Beef Jerky Reviews

Miernicki's Amazing Jerky is a new brand that launched earlier this year. It was started by Paul Miernicki, based out of Santee, CA.

Miernicki describes himself as a professional golfer who was tired of eating "jerky soaked in chemicals", and thus decided to create a better meat snack.

What makes his jerky unique is that it contains no soy sauce, no sugar, honey, molasses, or any other sweeteners, and that it goes through a special process to preserve the natural nutrients and flavors.

Ingredients

Beef, coriander, garlic salt, salt, black pepper, vinegar

Review

The first flavors I pick up are vinegar and salt. The coriander comes in soon after, followed by the garlic. The chewing brings on a bit more vinegar, touches of natural meat flavor.

Considering this jerky is made with no sweeteners and no soy sauce, it's still very flavorful. The word, "amazing" in the name perhaps also rings true because the flavor is quite unlike other jerky brands. Where most brands go with a savory blend of soy sauce and/or worcestershire, this goes with a tangy, pungent, blend of vinegar and coriander.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is that of vinegar and salt, much like the flavor you'd find in a bag of vinegar and salt potato chips. Except this adds a punch of coriander and garlic to boost things up. There's also a noticeable vinegar aroma too. The level of saltiness feels strong.

The meat consistency is dry, chewy, but overall still easy to eat. Some pieces are sliced a little more thick and require some additional effort. I found some stringiness, and some marbling, but overall meaty. Once chewed down soft, it feels steak-like.

Verdict

This jerky from Miernicki's is quite unusual for its vinegar-forward profile, in quite contrast to most brands that rely on a savory sauce marinade. It definitely livens up the senses with its tangy chewing. In some regards, this tastes similar to biltong, but a little more heavy on the salt and vinegar. Overall, it's a jerky that definitely captures a unique audience who craves the salt & vinegar combination, as well as those who want a sugar-free meat snack. You'll definitely want a beverage handy to help wash that saltiness down.

Rating:

Good

Buy this online:

http://www.chewthisjerky.com

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

Crazy Horse Jerky has a new flavor out called, "Chicken Mesquite Bar-B-Q".

It's their real wood smoked chicken jerky with a barbecue sauce glaze and mesquite flavoring added. They claim it to have a "nice spicy, not too sweet flavor."

Crazy Horse Beef Jerky is a brand made by Dave & Cara Wenrich of Hellam, PA. They're jerky is based on an old family recipe that Dave got from his father, who handed it down from his father, and his father. It's smoked using maple, oak, and fruit woods.

Ingredients

None provided

Taste

The first thing I taste from the surface of these pieces is a rich smokiness, followed by a sweet, tangy, lightly spicy, barbecue sauce.

The chewing brings in the natural chicken meat flavors along with a fair amount of saltiness. I can pick up some additional seasonings, perhaps garlic and black pepper.

For being marketed as, "Chicken Mesquite Bar-B-Q", it definitely holds up well to that billing. I get a rich, smoky flavor that tastes like real wood smoke, but I also get a sweet, tangy, spicy, and tomatoey barbecue sauce flavor to along with it. It's almost like sinking your teeth into a chunk of chicken breast slathered in sauce straight off the smoker.

Otherwise, the flavors that seem to define this jerky is the combination of real wood smoke and barbecue sauce. The natural chicken meat flavor definitely comes in noticeable, but there's also a light vinegar flavor in the chewing too. The seasonings of salt, garlic and black pepper are noticeable in the chewing also.

There's a tiny bit of spiciness in the sauce, enough to produce a tingle and buzz on the palate, but not enough to consider as heat.

Meat Consistency

These are strips of whole chicken meat, sliced thick and in lengths ranging from four to eight inches.

It's a dry jerky but with a sticky, saucy surface that gets all over your fingers. Biting off chunks is easy and the chewing is easy as well.

The chewing texture starts with a light bit of initial resistance, but chews down quickly once it breaks apart. The chewing is mostly dry, but it still chews and feels like real chicken meat. Just dry.

I don't see any bits of fat on these strips, nor did I encounter any tendon or gristle. I didn't feel anything unchewable or crunchy in the chewing. It's all meat.

