Beef Jerky Reviews

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

The newest flavor to come out of Chef Craig's Beef Jerky is this Black Thai. Read our review of their Original Beef Jerky.

Based out of West Kingston, RI, Chef Craig's Beef Jerky was originally started by Craig Mitchell, who holds a Culinary Arts degree from Johnson & Wales University. He's been cooking professionally since 1978. Chef Craig's Beef Jerky was a way to extend his career in cooking and cuisine.

This Black Thai variety is described by the company as "The same chewy beef jerky with a taste of Asian spiciness; it leaves a lingering warm sensation in your mouth."

Ingredients

Beef, soy sauce, garlic chili pepper sauce, brown sugar, green curry paste (green chili, garlic, lemongrass, thai ginger, salt, shallot, spices, kaffir lime), sesame oil

Taste

The first thing I taste from the surface of these pieces is a sesame oil flavor, followed by a light soy sauce and a light, tangy chili pepper sauce. The sweetness is noticeable also, and there's a noticeable garlic to this as well.

The chewing brings in a bit more of the soy sauce, but also a flavor much like stir fry and touches of hoisin sauce. It has a tanginess, perhaps coming from the lemongrass, but a pungent character perhaps supported by the green curry. It has a very unmistakable Asian-like flavor that reminds me of Thai-style stir-fry.

For being marketed as "Black Thai", it holds up very well. From that very first sesame oil flavor, to the soy sauce, the chili pepper sauce, and the tangy/pungent green curry, this jerky oozes the words "Asian" and "Thai". It has a flavor that paints a picture of an Asian lunch cafe where chop sticks pick up noodles, slices of beef and vegetables, and bottles of fish sauce and Sriracha are squeezed. Imagine the smell of a large wok sizzling and smoking, locking in the flavors of spices, chiles, and sauces.

Otherwise, the flavors that seem to define this jerky is a tangy, savory, blend of soy sauce, chili sauce, and green curry, but laden with a noticeable sesame oil. There's also a noticeable sweetness to balance it out. Overall, it's hard to not identify this jerky as having an Asian flavor.

There's a moderate amount of heat to this as well. I'd rank it as Medium on my personal heat scale (level 3 out of 5).

I don't pick up any natural meat flavors. The marinades and seasonings seem to overpower.

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 sticky, oily 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 fair amount of chewing resistance. A few chews into it and it starts to soften, taking on a very meaty resemblance, and by the time its chewed down to a soft mass, it has a steak-like feel, though a touch rubbery.

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, my fingertips pick up a fair amount of oil requiring a licking and wiping before I touch the keyboard.

Snack Value

Chef Craig's Beef Jerky sells this Black Thai variety from its website at a price of $29.50 for a 10-pack. Each package is 1.75oz. With shipping of $5.95 to Southern California, it works out to a price of $2.03 per ounce.

For general jerky snacking purposes, at the $2.03 per ounce price, it's a great value. I'm getting a lot of delicious flavor from this jerky with an overall good meat consistency and good chewing texture. Compare to other brands of jerky sold in stores, it's priced about the same but offers far better flavor with good chewing.

As a Thai flavored beef jerky, at the same $2.03 per ounce price, it's a great value again. This has an unmistakable Thai flavor. The sesame oil, the garlic chili sauce, the green curry, all join forces to create a flavor that's hard to not identify as Thai cuisine.

Rating

I'm giving this a best rating.

This Black Thai jerky from Chef Craig's Beef Jerky woke up my senses and rang in the "wow factor" with flavors that touched all sensory zones on my tongue. The sweet, the salty, the pungent, the savory, the spicy, the tangy, it's all in these bite-sized chunks of meat.

First, I really love the sesame oil flavor on this because it works so well in giving the garlic chili sauce and green curry that extra bit of Asian-flavor. The pungent garlic and curry create a lot of contrasting flavors against the sesame oil and brown sugar, while the soy sauce adds the savory component that makes it satisfying to chew.

The meat consistency and chewing, overall, seem good. The oiliness on the fingertips can be nuisance if you're trying to snack while typing, driving, or channel surfing. And the chewing texture maintained a light rubbery character once chewed down. But overall, the chewing is still good and the flavor is so awesome you won't even notice it.

Rating:

Best

Buy this online:

http://chefcraigsbeefjerky.com/

Note: Crazy Horse is a sponsor of this website, but has no effect on our ratings and reviews.

Crazy Horse Beef Jerky is a brand made by Dave Wenrich in Hellam, PA. He started making this jerky about nine months ago, based on a old family recipe that he got from his father.

Wenrich says he comes from a long line of farmers in Berks County, PA where they smoked their own meat. So using the family recipe he tried out some jerky and thought it was pretty good. And after receiving positive feedback from friends, he's been selling it directly through an eBay store and in some local shops around town.

Dave smokes all of his jerky from USDA certified bottom round in a homemade smoke house using maple, oak, and fruit woods.

Ingredients

None listed

Taste

The first thing I taste from the surface of these pieces is a strong smokiness. Following is a fair amount of saltiness.

The chewing flavor starts with a very smoky, natural meat flavor, along with a bit more saltiness, and a slight amount of tanginess.

Smoky is perhaps the best word to describe this jerky. Just opening the package a strong smoky aroma wafts its way out, and then the very first thing I taste is the smokiness, and it continues on into the chewing.

But the natural meat flavors come on very strong, and mixed with the smokiness, it defines the overall taste of this jerky, giving it a steak-like flavor.

I reported a slight tanginess in the chewing, and it continues to be there, and I think it adds a bit of liveliness to the flavor. It's comparable to a vinegar tang.

I can see some bits of black pepper on these pieces, but it's so lightly spread I don't really taste any of it.

There are also other bits of seasoning visible but they too are lightly spread that I don't really taste them when I take a bite.

