best

Buy this online:

https://www.thinkjerky.com/

This "Hot Chili Pepper" is a new flavor from Jedidiah's Jerky. It's part of their revamped line up of beef brisket jerky.

Jedidiah's Jerky is a brand that we reviewed before (read the reviews here). Some time ago, they reintroduced their line of jerky with new recipes and new branding, and moved their headquarters to Laughlin, NV to Beatty, NV. Jedidiah's Jerky also has since opened up a chain of beef jerky stores called, "Jed's Jerky" throughout Nevada and California.

This "Hot Chili Pepper" jerky doesn't come with any additional description or claims.

Ingredients

Beef brisket, gluten free reduced sodium tamari soy sauce, brown sugar, pineapple juice concentrate, granulated garlic, crushed red pepper, black pepper, ginger

Review

The first flavor I pick up on the tongue is a sweet, along with a light salt. The heat quickly builds up. The chewing brings on a light chile pepper flavor with touches of black pepper. There's a hint of fruity tang in the chew.

For being marketed as "Hot Chili Pepper" it seems to hold up well. I get a fair amount of heat, with some pieces being more hot. On my personal heat scale, I'd rate this as "medium hot" (level 4 out of 5). I also get a light chile pepper flavor from the generous sprinkling of red pepper flakes.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is that of sweet and hot, with a seasoning of salt, red pepper, and black pepper. The soy sauce remains light.

The meat consistency is excellent for beef brisket jerky. It's quite soft and tender, and very meaty. There's only light stringiness found. The chewing texture feels like real meat, just quite soft and tender. Some strips are very soft and tend to chew mushy, but there are some pieces more dry and chewy. Some pieces have bits of fat on them, which adds some flavor.

Verdict

This Hot Chili Pepper Beef Brisket Jerky from Jedidiah's lives up to its billing, generating a decent level of heat with a light chile pepper flavor. It's really more of a classic "sweet and hot", however. The tender, moist chewing creates a lot of snackability. Otherwise, the overall flavor is nothing unusual, and nothing unexpected. In that sense, it's quite a typical flavor. But the meat consistency and chewing is excellent.

Rating:

Good

Buy this online:

http://www.jedsjerky.com

Astro Fresh Jerky is a brand owned by HJP Trading, LLC based out of Los Angeles, CA. It was started by Roy Park in early 2015 who found an old family recipe that dated back to the late 1980s.

Since then, Roy has been selling his jerky in local markets and retailers in California. Recently they started a website and are now taking online orders.

This Supernova Hot variety is one of three hot beef jerky flavors the company offers.

Ingredients

Beef, soy sauce, cayenne pepper, crushed red chilies, corn syrup solids, honey, worcestershire sauce, vinegar, black pepper, lemon juice, liquid smoke, granulated garlic, habanero, white pepper, onion powder, sodium nitrite.

Review

The first flavors that hit my palate is a light chile pepper flavor and salt. Touches of black pepper and cayenne become noticeable soon after. The chewing brings on much of the same flavors, while the heat builds up. There's a faint natural meat flavor towards the end.

For being named, "Supernova Hot", it seems to hold up. It definitely does get hot over several chews. I'd rate this as "hot" my personal heat scale, (level 5 out of 5). I'm sure much of the heat comes from the habanero ingredient, but I don't taste any of the unique habanero flavor. It's mostly a lot of heat.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is lots of heat with a flavor reminiscent of chili powder and red chile flavor. There's some black pepper noticeable, a little bit of salt, and faint bits of natural meat flavor.

The meat consistency feels dry and moderately chewy. It takes on a meaty feel, but doesn't really chew down like a real piece of steak. It tends to remain dry. There's a light amount of stringiness.

Verdict

This Supernova Hot from Astro Fresh Jerky definitely delivers a lot of heat, as its name suggests, along with a fair amount of chile pepper flavor, mostly as cayenne and red pepper flakes. Aside from that, I found the overall flavor unremarkable compared to competing brands of heavily red peppered jerky. It's a good jerky for heat seekers, who just want the rush that comes with hot chiles, but not necessarily creative in flavor.