As for clean eating, these strips will leave a fair amount of barbecue sauce on the fingertips, requiring a licking and wiping before touching anything else.

Snack Value

As of this writing, this Chicken Mequite Bar-B-Q variety is not listed on Crazy Horse's website, but they do still sell it. You'll have to call/e-mail them and modify your order. Otherwise, it's sold at the same price of $8.49 for a 4oz package. Shipping is free if you purchase $40.00 or more. So, if you bought 1 1/4 pounds, you get a bulk discount at $40.48 total. That works out to $2.02 per ounce.

For general jerky snacking purposes, at the $2.02 per ounce price, it's a great value. I'm getting a lot of great flavor, good meat consistency, and dry but good chewing texture. Compared to other chicken jerky brands, there's far more snack value in this at a similar to lower price.

As a Mesquite Bar-B-Q labeled chicken jerky, at the same $2.02 per ounce price, it's a great value. I'm getting a lot of real wood smoked flavor and plenty of rich, tangy, and spicy barbecue sauce flavor, probably more so that other similarly labeled chicken jerky brands.

Rating

I'm giving this a best rating.

This Chicken Mesquite Bar-B-Q variety from Crazy Horse Jerky offers the amazing flavor of real wood smoked meat with a very tasty, tangy, sweet and spicy barbecue sauce. If you've ever bitten into a chunk of chicken breast meat right off the grill, slathered in sauce, and smoking over real wood chips, that's what this reminds me of.

The additional seasonings of salt, garlic, and black pepper round out the flavorings and gives this chicken breast meat more of traditional jerky taste. I think the saltiness in this may be a tad too high, but it's hard to knock how great this jerky tastes overall.

The meat consistency is excellent, finding no fat, nothing stringy, crunchy or unchewable, just all meat. And the chewing texture feels just like eating real chicken breast meat, except for that it's jerky and tends to be more dry.

Rating:

Best

Buy this online:

http://www.crazyhorsejerky.com/

Itsumo Ahi Tuna Jerky is a brand we reviewed back in 2010 when it launched at the National Association of Convenience Stores Expo. Since then, the recipe has been tweaked a few times, warranting an revised review.

Itsumo is a Japanese word for "always", forming the basis of the brand's effort to always make tasty, healthy products. Itsumo's ahi tuna jerky is made from sashimi grade tuna, hand-line caught, using sustainable means to protect the ecosystem.

The brand further claims to be gluten-free, dairy-free, and minimally processed.

Ingredients

Yellowfin tuna, cane sugar, tapioca maltodextrin, sorbitol, soy sauce powder, sea salt, yeast extract, contains 2% or less of natural flavor, ascorbic acid, onion powder, spice.

Review

The first flavor I pick up is a lightly sweet, tuna fish flavor. A touch of salt comes in, developing more into a light soy sauce. The chewing brings on a more defined tuna sashimi flavor.

For being sold as a "Sweet" variety, it seems to hold up. The sweet is noticeable right off the bat, and continues through most of the chewing. But it doesn't overpower, and allows the other flavors to show through.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is a tuna sashimi flavor, with a light soy sauce, and a fair amount of sweet. The tuna initially has a slightly soapy, or mustard-like character, perhaps something comparable to horseradish, but becomes less noticeable after eating several pieces.

The meat consistency looks good, with a fair number of sashimi-sized pieces, but well out-numbered by small bits and oddly shaped cuts. It's not oily or sticky, but rather dry to the touch. It doesn't leave any fishy smell on my fingers, nor waft any offending odors throughout the room. It's initially chewy, requiring a fair amount of effort before chewing down into something more soft. Once chewed down, it feels something comparable to sashimi, just more chewy, and even something similar to turkey jerky.

Verdict

This Sweet variety from Itsumo Ahi Tuna Jerky manages to deliver a mild, but noticeably sweet flavor that mimics the taste of tuna sashimi, dipped in soy sauce, with a touch of wasabi. The first few pieces offered a flavor clearly unlike anything found in beef jerky, or other land mammal, but afterwards it grew on me and I found it quite snackable.