I also notice chopped bits of something else, I think may be garlic. They seem to add a touch of flavor to this jerky.

The level of saltiness in this seems somewhere between moderate and high.

Overall, what you're going to notice the most in this jerky is the smoky, natural meat flavor, with a light bit of tanginess in the chewing, and a good deal of saltiness.

Meat Consistency

These are slices of whole meat, sliced to medium thickness, and in strips of about 3-4 inches in length.

This is a dry jerky, with a slightly oily surface feel. The strips have some flexibility to them, but easily crack open with any amount of bending. Tearing pieces apart with my fingers seems easy enough, and chewing seems easy.

The chewing texture starts out feeling dry and coarse, but is soft enough that it chews down without much effort. It has some chewiness to it, but never gives my jaws a workout. Once chewed down to a soft mass, it takes a on a steak-like feel, very comparable to one cooked well-done.

I can see some bits of fat on these strips that actually provide a bit of extra flavor, but not a spoiled flavor. I didn't find any gristle, tendon, and nothing stringy. I found no unchewable wads of tissue when chewing.

As for clean eating, my finger tips pick up a light amount of oil which I must lick off and wipe before touching keyboard.

Snack Value

Crazy Horse Beef Jerky sells this Original variety online at a price of $26.99 for one pound. That price includes the shipping. That works out to a price of $1.69 per ounce.

For general jerky snacking purposes, at the $1.69 per ounce price, it's an excellent value. I'm getting a lot of snackability from this. That price is less than what you'd pay at the grocery store for the major brands of jerky, yet it's far superior in flavor, consistency, and chewing texture.

Rating

I'm giving this a best rating.

This Original variety from Crazy Horse Beef Jerky treats the senses with a lot of smoky, natural meat flavor, mixed with a touch of tanginess in the chewing, and a good deal of saltiness. The smoky aroma alone coming out of the package creates a lot of mouth-watering anticipation that seems to heighten the snackability.

It's also very easy to eat, being easy to chew, but still retaining a lot of steak-like chewing. Combined with the great flavor, I could find myself going through a one-pound package of this in one sitting.

The flavor is quite mild, though on the upper end of saltiness. I didn't necessarily find it too salty for my liking however. I keep thinking this jerky could use a bit more of another flavor, perhaps more pepper, or another seasoning. But then again, I really love jerky with a lot of real-wood smoked natural meat flavor, and I'm getting a lot of that in this, and I think keeping it this way is best.

For my recommended beer pairing, I think a porter would work well, matching the smokiness of the meat with the smokiness of the malt, and letting the natural flavor of malt pair up with the meat. Try a Stone Smoked Porter, or a Sierra Nevada Porter.

Rating:

Best

Buy this online:

http://www.crazyhorsejerky.com/

Ayoba-Yo is a brand of biltong and droëwors owned by Ayoba-Yo USA, based out of Oakton, VA. The brand got started in 2013.

Co-founded by Wian van Blommestein, Ayoba-Yo is a family run business that focuses on South African-style meat snacks. Made in a USDA-inspected facility, the company's biltong and droëwors is made from top round and spiced with an old family recipe. It's free of artificial ingredients and preservatives.

Ayoba-Yo describes their brand of biltong as being gluten-free, and, "...a tender piece of beef with a naturally explosive flavor."

Ingredients

Beef, salt, coriander, worcestershire powder, pepper, brown sugar, vinegar

Review

The first flavors that hit my palate is a blend of vinegar and coriander, with a light saltiness. The chewing brings on the natural meat flavors, with a little more salt and a bit of tanginess.

As biltong, this knocks out that traditional, South African-style flavor. The vinegar and coriander are well pronounced, giving this a lively flavor that excites the palate. Yet, the natural meat flavors come through well also, with an aged, marbleized flavor, satisfying the meat-tooth and carnivore in many of us.

Overall, I'd describe the primary taste profile as a natural meat flavor, spiced with blend of coriander, vinegar, and salt, giving this a tangy, meaty, chewing.

The meat consistency is excellent. Marbelized beef is sliced thin into bite-sized pieces. It feels dry, though soft. Chewing is easy, very meaty, and once chewed down soft, feels like italian deli meat such as capicola or prosciutto.

Verdict

This traditional biltong from Ayoba-Yo offers up a flavor that is unmistakably South African, mild in spice, but lively in character, it's irresistible for snacking. If anything differentiates Ayoba-Yo from other biltong brands is its tangy, seasoned flavor that seems to waken the senses. The marbleized meat flavor, and the tender meaty chewing, scores points with meat snackers, and should welcome traditional jerky aficionados into another realm of face-stuffing charcuterie.

Rating:

Best

Buy this online:

https://www.ayoba-yo.com/

Beefy Boys Beef Jerky is a brand owned by John Bailey, based out of Salinas, CA. The brand has been around since 1999.

Manufactured in their very own USDA inspected facility, Beefy Boys is made from top round sourced from a supplier located 120 miles from their plant, then marinated and cooked using an old family recipe.

This Original variety is described by the company as its first ever product offering, described as "conservative" and "milder" than their other flavors.

Ingredients

Beef, water, soy sauce, red wine vinegar, brown sugar, black pepper, seasoned salt, spices, other flavorings.

Review

The first flavors that I pick up is a light soy sauce with some seasonings. The chewing brings on a stronger soy sauce and some natural meat flavors. There's some light black pepper that comes in late.

For being described by the company as "conservative" and "milder", is perhaps appropriate. It's conservative in that it's flavor is simple, mostly as soy sauce and a natural meat flavor that tastes like a well-done cooked steak. But it's also mild in that there's no heat or spiciness.

Despite the red wine vinegar and brown sugar in the ingredients list, this doesn't have a vinegary, or tangy flavor. There's only a touch of sweetness to this, perhaps too light to notice. The level of saltiness seems moderate to high.