Rating:

Average

Buy this online:

http://www.astrofreshjerky.com/

Bayou Blend Meat Snacks has a new flavor out called, "Sweet Antebellum". Read our reviews of their other flavors here.

Bayou Blend Meat Snacks is a brand of beef jerky based out of Napoleonville, LA. The company was started by Milton Hock in January 2013. Hock had been making jerky for some 20 years before launching Bayou Blend. He started the business after seeing an opportunity to offer meat snacks with more unique cajun-style flavor than competing brands.

This new Sweet Antebellum is described as a "Sweeter Style Beef Jerky", being made from Louisiana Sugar Cane.

Ingredients

Beef, water, worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, sugar, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, crab boil powder, garlic powder, liquid smoke, onion powder, crab boil liquid, hot sauce

Taste

The first flavors I pick up is sweet and a blend of seasonings. There's a bit of soy sauce coming in. The chewing brings on more of the seasonings and more of the soy sauce, including hints of the teriyaki. I can also detect a light tanginess in the chewing.

For being called "Sweet Antebellum", it definitely has a sweetness to it. If you compare this to the company's "Melange Original", it's certainly more sweet.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is that of a complex seasoning blend, perhaps something more comparable to what you would sprinkle on seafood than steak. Think of garlic, thyme, lemon, paprika, marjoram, et al. There's a saucy sweet in the background, mostly as teriyaki, but heavier on the soy sauce.

The meat consistency appears to be all meat with no signs of fat. It's sliced in small, bite sized pieces. It feels stiff and chewy, and has an initial rubbery resistance. Eventually it chews down soft, and feels meaty, and almost steak-like.

Verdict

This Sweet Antebellum from Bayou Blend offers up a balance of flavors between a complex seafood seasoning blend and a sweet teriyaki marinade. It's similar in taste to the company's "Melange Original", but with more sweet. The flavor is uniquely Louisiana, and pretty much what you'd expect from something named, "Bayou Blend". Overall, it's very savory, and feels "alive" on the palate with its light tanginess. I think the sweetness gives this jerky a solid balance between spice and body.

Rating:

Best

Buy this online:

http://bayousnacks.com/

Note: Chef Craig's is a sponsor of this website, but has no effect on our ratings and reviews.

One the newest jerky brands on the market is Chef Craig's Beef Jerky. A product of CJM Products, it's based out of West Kingston, RI.

It's the idea of Craig Mitchell, who a few years ago, had sent me samples of his own homemade jerky, with the intent of launching a business someday. Mitchell received his Culinary Arts degree from Johnson & Wales University, and has been cooking professionally since 1978.

As of this review, the only flavor Chef Craig's offers is this Original.

Ingredients

Beef, brown sugar, soy sauce, hot sauce, liquid smoke, browning sauce, worcestershire sauce, black pepper, steak seasoning, red pepper, lemon pepper, garlic, onion, chili powder, chipotle chile pepper.

Taste

The first thing I taste from the surface of these pieces is a saucy sweetness with some smokiness mixed in. It's almost like a sweet & smoky combination of worcestershire, soy sauce, and au jus (think French Dip). A light burn begins building.

The chewing flavor brings in a natural meat flavor, but with some citrus-like tanginess. The burn continues to build up.

For being the company's Original flavor, it's anything but plain. In fact, it's very flavorful, with a well-seasoned marinade that tastes much different than many other brands. The tanginess in the chewing livens up the snacking, while the natural meat flavor satisfies the carnivore in me.

It also has a moderate level of heat in this, something I'd rate on my personal heat scale as "medium" (level 3 out of 5). But I don't really taste much of the chile pepper flavor, perhaps just a faint bit reaching through the heavier saucey-seasoned marinade.

The flavor of this jerky seems to build up higher as the chewing goes on. When I put a piece into my mouth, the flavor starts out low and gradually increases with each chew. You could suck on a piece without chewing, and almost get the same effect. There's enough flavor in these meat slices that you can get a lot of it without chewing.

The level of saltiness in this feels moderate, maybe a touch above.