If you're looking for something that recreates the flavor and experience of tuna sashimi at a sushi-bar, this will give you some of that, but that's not what this snack is about. This is more about getting the benefits of eating tuna, such as the Omega 3's, the high protein, and the low fat, without having to open up a smelly can, or the sticky handling of smoked fish. If you look at it that way, Itsumo is awesome.

For just good old fashioned jerky aficionados, it's definitely a great achievement as far as jerking raw fish. If you love beef, bison, elk, and other red meat jerky, this ahi tuna may throw you back at first. But give it a chance to convince you, and you find yourself liking it.

Rating:

Good

Buy this online:

http://www.itsumofoods.com

Jerky Jerks is a business owned by Tracy Hood, based out of Bakersfield, CA. It started up selling Jerky Hut brand snacks at trade shows and farmers markets across the USA. These days, Tracy has extended the Jerky Jerks brand to its very own line of jerky.

Jerky Jerks is made in a USDA inspected facility and uses no added MSG.

This Hawaiian Style variety is described by them as a family favorite, "Thin and tender slices of top sirloin steak marinated in our special blend of teriyaki, pineapple juice, honey & brown sugar for maximum flavor."

Ingredients

Beef, brown sugar, teriyaki sauce, corn syrup solids, pineapple juice, vinegar, ginger, garlic, sodium nitrite.

Review

The first flavor I pick up is a strong sweet, followed by the teriyaki sauce. The chewing brings on more of the teriyaki with a bit more definition.

For being named, "Hawaiian Style", it holds up somewhat. It's definitely sweet, and well laden with the teriyaki flavor, which is what I expect with something associated with the Aloha state. The pineapple shows up here and there in light amounts, depending on which piece you're chewing on. It's not a tangy, fruity flavor by any means, just hints of pineapple in the background.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is a well sweetened teriyaki sauce with just a touch of pineapple, if any. The natural meat flavors don't show up well, and it's very mild in terms of spice.

The meat consistency comes in thick sliced slabs, well marbleized, and lightly sticky to handle. They are tender and moist to chew, and once chewed down soft, have a meaty texture, though rather gummy from the heavy sweet. Some slabs tend to be stringy, others are not.

Verdict

This Hawaiian Style from Jerky Jerks dishes out a strong sweet, teriyaki flavor with hints of pineapple in the background. It doesn't quite belt out a fruity, tangy character that I would otherwise associate with tropical island fare. It's mostly an extra sweet teriyaki jerky that teases you with its Hawaiian style origins. Otherwise, on its own merits, it's a great teriyaki jerky if you like it sweet, tender, with a touch of fruit.

Rating:

Good

Buy this online:

https://jerkyjerks.com/

Lawless Jerky is a new brand of jerky created by Matthew Tolnick of Santa Monica, CA. During the day, he's a licensed attorney, driving fancy BMWs, wearing Armani suits, and taking clients out for shabu shabu. But when he's not chasing ambulances, he's perfecting recipes for marinated meats and fulfilling online orders.

After a successful Kickstarter campaign, Lawless Jerky stepped up their game and is now made in a USDA inspected facility and distributing out to stores.

This Japanese Curry is Tolnick's first perfected flavor, and he often considers it his "Original" flavor. He describes it as "sweet from brown sugar, salty from traditional soy sauce, umami from a proprietary Japanese curry blend, and tender from Asian vinegar".

Ingredients

US Beef, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, proprietary Japanese curry blend.

Taste

The first thing I taste from the surface of these pieces is a light sweetness followed quickly by a light curry flavor and light saltiness.

The chewing flavor starts with some natural meat flavors with a bit more definition from the curry. The light sweetness and saltiness continues. Towards the end, I can pick up a faint signal from the soy sauce.

For being labeled, "Japanese Curry", this definitely has a curry flavor, much like the Japanese style curry that comes in a dehydrated bar. It's a not a strong, overpowering flavor, but enough to be identified and enjoyed. It's not hot or spicy at all, it's quite mild.