The meat consitency looks really good, mostly all meat and very little signs of fat or gristle. It's very dry, somewhat crispy, and sliced thin. The chewing starts out brittle, then cracks apart into little pieces, and finally softens up into a dry, well-done steak.

Verdict

This Original Beef Jerky from Beefy Boys stands up to its claims of being "conservative" and "mild" in that it delivers a simple flavor of mostly soy sauce and a well-cooked natural meat flavor. It's seems like a good fit for those who like dry, thin sliced jerky. I found that it imparts a hand-made, small-batch taste and feel, perhaps reminiscent of the "old days" before automation and preservatives. Otherwise, it also seems plain, ordinary, and back-to-basics.

Rating:

Average

Buy this online:

http://www.ourlocale.org/

Little Bit Jerky is a new brand that launched in February 2016, by Robert Helmcamp and Teresa Helmcamp, based out of Wichita Falls, TX.

Robert is a professional butcher of 22 years, learning the craft the "old school" way, and developed his own seasonings. Little Bit Jerky is made fresh daily from top round, and marinated for 18-24 hours.

This "Original Bit" is described by the company as their signature jerky, using a blend of Texas spices. The company says it, "...will leave a lasting impression on your taste pallet. A flavor the whole family can enjoy."

Ingredients

Beef, water, natural hickory wood smoke, vinegar, salt, onion, black pepper, crushed dark red chili, hydrolyzed soy & corn protein, tomato paste, corn syrup, raisin paste, crushed orange puree, caramel color, potassium sorbate, xanthan gum, celery seed, sugar, molasses, papain, citric acid, smoked paprika, cayenne, coriander, corn oil, dill

Review

The first flavors I taste are a smokiness and salt, along with a flavor reminiscent of soy sauce. The chewing brings on a black pepper, along with hints of dill. There's also a light sour flavor, and another flavor that reminds me of beef wieners.

For being described as the company's signature flavor, it's certainly a unique one. It's very complex, mostly salty, but definitely has a lot going on. It's spicy in that it's filled with spices, but not necessarily hot. It does, however, have some heat to it, enough to warrant a "mild medium" on my personal heat scale (level 2 out of 5).

I'd describe the primary taste profile as smoky and salty, with a vinegar tang, and a black pepper & onion spice. But it also has a dill component that brings in thoughts of pickles, yet also a flavor of hot dog wieners.

The meat consistency looks really good, mostly all meat, sliced into slabs of medium thickness. It's dry, but flexible, and manages to tear apart with light effort. The chewing starts out quite chewy and eventually softens up enough to feel like a well-done cooked steak.

Verdict

This Original Bit from Little Bit Jerky dishes out a complex flavor full of variety and spice. It comes off as salty, but there's a lot going on that it keeps me thinking throughout the chewing. It's actually a swash of Americana in the form of smoked beef, dill pickles, and hot dogs at a Texas county fair. There's nothing Asian, European, or African about this, it's classic red, white and blue in its old school best. If you can get past the saltiness, it's a lot like what jerky used to be in the old days.

Rating:

Good

Buy this online:

https://littlebitjerky.com/

Oregon Wine Country 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, "Northwest Bierhaus 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, "Pinot Noir Beef Jerky" is described by the company as blending the complex flavor of pinot noir wine to create a, "...subtle yet powerful flavor of this one of a kind beef jerky".

Ingredients

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

Review

The first flavors that hit my palate is a lightly salty, wine marinade flavor. Some garlic and onion come in soon after. The chewing brings on more of the wine marinade, with a bit more of the garlic, onion, and salt. There's a noticeable sweetness to this too.

For being marketed as a beef jerky marinated in Pinot Noir wine, it certainly lives by its billing. I do taste the unmistakable flavor of wine marinated beef. It's not a strong marinade, but enough that I can taste the unique flavor. There's even a light aroma as well.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is that of a wine marinated beef flavor, with a well noticeable garlic, onion, and salt flavoring, along with a light sweet.

The meat consistency looks great. These are thick strips of whole muscle, appearing lean with little to no signs of fat. Chewing is chewy, and but still easy overall, and breaks apart easily. It takes on a meaty feel, with a little bit of a steak-like texture. Handling is sticky and lightly oily.

Verdict

This Pinot Noir Beef Jerky from Oregon Wine Country does a good job of offering the unique flavor of wine-marinated beef. That fruity, earthy flavor comes in front and center and is then flanked by simple seasonings to create a very enjoyable snack. Overall, it's a mild jerky in spice that should satisfy all tolerances, and has a good balance between savory and sweet. But yet, after the first few bites, this jerky tends to lose my interest. The seasonings eventually takes over the wine marinade and it becomes plain snacking. It needs something else to generate pop and wow.

Rating:

Good

Buy this online:

http://www.oregonwinecountryjerky.com/

Mike's Jerky recently introduced some new flavors. See my reviews of other flavors from Mike's Jerky.

Mike's Jerky is based out of Albuquerque, NM, owned and operated by Mike Grier. It's a New Mexico Style of jerky where its sliced thin, dried crisp, and crunches when you bite into it, yet still chewing like real meat.

This Butter Mesquite beef jerky is described by the company as, "Butter makes everything better!"

Ingredients

Beef, salt, dextrose, sugar, natural mesquite smoke flavor, caramel, torula yeast, silicon dioxide

Taste

The first thing I taste is a light smokiness and saltiness. The buttery flavor comes in. The chewing brings on a little more salt, and the natural meat flavors.

For being marketed as "Butter Mesquite", it seems to hold up. I get a light smokiness right off the bat, but is then followed up with that smooth, creamy flavor much like butter.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is a moderate saltiness and a light mesquite smoke, but with the smoothness of buttery cream, and a light natural meat flavor. The meat flavor is more like deli roast beef. It's quite mild in terms of spice, while the level of saltiness feels moderate, but pushing up against the high range.