Overall, what you're going to get is a well-seasoned marinade with a very saucy flavor, much like a trio of worcestershire, soy sauce, and french dip au jus, along with a noticeable natural meat flavor, a nice tanginess in the chewing, and moderate amount of heat.

Meat Consistency

These are slices of whole meat, sliced into bite-sized pieces of medium thickness. There's a fair amount of smaller sized bits too.

This is a dry jerky with a slightly sticky surface feel. These pieces have a good deal of flexibility, and seem slightly rubbery.

The chewing texture starts out with that slight rubbery feel, and offers a light bit of chewing resistance. A few chews into it and it starts to soften. It begins to take on a very meaty resemblance, and by the time its chewed down to a soft mass, it feels very much like a piece of steak cooked medium-well.

I don't see much fat on these pieces and found no gristle or tendon. I don't encounter any stringiness, but felt a few pieces of unchewable tissues. It's mostly all meaty.

In terms of clean eating, it's mostly clean. My fingertips do collect a light bit of stickiness, but not enough to require a licking or wiping before touching my keyboard.

Snack Value

Chef Craig's Beef Jerky sells this Original variety from its website at a price of $28.00 for package of 10 (each package is 1.75oz). Shipping is $5.95. That works out to a price of $1.94 per ounce.

For general jerky snacking purposes, at the $1.94 per ounce price, it's a good value. I'm getting a great overall flavor, with a good meat consistency and good chewing texture. Compared to major brands of jerky sold in stores, it's priced about the same, but provides much better flavor and a little better chewing.

Rating

This Original beef jerky from Chef's Craig's tastes far from ordinary, packing in a lot of good flavors. It has a very tasty marinade, more like a combination of worcestershire, soy sauce, and french dip au jus, but with a good deal of sweet and smokiness mixed in.

But then it adds a nice natural meat flavor with a citrus tanginess. Throw in a touch of chile pepper flavor and a moderate level of heat, and it creates a very impressive flavor profile, and not overly salty

The meat consistency is overall good. It starts out with a light rubbery feel, but manages to chew down to a steak-like texture. It's very meaty with little to no stringiness or unchewable tissues. Collecting together the tiny bits of meat can provide something of a hindrance, but overall not that bad.

For me, it was the impressive flavor that opened my eyes and made me think, "Wow, this is great!"

My recommended beer pairing for this, go with a porter, such as the Sierra Nevada Porter, or the Stone Smoked Porter.

Rating:

Best

Buy this online:

http://www.chefcraigsbeefjerky.com/

Think Jerky is a new brand that hit the scene late last year. Based out of Chicago, IL, the brand spent nearly two years perfecting its recipe for a health-conscious market. The company claims to have "cut the salt in half" and replaced them with herbs and spices.

Think Jerky is a collaboration with three celebrity chefs, Chef Laurent Gras, a three-star Michelin Chef, Chef Matt Troost, a Baconfest champion, and Chef Gale Gand, a TV-host on Food Network. Together, their goal with Think Jerky is to create a great tasting jerky, with grass-fed beef, free-range turkey, that's paleo friendly, gluten free, family-farmed, with no artificial preservatives, and all natural ingredients

This "Sweet Chipotle" is described by Chef Gand as, "...a custom blend of sriracha, honey & spices", to create a, "...perfect balance of sweetness and heat".

Ingredients

Free range turkey, tamari sauce, brown sugar, sriracha powder, honey, onion powder, cayenne pepper

Review

The first thing I pick up on my palate is a light sweet with touches of onion and cayenne. The chewing brings on a bit more sweet and onion, with a faint turkey meat flavor.

For being labeled, "Sriracha Honey", it doesn't hold up. I don't taste any sriracha, at least not the Huy Fong Foods version (branded by the rooster logo). I don't taste any honey either. In fact, there's very little heat; it's almost mild. But I would still call this, "mild medium" on my personal heat scale (level 2 out of 5).

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is that of sweet, with a blend of cayenne pepper and onion. The cayenne doesn't generate much heat, but it does impart a touch of smokiness similar to what you get from chili powder.