Overall, the flavors that seem to define this jerky are the natural meat flavors and the curry blend. The light sweetness and saltiness seem to play supportive roles in rounding out the flavors. The natural meat flavor is like that of a steak cooked well-done.

There's also a slight buttery quality to the curry blend, giving it a smooth, silky flavor.

Meat Consistency

These are slices of whole meat, cut into chunks mostly of bite-sized pieces.

This is largely a dry jerky with a dry surface feel though some chunks seemed borderline semi-moist. Chewing seems mostly easy, somewhat tender, but some chunks seemed dry and chewy.

The chewing texture starts out with a fair amount of chewing resistance, but very quickly takes on the feel of real meat. By the time it chews down to a soft mass, it feels like eating a piece of steak cooked medium.

I don't see any pieces of fat on these chunks, nor do I see any gristle or tendon, but here and there I did feel some stringiness in the chewing, and I did encounter some unchewable tissues on some chunks.

As for clean eating, it seems quite clean. Despite the dusting of curry blend on these chunks, they don't seem to pick up on my fingertips.

Snack Value

Lawless Jerky has a price of $25.00 for a one pound package. Tolnick doesn't mention shipping prices, but considering the box he sent me had a $6.80 postage label, that would work out to $31.80, or a per ounce price of $1.99.

For general jerky snacking purposes, at the $1.99 per ounce price, this seems to be a good value. I'm getting a good deal of snackability for its good overall flavor and excellent meat consistency and chewing texture. It's priced similarly as the major brands of jerky found in grocery stores, yet this has a far better flavor and meat consistency.

As a "Japanese Curry" variety of beef jerky, at the same $1.99 per ounce price, it's a good value again. I do pick up a curry flavor in this, along with a lightly sweet and soy sauce flavor to round out the Japanese characteristics.

Rating

I'm giving this a good rating.

This Japanese Curry variety from Lawless Jerky generates a noticeable and tasty curry blend against a lightly sweet and soy sauce marinade, along with a steak-like natural meat flavor.

In comparing the flavors I get from Tolnick's description, I'd have to say most of it seems to be spot on except for the "tender from the Asian vinegar". Yes, some pieces were tender, but not consistent enough. I found just as many that were somewhat tough, requiring a fair amount of effort to chew.

And despite what I thought is a good overall flavor, I would have liked to find a bit more punch to create some "wow" factor, maybe a bit more ginger or perhaps some red pepper.

But I really enjoyed the meatiness of these chunks and the great natural meat flavor. The seasonings and marinade did not overshadow the meat flavors but instead complimented it well.

As for the beer pairing, Tolnick suggests the Hitachino Nest White Ale, but I like something more malty to go with the natural meat flavors, and would recommend something more dark such as a Newcastle Brown Ale, or a Gordon Biersch Marzen.

Rating:

Good

Buy this online:

http://lawlessjerky.com/

Ingredients

Yellowfin tuna, soy sauce, sorbitol, cane sugar, contains 2% or less of natural flavor, yeast, extract, spice, onion powder, ascorbic acid, spice, paprika.

Review

The first flavor I pick up is a tuna fish flavor, followed by a light salt, further progressing into a mild soy sauce. The chewing brings on a more defined tuna sashimi, with a light pungent, radish-like flavor.

For being labeled, "Spiced", it stands up somewhat. It does have a lightly spicy seasoning, but still mild according to my personal heat scale. I think that it's more spiced compared to the company's "Sweet" variety, because without the sugar, the seasonings are more noticeable. I think it's appropriate the company named this "Spiced" and not "Spicy".

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is that of tuna sashimi, dipped in soy sauce with a touch of horseradish. It does have a faint sweet, with a wisk of pepper in the background.

The meat consistency looks good, with a fair number of sashimi-sized pieces, but well out-numbered by small bits and oddly shaped cuts. It's not oily or sticky, but rather dry to the touch. It doesn't leave any fishy smell on my fingers, nor waft any offending odors throughout the room. It's initially chewy, requiring a fair amount of effort before chewing down into something more soft. Once chewed down, it feels something comparable to sashimi, just more chewy, and even something similar to turkey jerky.