The meat consistency looks great. Thin slabs of top round, lightly marbleized, are dehydrated to a dry crisp. Each bite produces an initial crunch, but chews down soft and feels comparable to deli roast beef. Chewing is very easy, but feels dry.

Verdict

This Butter Mesquite variety from Mike's Jerky offers that smooth, creamy butter flavor over a lightly smokey mesquite to add body to an old favorite. It reminds me of eating those old Camp's Buttered Beef Steaks back when I was a kid. It's otherwise a simple jerky in terms of taste, but still quite snackable. The thin crisp meat consistency and the crunch when chewing gives this jerky that potato-chip irresistibility.

Rating:

Good

Buy this online:

http://www.mikesjerky.com/

Ayoba-Yo is a brand of biltong and droëwors owned by Ayoba-Yo USA, based out of Oakton, VA. The brand got started in 2013.

Co-founded by Wian van Blommestein, Ayoba-Yo is a family run business that focuses on South African-style meat snacks. Made in a USDA-inspected facility, the company's biltong and droëwors is made from top round and spiced with an old family recipe. It's free of artificial ingredients and preservatives.

Ayoba-Yo describes this Spicy Biltong as being gluten-free, and, "...a tender piece of beef with a naturally explosive flavor."

Ingredients

Beef, salt, coriander, cayenne pepper, worcestershire powder, chili powder, pepper, brown sugar, vinegar

Review

The first flavors that hit my palate is a blend of vinegar and coriander, with a light bit of cayenne in the background. The chewing brings on some natural meat flavors, along with tanginess, and a bit more cayenne and salt. There's a light bit of heat building.

For being marketed as "Spicy Biltong", it definitely delivers on its expectations. I get the classic flavor of South-African-style biltong, mostly as the aged, marbleized meat flavor bolstered with coriander, salt, and vinegar. But I also get a decent level of spiciness from the cayenne pepper. On my personal heat scale, I'd rank the heat as "mild medium" (level 2 out of 5).

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is that of an aged, marbelized meat flavor, livened up with vinegar, coriander, and salt, then touched up with a light flavor and heat of cayenne.

The meat consistency is excellent. Marbelized beef is sliced thin into bite-sized pieces. It feels dry, though soft. Chewing is easy, very meaty, and once chewed down soft, feels like italian deli meat such as capicola or prosciutto.

Verdict

This Spicy Biltong from Ayoba-Yo offers up a flavor that is unmistakably South African, noted by the coriander, salt, and vinegar seasonings, yet spiced up with a light dousing of cayenne. Overall, it's not hot, but adds a light bit of heat to a biltong that's already tangy and lively. The cayenne tends to compete with the biltong flavor, so if you want more of that South African taste, buy the Traditional instead. Get the Spicy if you want a blend of both. Otherwise, I really love the aged, marbleized meat flavor that comes out of this biltong, along with its tender, easy chewing.

Rating:

Best

Buy this online:

https://www.ayoba-yo.com/

Beefy Boys Beef Jerky is a brand owned by John Bailey, based out of Salinas, CA. The brand has been around since 1999.

Manufactured in their very own USDA inspected facility, Beefy Boys is made from top round sourced from a supplier located 120 miles from their plant, then marinated and cooked using an old family recipe.

This Reserve variety is cut into long strips, as opposed to the slabs used in the company's other varieties. It's described as being more tender, and those who've tried it say it reminds them of, "the old Swiss-Italian style".

Ingredients

Beef, red wine, water, soy sauce, red wine vinegar, black pepper, seasoned salt, spices, other flavorings.

Review

The first flavors that I pick up is the red wine marinade, followed by a light saltiness, and hints of soy sauce. The chewing brings on more of the marinade while the soy sauce increases in definition. There are hints of seasonings that come in later, along with the natural meat flavors.

As for the company's claims of being more tender, it certainly is. It's lightly moist to the touch, and there's a sense of moisture when biting off a piece, but overall it's still dry. As for tasting like the "old Swiss-Italian style", that's hard for me to say. I'm not quite sure what kind of jerky that is.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is that of a steak, marinated in red wine, and cooked well-done. It still has a savory character from the soy sauce, with hints of seasonings and black pepper. The level of saltiness feels low to moderate.

The meat consitency looks excellent. Seemingly all meat, sliced into thick strips, but relatively tender and lightly moist. It chews just like chunks of real steak, very meaty. Because it's sliced with the grain, some pieces require some effort to bite off.

Verdict

This Reserve Beef Jerky from Beefy Boys delivers an unmistakable flavor of a steak marinated in red wine. Bolstered with soy sauce and seasonings, it's still savory like beef jerky, but more reminiscent of a fine steak. The meat consistency and chewing texture, however, is the star of the show. It feels and chews like a real piece of steak, bringing out the inner-carnivore in us. You could eat a bag of this jerky and almost feel like you've had dinner.

Rating:

Good

Buy this online:

http://www.ourlocale.org/

Little Bit Jerky is a new brand that launched in February 2016, by Robert Helmcamp and Teresa Helmcamp, based out of Wichita Falls, TX.

Robert is a professional butcher of 22 years, learning the craft the "old school" way, and developed his own seasonings. Little Bit Jerky is made fresh daily from top round, and marinated for 18-24 hours.

This "Old Time Bit" is described by the company as, "traditional beef jerky", that has, "the simplistic taste of a top cut meat".