The meat consistency appears to be all meat, with no fat or other tissue visible. It's a dry jerky, but still easy to chew. It doesn't really have a meaty feel however, it chews down mushy. There are also a lot of small bits of meat, perhaps accounting for half of the package's contents.

Verdict

This Sriracha Honey Turkey Jerky from Think Jerky didn't offer me any sriracha flavor, nor any honey flavor. What I got was a sweetened jerky highlighted with cayenne pepper and onion, and touches of smoke. The chewing texture become mushy, and I found far too many broken bits of meat, accounting for about half the package's contents. It's still a satisfying jerky on its own merits, yet not anything unique or creative. I didn't feel it delivered on its advertised flavor, and to me, the chewing texture didn't have a natural character.

Rating:

Average

Buy this online:

https://www.thinkjerky.com/

Ingredients

Chicken, water, sugar, hot sauce, sodium nitrite.

Review

The first flavors that hit my palate is a strong sweet followed by a buffalo wing sauce. The chewing brings on more of the same flavors.

For being marketed as "Buffalo Chicken Wing", it certainly tastes like buffalo wing sauce, except more sweet, and without the heat. It's quite mild on spice, but keeps that unique buffalo wing sauce flavor.

And that's the primary taste profile, a heavily sweetened, buffalo wing sauce, without the heat and spice. The chicken itself doesn't offer much flavor aside from a "chickeny" flavor in the background.

The meat consistency appears to be all meat and little to no fat or gristle. It starts out a little stiff and chewy, but softens up over several chews. It eventually takes on a chicken-like texture, mosty dry. Some pieces chew mushy, however.

Verdict

This Buffalo Chicken Wing chicken jerky from Astro Fresh does offer that unique buffalo wing sauce flavor, but heavily sweetened, and without the heat and spice. Aside from that, there's little else to report. I wasn't impressed with the heavily sweetened wing sauce, I'd rather have it with a touch of sweet, and perhaps boosted with citrus, like lemon or orange. The chicken meat itself felt mushy at times, and the "chickeny" taste in the back of my mouth doesn't evoke a fresh feeling. Overall, I didn't get much snackability from this.

Rating:

Fair

Buy this online:

http://www.astrofreshjerky.com/

Northwest Bierhaus Jerky is a brand owned by GJ Products, based out of Clackamas, OR. It's run by Glenn Loehr who started it in 2015.

The company also owns, "Oregon Wine Country Jerky". Together, the two brands infuse the flavors of craft beer and wine from the Pacific Northwest, and target the tourist and gift basket markets.

This, "Dark Ale" variety is described by the company as combining the, "hearty dark ale with mouth-watering premium beef", and says that jerky snackers will love the "high quality nutty flavor".

Ingredients

Beef, beer, brown sugar, soy sauce, salt, garlic, onion, black pepper, celery powder.

Review

The first flavors that hit my palate is a garlic and onion seasoning, followed by a noticeable sweet. The chewing brings on a light touch of soy sauce, along with hints of black pepper.

For being marketed as, "Dark Ale", it actually does have that beer-marinated flavor, mostly noted by the presence of malt. As far as "nutty" is concerned, yes, it has some of that flavor, but overall it's more of that grain flavor you get when you let beef soak in dark ale overnight.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is that of a light garlic and onion seasoning, with a noticeable sweet. The soy sauce adds a bit of salt, while the malt flavor fills in the background.

The meat consistency looks great. These are thick strips of whole muscle, appearing lean with no visible signs of fat. Chewing is chewy, and slightly tough at first, but breaks apart easily. It takes on a meaty feel, with a little bit of a steak-like texture. Handling is sticky.

Verdict

This Dark Ale Beef Jerky from Northwest Bierhaus serves up a malty representation of dark ale-marinated beef. You're not going to taste the overwhelming flavor of a Rogue Hazelnut Brown Ale, or a Deschutes Porter, but you will taste the overtones of malted barley in the background. Otherwise, it's a lightly seasoned jerky most notable for its thick, meaty strips, which can be tough at first bite. That toughness will eventually wear on you, and you'll find there's not enough flavor-reward to keep you going. Otherwise, it's a great gift item and tourist souvenir.