Verdict

This Spiced variety from Itsumo Ahi Tuna Jerky brings out a bit more seasoning and pepper, but is still largely mild in terms of spiciness. It otherwise, mimics the taste of tuna sashimi, dipped in soy sauce, with a touch of horseradish. It's very comparable to the company's, "Sweet" variety I reviewed last week, but with much less sweet, thus bringing out more a bit more seasoning.

If you're looking for something that recreates the flavor and experience of tuna sashimi at a sushi-bar, this will give you some of that, but that's not what this snack is about. This is more about getting the benefits of eating tuna, such as the Omega 3's, the high protein, and the low fat, without having to open up a smelly can, or the sticky handling of smoked fish. If you look at it that way, Itsumo is awesome.

For just good old fashioned jerky aficionados, it's definitely a great achievement as far as jerking raw fish. If you love beef, bison, elk, and other red meat jerky, this ahi tuna may throw you back at first. But give it a chance to convince you, and you find yourself liking it.

Rating:

Good

Buy this online:

http://www.itsumofoods.com

4 Seasons Jerky is a new brand that hit the market late in 2016. Launched by a guy named, "Thom", short for Thomas, the company is based out of Highland, CA. Thom is an avid outdoorsman, and is outside all year-round, hiking, boating, snowboarding, to name a few.

4 Seasons Jerky uses lean round or flank cuts of meat, marinated for 24 hours.

This Honey Basil Turkey Jerky is described by the company simply as, "...aromatic blend of basil and sweetness of honey spices up this healthy, red meat alternative."

Ingredients

Turkey breast, honey, basil, black pepper, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, smoke liquid, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, red crush pepper, other spices.

Review

The first flavors that hit my palate is the basil, followed by a light sweet. The natural turkey meat flavors start to come in, along with a bit of smoke, black pepper, and some kind of chile pepper, perhaps cayenne. The chewing adds low level of salt. Further into the chewing, the black pepper gains strength while the red pepper emits a bit of heat.

The level of heat rates of "mild-medium" on my heat scale (level 2 out of 5).

For being marketed as "Honey Basil Turkey", it holds up. I do get a noticeable sweet, mostly on the initial chew, with a subtle honey flavor. The basil, however, is more pronounced and well noticed right away. It's more basil than honey.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is actually a balance of black pepper and basil, with a bit of red pepper/cayenne, and touched with smoke and sweet. The natural turkey meat flavors provide a meaty flavor throughout the chewing.

The meat consistency is overall good, though a couple of pieces contained a chewy, tendon tissue through the middle. It has a jerky chewiness yet is still easy to chew through. It's slightly moist, but dry to the touch. The chewing feels like real turkey meat, not gummy or crumbly, but more like dry turkey breast.

Verdict

This Honey Basil Turkey Jerky from 4 Seasons punches out a basil-forward flavor profile boosted with red and black pepper, but tempered with enough honey sweetness for a well-rounded chew that touches all areas of the palate. I like the use of basil in this jerky; it seems to partner well with turkey as opposed to forcing traditional beef seasonings into poultry. The turkey breast cuts manage to retain their meatiness in this jerky without going too dry, too crumbly, or too mushy. That stringy, tendon tissue running through the middle of the pieces can be a nuisance. Overall, it's an original recipe for turkey jerky quite unlike what other brands are offering packed into a great meaty chew.

Rating:

Good

Buy this online:

http://www.4seasonsjerky.com

Dundalk Dan's Awesome Beef Jerky is a brand of Hard Working Foods, LLC based out of Baltimore, MD. It was started by Dan Dawes in 2013, the CEO of an Internet marketing firm with a passion for meat snacks.

Dundalk Dan's claims their jerky is made in small batches and hand trimmed, and then marinated for 3 days.

This "Sriracha" variety is made with Sriracha Sauce. According to Dundalk Dan's, "This one rates 4 out of 5 on the hot meter."

Ingredients

Beef, sriracha sauce, gluten free tamari soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, spice

Review

The first flavor I pick up on the palate is the sriracha sauce, along with a noticeable soy sauce. Garlic is substantial, along with a tanginess in the chewing. There's a light natural meat flavor. A touch of heat is detected.