Ingredients

Beef, water, natural hickory wood smoke, vinegar, salt, onion, garlic, black pepper, crushed dark red chili, hydrolyzed soy & corn protein, sugar, molasses, papain, citric acid, smoked paprika, red pepper, jalapeno, cayenne

Review

The first flavors I taste is salt and smoke. There's a vinegar tang that comes right in, along with spices of black pepper, onion, and garlic. I can even pick up a light cayenne. The chewing brings on the natural meat flavors.

For being named, "Old Time Bit", and being described as "traditional beef jerky", I suppose it holds up. It does have the traditional flavors you'd expect to find, like hickory, black pepper, garlic, onion, salt, etc., and it also has a traditional, American-style chewiness and character.

Othewise, the primary taste profile is a high degree of saltiness, with seasonings of garlic, onion, and black pepper, along with a vinegar tanginess and the natural meat flavors.

The meat consistency looks really good, mostly all meat, sliced into slabs of medium thickness. It's dry, but flexible, and manages to tear apart with light effort. The chewing starts out quite chewy and eventually softens up enough to feel like a well-done cooked steak.

Verdict

This Old Time Bit from Little Bit Jerky cranks a lot of the traditional beef jerky flavors like hickory, salt, garlic, onion, and black pepper. But I found that it's quite salty for me. I could only eat so much of it until I needed to stop. Otherwise, it has a great flavor, much like something you'd expect to find at an old country store. It ends up tasting like a well-seasoned steak grilled well-done. Even the meaty chewing texture and the natural meat flavors reminds me of "good ole American beef jerky".

Rating:

Good

Buy this online:

https://littlebitjerky.com/

Washington Wine Country 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, "Northwest Bierhaus 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, "Cabernet Beef Jerky" is described by the company as being marinated in the "King of Wines", to create a, "...distinctive flavor and smooth finish".

Ingredients

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

Review

The first flavors that hit my palate is a light salt, followed by a light wine marinade flavor. Garlic and onion come in soon after. The chewing brings on more of the wine marinade, with a bit more of the garlic, onion, and salt. There's a noticeable sweetness to this too.

For being marketed as a beef jerky marinated in Cabernet wine, it seems to hold up well. There is a noticeable wine-marinated beef flavor that comes out, along with a light aroma. Compared to the company's Pinot Noir Beef Jerky, this Cab is a little more dry and earthy, whereas the Pinot is more fruity.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is that of a wine marinated beef flavor, with a well noticeable garlic, onion, and salt flavoring, along with a light sweet.

The meat consistency looks great. These are thick strips of whole muscle, appearing lean with little to no signs of fat. Chewing is chewy, and but still easy overall, and breaks apart easily. It takes on a meaty feel, with a little bit of a steak-like texture. Handling is sticky and lightly oily.

Verdict

This Cabernet Beef Jerky from Washington Wine Country does a good job of offering the unique flavor of wine-marinated beef. That dry, earthy red-wine marinade comes in front and center and is then flanked by simple seasonings to create a very enjoyable snack. Overall, it's a mild jerky in spice that should satisfy all tolerances, and has a good balance between savory and sweet. But yet, after the first few bites, this jerky tends to lose my interest. The seasonings eventually takes over the wine marinade and it becomes plain snacking. It needs something else to generate pop and wow.

Rating:

Good

Buy this online:

http://www.washingtonwinecountryjerky.com/

Ayoba-Yo is a brand of biltong and droëwors owned by Ayoba-Yo USA, based out of Oakton, VA. The brand got started in 2013.

Co-founded by Wian van Blommestein, Ayoba-Yo is a family run business that focuses on South African-style meat snacks. Made in a USDA-inspected facility, the company's biltong and droëwors is made from top round and spiced with an old family recipe. It's free of artificial ingredients and preservatives.

Droëwors is a style of sausage originating from South Africa, using ingredients similar to biltong, and is more dry than American-style meat sticks.

Ingredients

Beef, vinegar, salt, water, coriander, pepper, cloves, sheep casing

Review

The first flavors that hit my palate is a blend of tangy vinegar and coriander. The chewing brings on a bit more of the tangy, along with a light salt and a touch of aged beef flavor.

Tasting similar to the company's biltong, this droëwors seems to also rely on the vinegar and coriander to generate much of unique flavor. There's a noticeable fatty oiliness that coats the tongue and creates a light buttery character.

The meat consistency is perhaps a little more fatty than other brands of droëwors I've experienced, but if you like having some fat mixed into your meat, the way I do, it's actually enjoyable. Ayoba-Yo's droëwors feels a little more chewy than other brands, but comparably as light and dry. The casing has a light crisp when biting.

Verdict

This Droëwors from Ayoba-Yo creates an overall light but beefy flavor of the famous South African-style meat stick. It has a significant fatty character but yet it creates a buttery quality that makes it quite decadent. I like the vinegar tanginess, the lower sodium content, and I like the light crisp bite. If you've never had droëwors before, Ayoba-Yo's offering makes a great introduction to the world of South African-style meat snacking, and may just very well convert you from the American-style grease sticks.

Rating:

Good

Buy this online:

https://www.ayoba-yo.com/

Mike's Jerky recently introduced some new flavors. See my reviews of other flavors from Mike's Jerky.

Mike's Jerky is based out of Albuquerque, NM, owned and operated by Mike Grier. It's a New Mexico Style of jerky where its sliced thin, dried crisp, and crunches when you bite into it, yet still chewing like real meat.

This Lime Pepper beef jerky is described by the company as, "You put the lime with the pepper, Cha-Cha-Cha!!"

Ingredients

Beef, salt, black pepper, dehydrated garlic, dehydrated onion, lime peel, food starch-modified, citric acid, sugar, parsley, natural lime flavor

Taste

The first thing I taste is the natural meat flavor, followed by a light salt, and hints of lime. The black pepper follows right along. The chewing brings on a bit more of the natural meat flavors, while the seasonings ramp up.