Rating:

Average

Buy this online:

http://www.northwestbierhausjerky.com/

El Norteño is a new brand of cecina (Mexican style beef jerky), that launched last year. Based out of Belleville, WI, it's the creation of Scott Hare, presumably the same person who launched Wild Hare Jerky about 10 years ago.

Hare was having dinner with some friends from Mexico when they advised him to make cecina. He traveled to Guadalajara, Mexico to learn more about it, and eventually perfected a recipe for his new brand El Norteño.

El Norteño is currently in stores throughou Southern California, the Southwest, and Midwest. It's real wood smoked, with no MSG. Each package comes with a packet of hot sauce. The company also makes a habanero flavored meat stick.

Ingredients

Beef, water, soy sauce, salt, pepper, spices, dextrose, garlic, onion, sugar, garlic powder, sodium nitrate, spice extractive, silicon dioxide.

Review

The first flavors that hit my tongue are seasonings of salt, garlic, onion, black pepper, and perhaps oregano. The chewing brings on more of the oregano, but also a spiciness comparable to cayenne. I can pick up a light natural meat flavor in the background.

For being marketed as "cecina" as opposed to "jerky" it definitely tastes different than classic, American jerky. It's mostly the oregano spice that I notice different, but also the blend of salt, garlic, onion, and black pepper feels different too. I also want to say there's a faint bit of citrus in there, perhaps lime.

Adding a bit of the included Tapatio sauce adds a vinegar and chile pepper component that really spices this up.

The meat consistency is lightly marbleized. It's very dry and quite chewy. Biting off chunks is easy, however, when pulled with the grain. It has a meaty chewing texture, but being so dry, it doesn't feel like steak.

Verdict

This cecina from El Norteño offers jerky snackers an entirely new experience for its unique blend of seasonings and spices. It doesn't taste "American" at all, but something that could have definitely originated from deep inside of Mexico. Each chew leaches out a savory seasoning, which I think is where this cecina builds its attraction. It's not the tender, soft chewing that Americans seem to want with jerky, but then again, this isn't marketed as jerky. Overall, I think it does a great job of presenting a jerky looking feel, but with a flavor unlike any other jerky.

Rating:

Good

Buy this online:

http://www.elnortenofoods.com/

Think Jerky is a new brand that hit the scene late last year. Based out of Chicago, IL, the brand spent nearly two years perfecting its recipe for a health-conscious market. The company claims to have "cut the salt in half" and replaced them with herbs and spices.

Think Jerky is a collaboration with three celebrity chefs, Chef Laurent Gras, a three-star Michelin Chef, Chef Matt Troost, a Baconfest champion, and Chef Gale Gand, a TV-host on Food Network. Together, their goal with Think Jerky is to create a great tasting jerky, with grass-fed beef, free-range turkey, that's paleo friendly, gluten free, family-farmed, with no artificial preservatives, and all natural ingredients

This "Thanksgiving" is described by Chef Gras as, "...this unique flavor combination of turkey, cranberry and herbs will remind you of the classic holiday meal."

Ingredients

Free range turkey, cranberry juice, dried cranberries, cane sugar, cabernet vinegar, sea salt, black pepper, onion powder, smoked paprika, thyme, sage, garlic, powder, marjoram.

Review

The first thing I pick up on my palate is a light sweet, followd by spices of thyme, sage, and marjoram. There's a light tanginess too. The chewing brings on a fruity sweetness, with some natural turkey meat flavors.

For being marketed as a turkey jerky that tastes like Thanksgiving, it definitely holds up. This has a turkey meat flavor that tastes just like roasted turkey that's been basted in its own juices. I can pick up a fruity, lightly tart flavor that mimics the cranberry sauce touching the slices of turkey breast. The seasonings of thyme, marjoram, sage, create the stuffing mix flavor.

Overall, the primary taste profile is that of natural turkey meat flavor infused with the holiday touches of cranberry and stuffing, exactly as the company claimed.