For being marketed as "Sriracha", the flavor delivers quite well. The first flavor I get is the sriracha, and it imparts its strong garlic flavor and vinegary tang. It even has a sriracha aroma too.

But it's not really that hot. On my personal heat scale, I'd rate this as "mild medium" (level 2 out of 5). It's a noticeable heat, but toned down low.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is actually a blend of sriracha sauce and soy sauce, with a tangy bursts of strong garlic in the chewing. The saltiness remains low to moderate.

The meat consistency is mixed, seeing some slabs as quite lean, and others quite marbled. It's dry, but still tender enough for a good balance between easy eating and jerky chewiness. Once chewed down soft, it tends to have a steak-like chewing.

Verdict

This Sriracha beef jerky from Dundalk Dan's whips up an addicting flavor for those who love that famous Thai chili sauce, and also love lots of garlic. The sriracha flavor is well represented in this jerky, but carries along a savory balance from the soy sauce. The garlic just bursts out in each chew, and is probably what really makes this jerky pop. It's also a great meat consistency and chewing texture, giving you that meaty, steal-like feel, but being easy enough to chew and swallow so that you can keep feeding fresh pieces of jerky into your mouth.

Rating:

Best

Buy this online:

https://www.dundalkdan.com/

Jerky Jerks is a business owned by Tracy Hood, based out of Bakersfield, CA. It started up selling Jerky Hut brand snacks at trade shows and farmers markets across the USA. These days, Tracy has extended the Jerky Jerks brand to its very own line of jerky.

Jerky Jerks is made in a USDA inspected facility and uses no added MSG.

This Sweet Garlic Beef Jerky is described by them as a favorite at garlic festivals, "...starts out sweet, then the perfect of Garlic, not overpowering."

Ingredients

Beef, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, spice, vinegar, liquid smoke, sodium nitrite

Review

The first flavor I pick up is a lot of sweet. The garlic follows along in a strong amount, and even delivers low level of its own heat. The chewing brings out a touch more garlic strength, along with a light black pepper.

For being marketed as "Sweet Garlic" it definitely delivers. Lots of sugary stickiness oozes out in each bite, but is countered by a sharp, pungent garlic that cuts through the sweet. The level of garlic heat in this ranks as "mild medium" on my heat scale.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is a strong sweet, almost comparable to teriyaki, but countered by a strong garlic, a noticeable black pepper in the background, and a light salt.

The meat consistency feels like pounded steak, cut into thick strips. It's soft, tender, and moist, but with a fair amount of stringiness. The heavy sweet tends to make the chewing feel gummy, otherwise the meat feels mushy. It's quite sticky and messy to handle.

Verdict

This Sweet Garlic Beef Jerky from Jerky Jerks delivers a lot of bang for the buck if you're looking for a lot of sweet, garlic flavor. It's actually more like a teriyaki sauce that got a triple helping of garlic, and some extra black pepper. While I like the soft, moist meat consistency, this chewed too mushy and gummy, and not at all like beef. It doesn't really deliver much of any natural meat flavor either. If you just want loads of sticky, sweet garlic flavor it's a great buy.

Rating:

Good

Buy this online:

https://jerkyjerks.com/

4 Seasons Jerky is a new brand that hit the market late in 2016. Launched by a guy named, "Thom", short for Thomas, the company is based out of Highland, CA. Thom is an avid outdoorsman, and is outside all year-round, hiking, boating, snowboarding, to name a few.

4 Seasons Jerky uses lean round or flank cuts of meat, marinated for 24 hours.

This Sweet Mesquite Habanero Beef Jerky is described by the company simply as, "The fiery spice of Habanero Peppers mingled with sweet mesquite flavorings combines with lean cuts of beef to form a taste of backyard BBQ right inside a bag!"

Ingredients

Beef, sweet mesquite seasoning, black pepper, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, smoke liquid, garlic powder, onion powder, habaneros, red crush pepper, other spices.