In terms of the "Lime Pepper" claims, it delivers on the flavor. The lime has a faint zest in the background along with a light tangy, fruity note that leaches out in each chew. But it's the black pepper that has the better showing with its noticeable sharp spice throughout the chewing. In terms of spiciness, it's not hot by any means, but may be felt as spicy among those with lesser tolerances.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile starts with the natural meat flavor, tasting comparable to deli-sliced roast beef. It's then seasonings of black pepper, salt, garlic, onion, and of course, the tangy, fruity lime. The level of saltiness feels moderate.

The meat consistency looks great. Thin slabs of top round, lightly marbleized, are dehydrated to a dry crisp. Each bite produces an initial crunch, but chews down soft and feels comparable to deli roast beef. Chewing is very easy, but feels dry.

Verdict

This Lime Pepper variety from Mike's Jerky makes a great alternative to those who love black peppered jerky by throwing in a light tangy, fruity lime in each chew. Think of it more as a Black Pepper jerky with a twist of lime rather than an even shot of both. The black pepper seasoning that Mike puts together is savory without going overboard on the the salt, and doesn't overwhelm on you spice. Otherwise, it's the same great meat consistency that makes Mike's Jerky famous, sliced extra thin, dry and crisp, and equally as addictive as potato-chips.

Rating:

Good

Buy this online:

http://www.mikesjerky.com/

Genius Jerky is one of the newest brands of jerky, still in fundraising mode. Visit their Kickstarter page to get in on the action.

Founded by Richard Plebuch and Steve Brewster, two friends battling muscular diseases. Based out of Lovettsville, VA, the two-man team have already won endorsements and support famed Australian-chef, Adrian Richardson, and the cast from DIY Network's "Salvage Dogs". A portion of the profits earned by Genius Jerky will be going to the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Genius Jerky currently offers two flavors, "Honey Habanero", and "South Korean BBQ".

NOTE: Because Genius Jerky is still in fundraising mode, and not yet available to consumers, we are withholding ratings until final productions samples are available.

Honey Habanero

Ingredients: 100% USDA prime beef, low sodium soy sauce, sesame oil, minced garlic, sriracha, water, spices, kosher salt. Contains: Honey

Review

The first flavors that hit the tongue is a spicy hot, sweet sauce, almost comparable to a hot BBQ sauce. The flavor of chile peppers comes in right away, along with garlic. The chewing brings on hints of soy sauce.

As for the "Honey Habanero" name, it seems to hold up. It's quite sweet, and of course, hot. I would rate this as "hot" on my personal heat scale (level 5 out of 5). I can also taste the flavor of chile pepper, though I'm not sure if I'm tasting jalapeno or habanero.

The meat consistency has some noticeable streaks of fat, but otherwise nothing unchewable or stringy. Sliced medium thickness, it's easy to chew, though one piece was rather dry and hard, but gives off an immediate meaty feel. Once chewed down, it feels very steak-like.

Verdict: I love this jerky! It's a great example of a sweet & hot jerky, but with a savory thick marinade that's almost like BBQ sauce, strong on garlic, with lot of natural chile pepper flavor.

South Korean BBQ

Ingredients: 100% USDA prime beef, low sodium soy sauce, roasted garlic, honey, sriracha, sesame oil, mirin, worcestershire sauce, spices, peanut butter, all natural liquid smoke

Review

The first flavors that I pick up are sweet, with hints of soy sauce and peanut butter. The chewing brings on garlic, with a saucy, tomatoey texture.

For being named, "South Korean BBQ", it's quite unique. First, it certainly does have a BBQ-like flavor and feel, particularly for the thick sweet, savory sauce, and tomatoey texture. But second, it also has an Asian-like flavor mostly for the stronger garlic, and perhaps some underlying tones from the sesame oil and mirin wine. However, it's unique because it's a new take I've never tasted on a Korean influence. It's certainly not hot like other Korean dishes can be. But very different.

The meat consistency is the same as I found in the Honey Habanero above.

Verdict: It's great! I love the unique flavor, along with the strong garlic, and the thick sweet, saucy texture. The subtle peanut butter is unexpected in a beef jerky, but it seems to work in this marinade.

Visit Online:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/579436899/genius-jerky-ultra-premium-artisan-beef-jerky

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Little Bit Jerky is hand-crafted from quality top round. Our hand sliced meat is cut to medium-thin pieces then slowly marinated. All natural spices are marinated into our meat to give our jerky Big taste. We do not sprinkle or rub anything on our jerky before or after it is cooked. Our jerky is also cooked to retain more moisture than your average store brand jerky. We tightly vacuum seal our jerky so that our customers receive the freshest jerky possible.

Little Bit Jerky flavors are unique to our brand. Twisted Bit, Spiked Cocoa Bit and Sizzling Bit are not the kind of flavor blends you will find at the corner store. We offer 3 flavors with no heat, just all around great taste, 3 flavors that have a medium heat using spices like jalapeno and chipotle. We offer 2 flavors that have hot heat with wasabi and habanero.

As owners of Little Bit Jerky, Quality, Big taste and Customer Service is what we have built our brand around. Robert is a skilled butcher with over 20 yrs experience. Teresa, his wife, uses her knowledge of organic, all natural spices to ensure that the best flavors go into their jerky. As a family, it is our pledge to make sure our customers receive top quality, amazing flavored jerky along with outstanding customer service. We are firmly committed to making sure you are happy and fully satisfied with our jerky as well as our friendly, professional customer service.

Buy our jerky online at: https://littlebitjerky.com

Little Bit Jerky is a new brand that launched in February 2016, by Robert Helmcamp and Teresa Helmcamp, based out of Wichita Falls, TX.

Robert is a professional butcher of 22 years, learning the craft the "old school" way, and developed his own seasonings. Little Bit Jerky is made fresh daily from top round, and marinated for 18-24 hours.