The meat consistency is overall good. Very meaty, with no signs of fat. However, I did find one piece with bits of bone and cartilage. But then again, maybe that's like a real Thanksgiving dinner. Otherwise, this meat is soft and tender, and chews like real turkey meat, comparable to juicy breast meat.
Verdict

This Thanksgiving turkey jerky from Think Jerky does an excellent job of mimicking the classic American flavors found on the fourth Thursday of November. The turkey meat has a lot of natural meat flavor, but infused with a tangy, fruity cranberry, and a blend of stuffing seasonings. Each bite is like a trio of turkey, stuffing, and a dabble of cranberry sauce. Even the chewing texture is much like real turkey breast meat, more juicy than dry. Compared to the company's other turkey jerky, "Sriracha Honey", this actually chews and feels like turkey, and even gives off the flavor of roasted turkey.

Rating:

Best

Buy this online:

https://www.thinkjerky.com/

Redneck Steak Beef Jerky has a new flavor out called, "White Lightning". See our reviews of their other flavors.

Redneck Steak Beef Jerky was created by Trae Stokes, based out of Pinellas Park, FL. Trae started the business as a way to earn a living after mortgage crash of 2008 busted his contracting business. Having grown up in the South all his life, he had mastered the skills of smoking meats. On a whim, Trae had smoked up batch of jerky and sold it at a local arts and craft show, and thus was born Redneck Steak Beef Jerky.

This new "White Lightning" is described by Trae as a sesame garlic base using his traditional seasonings and a "good habanero kick" to bring up some heat. Redneck Steak Beef Jerky is made with premium bottom round, then smoked over real oak wood for 4-6 hours.

Ingredients

None provided.

Review

The first flavors that I pick up are a real wood smoke flavor, followed by a seasoning blend and a sticky, sweet marinade. The chewing brings on the natural meat flavors, along with a light heat building.

For being dubbed, "White Lightning", specifically with a "good habanero kick", it seems to hold up. There's definitely some good heat to this, not an overwhelming, eye-squinting heat, but a noticeable one at that. But there's also a light taste of chile pepper in the background. The seasonings also add some kick. On my personal heat scale, I'd rank this as "medium hot" (level 4 out of 5).

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is that of a rich, real wood smoke flavor, with a sticky sweet marinade comparable to teriyaki mixed with french onion soup. The chile pepper flavor and habanero heat burn moderately in the background.

The meat consistency is thin sliced slabs of marbleized round. They are soft and easily bitten off into pieces. The chewing is quite tender and meaty, and feels like real pieces of steak. Handling is very sticky and messy.

Verdict

This new White Lightning variety from Redneck Steak Jerky is definitely a kick in the pants with its habanero heat and chile pepper flavor. But it's real wood smokiness, savory sweet marinade, and natural meat flavors are a big winner for me. It even has a steak-like chewing texture, that all together provides a fantastic, fresh off the grill, flavor that might have you singing Dixie in overalls and bare feet.

Rating:

Best

Buy this online:

http://www.rednecksteak.com/

Astro Fresh Jerky is a brand owned by HJP Trading, LLC based out of Los Angeles, CA. It was started by Roy Park in early 2015 who found an old family recipe that dated back to the late 1980s.

Since then, Roy has been selling his jerky in local markets and retailers in California. Recently they started a website and are now taking online orders.

This Buffalo Chicken Wing is a chicken jerky, comparable to the one we reviewed last week, but labeled, "Hot".

Ingredients

Chicken, water, sugar, hot sauce, sodium nitrite.

Review

The first flavors that hit my palate is a sweetness along with a buffalo wing sauce flavor. There's also a light red chile pepper flavor, and a light bit of heat. The chewing brings on more of the sweet buffalo wing sauce.

For being labeled, "Buffalo Chicken Wing" and "Hot", it seems to hold up. It has the same flavor as the milder version that I reviewed last week, except with some red chile pepper flakes added. Basically, it's a heavily sweetened buffalo wing sauce, but without the spice and heat removed. Meanwhile, the red chile pepper flakes add the spice and heat back in. I wouldn't really call this, "hot", however. It ranks on my personal heat scale as "medium" (level 3 out of 5).