Review

The first flavors that hit my palate is the habanero chile flavor, with a light sweet. There's touches of salt, garlic, black pepper, and onion seasoning. The chewing brings on more of the habanero flavor, along with a fair amount of heat. The salt and seasonings come in more, along with a faint smokiness, and a light natural meat flavor.

The level of heat rates on my heat scale as "mild-medium" (level 2 out of 5), but if you happen to chew into a piece of dried habanero, it shoots up to "medium-hot" (level 4 out of 5).

For being marketed as "Sweet Mesquite Habanero" it holds up well. It has enough sweet to qualify the name without going heavy and sticky. The mesquite flavor is noticeable in the background, but not overbearing. The habanero flavor is more front and center, while the habanero heat makes its presence felt without its signature seething burn.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is a light natural meat flavor with a light mesquite in the background. The habanero flavor is noticeable front and center, with touches of sweet. The salt, black pepper, garlic, and onion linger lightly.

The meat consistency is overall good. The meat is dry and chewy, and tends to work the jaw muscles. However, it's sliced thin enough to mitigate any meticulous mandibular drudgery. The chewing feels meaty, almost steak-like, or something along the lines of deli-sliced roast beef.

Verdict

This Sweet Mesquite Habanero Beef Jerky from 4 Seasons goes Tex-Mex with its combination of smoky mesquite and dried chunks of fiery habanero, and punches out plenty of that Lone Star State flavor to make an armadillo dance the two-step. But other than that, this jerky tended to go through ups and downs of habanero experience based on whether you bit into a dried chile pepper or not. On top of that, the chewing tended to labor the jaw muscles more than what bursts of habanero flavor I could get. Otherwise, it still generates a good flavor, and is still more snackable than the national brands.

Rating:

Good

Buy this online:

http://www.4seasonsjerky.com

Amarok Beef Sticks is a brand of Superpowered Nutrition, LLC based out of Sparta, NJ. Launched in 2015, the company was founded by Jeff Baitinger and Rich Fitter, two comic book nerds with a passion for fitness.

The name "Amarok" comes from Inuit mythology as a supernatural gigantic grey wolf who is said to have made a deal with the "Great Spirit" to atone for his past sins by becoming an agent of justice, a la, the lonely, introspective, no-one-understands-him-but-his-woman kind.

These beef sticks are the first products of the Amarok brand, which now includes beef bites. Made from grass-fed beef, using gluten-free ingredients, these sticks are marketed heavily to comic fans and fantasy fanatics.

Original

Ingredients: Beef, beef broth, water, sea salt, encapsulated citric acid, brown sugar, celery juice powder, black pepper, red pepper, dehydrated garlic, coriander.

The first flavors to come in is a beefy, summer sausage with a well-noticed black pepper. A vinegary tanginess comes in followed by a faint bit of heat.

The saltiness feels a bit higher than most other small market brands I've tried. There's also a lightly acrid aftertaste that comes in after the swallow.

The chewing feels soft, tender, yet with a moderate beefiness, very much like what one would expect from a beef stick. There isn't any "snap" when biting off a piece. However, the meat is smooth, well blended, with no hard bits or stringiness.

Spirit Fire (Jalapeno)

The first flavors to come in is a beefy summer sausage plus jalapeno. The saltiness remains at the same level as the Original. The vinegary tanginess is also there. The level of heat feels a bit higher than the Original, but still not really that hot. It rates a "mild medium" on my heat scale (level 2 out of 5).

For being marketed as "Jalapeno" it definitely delivers a lot of jalapeno flavor, with a low, but noticeable, heat.

The chewing feels much like the Original, perhaps just a bit more beefy chewing, but that's likely a subtle difference from one batch to another.

Verdict

Amarok Beef Sticks offers what tastes and chews like normal, everyday beef sticks, but with the specific promise of being gluten free, grass-fed beef, and a high 20 grams of protein per stick. I do like the stronger jalapeno flavor in the Spirit Fire variety, considering most national brands water down their spicy sticks.

If you need more muscle to fill out those superhero leotards you bought at the last ComicCon, these sticks are a great, and delicious, way to build mass without the costly expense of protein powder.