This "Sizzling Bit" is described by the company as tasting like fajitas from a Mexican restaurant.

Ingredients

Beef, water, natural hickory wood smoke, vinegar, salt, onion, garlic, black pepper, crushed dark red chili, hydrolyzed soy & corn protein, sugar, molasses, papain, citric acid, smoked paprika, oregano, white pepper, fenugreek, fennel, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, basil, rosemary, celery, thyme, marjoram, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, coriander.

Review

The first flavors I taste is a complex seasoning, marked by garlic, thyme, oregano, and a light sweet and salty. The chewing brings on more complexity and variety from the seasoning, including a light vinegar tanginess. There's a light natural meat flavor that comes well into the chewing.

For being named, "Sizzling Bit", and described as tasting like fajitas from a Mexican restaurant, it seems to hold up. It definitely has the strong seasoning blend you'd expect to get from beef fajitas, and perhaps a touch of smokiness from a sizzling grill. It has a light bit of heat, rating as "mild medium" on my personal heat scale (level 2 out of 5).

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is that of a complex blend of seasonings with a light vinegar tanginess, and a light natural meat flavor. The level of saltiness seems moderate to high, but perhaps a little less than the company's other flavors.

The meat consistency looks really good, mostly all meat, sliced into slabs of medium thickness. It's dry, but flexible, and manages to tear apart with light effort. The chewing starts out quite chewy and eventually softens up enough to feel like a well-done cooked steak.

Verdict

This Sizzling Bit from Little Bit Jerky punches out a complex seasoning blend that attacks the palate from all sides. It's bursting with flavor, and if you're an expert at identifying spices, this will keep you thinking and guessing with each chew. I like the vinegar tanginess, though I'm not sure if that's something I'd expect to find in beef fajitas, and I like the addiction it creates through it's intense flavor and steak-like chewing texture. It's still somewhat high in saltiness, and definitely makes you want to quench your thirst with an ice cold beer. But that in itself may be a good situation to find yourself in.

Rating:

Best

Buy this online:

https://littlebitjerky.com/

Country Archer recently introduced some new flavors, including this "Hickory Smoke Turkey Jerky".

Country Archer is a well known brand in the meat snack industry, going back to 1977 when it became the private labeler for hundreds of brands over the decades. Now based in San Bernardino, CA, the company is leveraging its own brand and pushing its own line of jerky into stores across the country.

This Hickory Smoke is described as being made from turkey breast meat and real smoke flavor.

Ingredients

Turkey, gluten free tamari soy sauce, organic brown sugar, garlic, pineapple juice, liquid smoke, organic worcestershire, black pepper.

Review

The first flavors that come to my palate are a light sweet and salty, along with a noticeable soy sauce. There's a faint bit of smokiness. The chewing brings on more of the soy sauce with touches of pineapple, and a little saucy tanginess, perhaps from the worcestershire. The black pepper shows up late into the chewing.

For being labeled, "Hickory Smoke", it holds up somewhat. I do detect a touch of smokiness, but it's light enough that it becomes overshadowed by the other ingredients. You may not even notice it unless you specifically look for it.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is this marinade combination of soy sauce and worcestershire, having a savory, yet tangy character, with touches of pineapple fruit flavor, and a light garlic and black pepper seasoning. The black pepper creates a faint spiciness in the back of my mouth, but I still rate this as "mild".

The meat consistency looks and feels like classic turkey jerky, but has a more meaty chew than the company's "Teriyaki Turkey Jerky" I reviewed previously. It's mostly dry, yet still easy to chew. It still has a crumbly nature, and still a little pasty, but overall feels more meaty.

Verdict

This Hickory Smoke Turkey Jerky from Country Archer is brimming with flavor and generates a lot of snackability from its combination of savory and tangy chewing. I didn't actually get a lot of hickory smoke flavor, though I was able to pick up touches of it. For the most part however, I think this is one of Country Archer's better varieties due to its complexity and balance of flavors. I liked the faint pineapple fruit in the taste profile, and I felt the chewing is more meaty than the company's other turkey jerky varieties.

Rating:

Good

Buy this online:

http://www.countryarcher.com

Beefy Boys Beef Jerky is a brand owned by John Bailey, based out of Salinas, CA. The brand has been around since 1999.

Manufactured in their very own USDA inspected facility, Beefy Boys is made from top round sourced from a supplier located 120 miles from their plant, then marinated and cooked using an old family recipe.

This Teriyaki variety is described by the company as using, "the highest quaity teriyaki sauce", and said to produce a "true Island Flavor", and a "tropical blast".

Ingredients

Beef, water, teriyaki sauce, brown sugar, salt

Review

The first flavors that I pick up is the teriyaki. I get a light garlic soon after, and a noticeale saltiness. The chewing brings out the soy sauce, followed by the natural meat flavors.

For being marketed as, "Teriyaki", it fills bill pretty well. I get a well defined teriyaki sauce flavor, in the traditional Japanese sense. It is, however, lighter on sweet than most teriyaki sauces, and a little more pronounced in the soy sauce, but still has the fermented character and the touches of ginger. I don't, however, taste the "true Island Flavor" or the "tropical blast" that the company describes. I instead taste a traditional, teriyaki sauce.

And that's pretty much the primary taste profile too. In the latter part of chewing, the sweetness wears off and leaves you mostly with soy sauce, a bit more saltiness, and the natural meat flavors.

The meat consitency looks excellent. Seemingly all meat, sliced into thick slabs that easily rip apart and chew down with a fair amount of ease. It's mostly dry, but still tender, and by the time it chews down, takes on a steak-like texture.