The primary taste profile is exactly that, just a heavily sweet buffalo wing sauce, spiced with red chile pepper flakes.

The meat consistency appears to be all meat and little to no fat or gristle. It starts out a little stiff and chewy, but softens up over several chews. It eventually takes on a chicken-like texture, mosty dry. Some pieces chew mushy, however.

Verdict

This Hot version of Buffalo Chicken Wing chicken jerky from Astro Fresh is pretty much the same jerky as the mild version I reviewed last week, but with red chile pepper flakes added. The flakes do add some additional flavor, and little bit of heat. But to reiterate, I don't find the heavily sweet buffalo wing sauce all that appetizing. I would prefer just a little bit of sweet, and perhaps something citrus, like lemon or orange. Otherwise, this tastes like a buffalo wing sauce that had its wings clipped, and then duct-taped by throwing in some red pepper flakes. The chicken meat often chews mushy, and doesn't quite evoke a fresh taste and feel.

Rating:

Fair

Buy this online:

http://www.astrofreshjerky.com/

Northwest Bierhaus Jerky is a brand owned by GJ Products, based out of Clackamas, OR. It's run by Glenn Loehr who started it in 2015.

The company also owns, "Oregon Wine Country Jerky". Together, the two brands infuse the flavors of craft beer and wine from the Pacific Northwest, and target the tourist and gift basket markets.

This, "Hot IPA" variety is described by the company as blending the, "bold aroma of bitter, flavorful IPA beer with the spicy WOW of premium cut beef".

Ingredients

Beef, beer, brown sugar, soy sauce, salt, garlic, onion, cayenne pepper, black pepper, red chili flake, celery powder

Review

The first flavors that hit my palate is a light garlic and onion seasoning, with a light sweet. There's also a light chile pepper flavor. The chewing brings on teriyaki style flavor, with a light bit of heat building. I can also pick up a bit more chile pepper.

For being marketed as, "Hot IPA", it definitely has some heat to it, but it's hard to pick up the IPA. I can detect flavors that suggest the sharp, pungent hops, and even touches of malt, but it's hard to discern from the chile pepper, and other seasonings. Suffice it to say, the IPA does not jump out at you. Otherwise, the level of heat sits at "medium" on my personal heat scale (level 3 out of 5).

The primary taste profile is comparable to a teriyaki style jerky, with some chile pepper flavor, light garlic and onion seasonings, and a medium level of heat.

The meat consistency looks great. These are thick strips of whole muscle, appearing lean with no visible signs of fat. Chewing is chewy, and slightly tough at first, but breaks apart easily. It takes on a meaty feel, with a little bit of a steak-like texture. Handling is sticky.

Verdict

This Hot IPA Beef Jerky from Northwest Bierhaus delivers a fair amount of heat along with some chile pepper seasonings, but didn't seem to go far enough into the bitter, floral flavors of a hoppy IPA. There's at best just faint hints of malt and hops in the background, but they're difficult to identify against the stronger chile pepper, garlic, and onion. Otherwise, what this jerky offers is mostly a typical blend of spices found in hot beef jerky. The meat consistency, as it turns out, is this jerky best quality. Thick, meaty strips feel substantial and offer a satisfying chewing experience. Overall, this jerky is snackable, but still seems average, and doesn't provide any of that Oregon craft beer experience.

Rating:

Average

Buy this online:

http://www.northwestbierhausjerky.com/

Kratos, the brand of beef bars we reviewed a few years ago, recently introduced a new line of beef sticks.

Kratos is a brand owned by QuarterShare International, LLC, based in Tulsa, OK. The parent company happens to sell a line of meat sticks under the QuarterShare name, but are not 100% beef.

These new sticks from Kratos, however, are 100% beef, and made with a different recipe. The beef was raised without added hormones, no antibiotics, vegetarian fed, and minimally processed. The beef used is also "GAP Step 1" (Global Animal Partnership). These sticks are also stamped as "Certified Gluten Free".

Ingredients

Beef, water, sea salt, encapsulated citric acid, brown sugar, celery juice, black pepper, red pepper, granulated garlic, coriander.