Verdict

This Teriyaki Beef Jerky from Beefy Boys delivers an unmistakable teriyaki sauce flavor in the traditional, Japanese style. I particularly like how easy this jerky is to chew despite it being cut into thick slabs, and I like the steak-like chewing texture. Otherwise, I don't find much else in terms of flavor. It tends to be plain in that it doesn't offer much else aside from teriyaki sauce, and it tends to be on the salty side. The meat consistency and chewing texture seem to be it's strength however, and is the reason I'm rating this one-star higher than average.

Rating:

Good

Buy this online:

http://www.ourlocale.org/

Country Archer recently introduced some new flavors, including this "Hickory Smoke Turkey Jerky".

Country Archer is a well known brand in the meat snack industry, going back to 1977 when it became the private labeler for hundreds of brands over the decades. Now based in San Bernardino, CA, the company is leveraging its own brand and pushing its own line of jerky into stores across the country.

This Honey Dijon Turkey Jerky is described as being made from turkey breast meat, "sophisticated flavor, and nothing frou-frou".

Ingredients

Turkey, organic spicy brown dijon mustard, organic brown sugar, organic seasoned rice vinegar dressng, garlic, organic honey dijon mustard

Review

The first flavors that come to my palate are a strong sweet and a noticeable mustard. The chewing brings on more mustard definition and a tangy rice wine vinegar.

For being marketed as, "Honey Dijon", it definitely stands up. The mustard flavor is well identified, taking on more of the french-style dijon as opposed to the American-style yellow. The honey flavor itself is hard to identify, but its sweetness is well represented.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is that of strongly sweetened dijon-style mustard, livened up with tangy rice wine vinegar.

The meat consistency looks and feels like classic turkey jerky. It's very easy to chew, more so than Country Archer's other turkey jerky varieties. The heavier sweetness creates a sugary coating, which seems to contribute to a mushier chew. But desipite the strong sweet, it's not sticky to handle, but dry to the touch.

Verdict

This Honey Dijon Turkey Jerky from Country Archer has a great flavor if you love dijon mustard. The mustard is well identified, and boosted with the tangy character of rice wine vinegar, and thick sweetness of honey. It's not savory, spicy, or salty like most turkey jerky brands, in fact, it's anything but. However, this is also an excellent example of how to make gluten-free jerky without adding salt. This tends to chew a little mushy, perhaps due to the higher sugar content, but I found it was offset by the great flavor.

Rating:

Best

Buy this online:

http://www.countryarcher.com

Homegrown Meats is a brand owned by a partnership of ranchers and business associates based out of Palomar Mountain, CA. It's known for delivering cuts of certified grass-fed beef to Whole Foods Market locations throughout Southern California, and beyond.

This line of jerky is a recent addition to the brand, and was unveiled to the public at the recent Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, CA last March. Marketed as 100% grassfed, pasture raised, no hormones, no antibiotics, and no animal by-products, it's said to be made from the same beef that Whole Foods Market sells in their meat case.

This jerky is currently available at Whole Foods Markets in Southern California, and soon to be available from Homegrown Meats' website.

Ingredients

Certified grassfed beef, gluten free soy sauce, brown sugar, worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, liquid smoke, fresh garlic, black pepper

Review

The first flavors I pick up on the tongue are a light smoke and a touch of sweet. The worcestershire comes in right away, along with the garlic. There's a light citrus component, but more tangy than fruity. The chewing brings on more of the worcestershire along with some soy sauce. The black pepper is lightly noticeable towards the end.

For being the brand's original variety, it packs a lot of flavor. As far as "Traditional" is concerned, it seems to go above and beyond. This tends to go stronger on garlic and citrus, meanwhile creating a lively character through the worcestershire. It's still quite savory however, just like most other "traditional" jerky varieties. But this seems to offer more bite through the garlic, lemon, and worcestershire.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is that of a soy sauce and worcestershire blend, perhaps a little more defined on the worcestershire, then livened up with dashes of lemon, garlic, and smoke.

The meat consistency looks good. Mostly meat, but there are some noticeable streaks and spots of fat. This meat is also noticeably stringy, but tolerable. It's somewhat moist to the touch. Chewing starts out chewy, requiring some effort, but eventually softens up nicely. It then takes on a steak-like texture.

Verdict

This Traditional beef jery variety from Homegrown Meats manages to deliver a flavor that goes beyond "traditional" through a more lively chewing thanks to a boost from garlic, lemon, and worcestershire. Fans of classic, American jerky, however, will still find the savory and seasoned taste that they love. As far as the all-natural, grass-fed marketing claims, this jerky actually does have a clean, natural feel in the chewing. I don't get any of that mushy, pasty, or rubbery chewing. The steak-like chewing texture is also convincing. Aside from that, this jerky still lacks that "wow factor" I look for in a best-rated jerky. Otherwise, it's still a worthwhile jerky to try.

Rating:

Good

Buy this online:

http://www.homegrownmeats.com/

Chef Craig's Beef Jerky - Black Thai

Crazy Horse Beef Jerky - Original

Ayoba-Yo - Biltong

Beefy Boys - Original Beef Jerky

Little Bit Jerky - Original Bit

Oregon Wine Country Jerky - Pinot Noir

Mike's Jerky - Butter Mesquite

Ayoba-Yo - Spicy Biltong

Beefy Boys Beef Jerky - Reserve

Little Bit Jerky - Old Time Bit

Washington Wine Country Jerky - Cabernet

Ayoba-Yo - Droëwors

Mike's Jerky - Lime Pepper

Genius Jerky

Honey Habanero

South Korean BBQ

Little Bit Jerky... Quality, Big Flavors, Customer Service

Little Bit Jerky - Sizzling Bit

Counry Archer - Turkey Jerky Hickory Smoke

Beefy Boys Beef Jerky - Teriyaki

Country Archer - Turkey Jerky Honey Dijon

Homegrown Meats Jerky - Good Ol' Traditional