Review

The first thing that I taste is a beefy flavor, quickly followed by a light tanginess and salt, along with touches of black pepper. The flavor of beef continues along through the chewing, and by the last chew there's a touch of red peppery spice that lingers.

But by and large, the primary taste profile is the beef flavor, which tends to resemble the same as that found in most brands of summer sausage, but maybe just a fraction more peppery. The light tanginess, which perhaps comes from the citric acid, is noticeable, with the black pepper and red pepper rounding out the profile.

The meat consistency is quite smooth. I noticed no hard bits, and no chunks of gristle. It's as if the meat was ground very fine. At swallowing, there's a fine film of oil that remains on the roof of my mouth. The stick itself is soft and very easy to chew. The casing doesn't offer much snap or crisp when biting off a piece. Handling is fairly clean.

Verdict

These Original beef sticks from Kratos definitely offer a beefy flavor for a stick that's marketed as 100% beef. They have a good overall taste that puts the highlight on the natural meat flavors, which evokes a sense of eating something a more simple and clean. Compared to major brands of beef sticks, Kratos tastes and chews at a higher level of craft. Considering its health-conscious ingredients, low sodium, and high protein, these new beef sticks from Kratos are ideal for both fitness buffs and casual meat snackers.

Rating:

Good

Buy this online:

http://www.kratosfoods.com/

Steel Cowboy Jerky is a brand operated by Michael Basler out of Ste. Genevieve, MO.

Mike started making jerky 16 years ago. In 2010 he started selling it on eBay and in local stores. In 2015 he entered his jerky into the World Hot Sauce Competition and took 2nd Place. Steel Cowboy Jerky is made from eye of round beef. It's hand trimmed and sliced, then cured and marinated for 24 hours.

Aside from this Original, Mike also offers Salt & Lime, Cajun, Bacon Flavored, Maple, BBQ, Mesquite, Rootbeer, Fire, Teriyaki, Wildfire, and Lime & Tequila.

Ingredients

Beef steak, spices, natural flavors, salt, pepper

Review

The first flavor that hit my tongue is a saucy flavor, similar to soy sauce and worcestershire, along with a light bit of garlic and onion. The chewing brings on a light natural meat flavor.

In terms of spice, it's quite mild and suitable for all tolerances. The saltiness is moderate. The black pepper is barely noticeable.

It's primary taste profile is largely the saucy flavor, but colored over with garlic and onion. The natural meat flavors becomes noticeable into the chewing.

The meat consistency seems good, being fairly marbleized. It's thinly sliced, feels dry, and has a slight bit of crunch in the initial chewing. It softens up quickly and takes on a meaty feel. Once it's chewed down soft, it has a steak-like texture. Overall, it's easy to eat, and handles cleanly.

Verdict

This Original variety from Steel Cowboy Jerky has savory, seasoned flavor that seems to generate a good deal of snackability. I like the slight crunch when biting off chunks and the steak-like texture once its chewed down. It's not tough, and offers a light natural meat flavor. It's mild in spice, making it suitable for all tolerances. The simple taste profile is not going to blow your socks off, but will definitely make a great beer snack. It's a great choice for folks who like thin, dry jerky.

Rating:

Good

Buy this online:

http://steelcowboyjerky.net/

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Astro Fresh Jerky - Sweet & Spicy

Think Jerky - Ginger Orange

News: Jerky Geek

Think Jerky - Sweet Chipotle

Jedidiah's Jerky - Hot Chili Pepper Beef Brisket

Astro Fresh Jerky - Supernova Hot Beef Jerky

Bayou Blend - Sweet Antebellum

Chef Craig's Beef Jerky - Original

Think Jerky - Sriracha Honey Turkey

Astro Fresh Jerky - Buffalo Chicken Wing

Northwest Bierhaus Jerky - Dark Ale

El Norteño Cecina

Think Jerky - Thanksgiving Turkey

Redneck Steak Jerky - White Lightning

Astro Fresh Jerky - Buffalo Chicken Wing Jerky Hot

Northwest Bierhaus Jerky - Hot IPA

Kratos Beef Sticks - Original

Steel Cowboy Jerky - Original