Rating:

Average

Buy this online:

https://www.areyousuperpowered.com

Original

Spirit Fire (Jalapeno)

Grandpa's Beef Jerky is a brand started by Jacob Piercy, based out of Fishers, Indiana. Piercy remembers being a kid and watching his grandfather hanging deer meat for jerky. Eventually, his grandfather handed down the recipe and process.

Today, Piercy sells packages of Grandpa's Beef Jerky at farmers markets across Indiana and online too, allowing jerky fans across the USA to enjoy a family legacy.

This "Blueberry Habanero" is described as "Seasonal blueberries are picked then added to Grandpa's spiciest jerky. Enough said."

Ingredients

Beef, blueberries, seasoning, water, cayenne pepper, dextrose, natural smoke flavor, habanero pepper, sodium erythorbate, sodium nitrite.

Review

The first thing I taste right away is a light seasoning of salt and onion, and a touch of smoke. The chewing brings on a meaty flavor, with the seasonings picking up definition. There's a light habanero chile flavor, and a faint soy sauce.

For being marketed as "Blueberry Habanero", it's kinda weak. I don't find any blueberry flavor, nor anything fruity or sweet. The habanero does come in with a light flavor, however. The heat takes several bites and chews to build up to the level of habanero. Once there, it ranks on my heat scale as "medium hot" (level 4 out of 5).

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is that of a savory blend of salt and onion seasoning with some soy sauce and a swash of habanero flavor.

The meat consistency is chopped and formed beef, shaped into bite-sized strips. It has soft chew, comparable to the company's "Sweet Teriyaki", and still a meaty texture, but not exactly steak-like.

Verdict

This Blueberry Habanero variety from Grandpa's Beef Jerky sounded like a unique mixture of berry and chile, but I found no blueberry flavor at all. Otherwise, it's a good habanero jerky for its light flavor and medium-hot heat. But even at that, it's remains rather one-dimensional against a basic jerky seasoning. The idea of fruity, sweet blueberry countering the seething heat of a habanero is awesome, but just not well effected here.

Rating:

Average

Buy this online:

http://grandpasjerky.net/

Jerky by Art was established by Arthur Sandoval in 2004, based out of Albuquerque, NM.

As an iron worker, Art started making carne seca (Mexican-style jerky) at home for his own pleasure. He would take some to work and sell it to co-workers. He was selling so much of it, that he bought more dehydrators. Before he knew it, he was producing jerky all day and night. And thus became, Jerky by Art.

This Hot & Spicy Teriyaki variety is marketed as "a sweet taste that just might bite ya back!".

Ingredients

Beef, soy sauce, sugar, sake and/or wine, ginger, garlic, spices, natural spice flavorings

Review

The first flavor I pick up is a light sweet that slowly progresses into teriyaki. The chewing brings on a meaty, beefy flavor.

For being labeled, "Hot & Spicy Teriyaki" it doesn't quite hold up. It does have the teriyaki flavor, mostly as a sweet and soy sauce, but doesn't seem to be hot or spicy at all. Despite the appearance of red chile pepper flakes on these pieces, the advertised heat and spiciness is absent. The red chile flavor, however, is noticeable in light amounts.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is that of sweet with a light soy sauce, a meaty, steak flavor, and touch of red chile for taste.

The meat consistency seems excellent, lightly marbleized with nothing stringy or unchewable. It's dry, with a light crunch, but not tough. It actually breaks apart and chews somewhat easily. It's very much like other jerky brands from New Mexico, highly dry, lightly crunchy, yet still chews down to a steak-like texture.

Verdict

This Hot & Spicy Teriyaki variety from Jerky by Art creates a noticeably sweet, but light teriyaki flavor touched with some red chile pepper flavor. It's actually quite good considering the natural meat flavors come out well. But you won't find anything "hot & spicy" in this. It's actually quite mild. But otherwise, it's a good jerky for its great meat consistency, steak-like chewing, and natural meat flavors. The light teriyaki seems to let the goodness of beef show through, but delivers enough of its own characteristics to give both a sweet & savory chew.

Rating:

Good

Buy this online:

http://www.jerkybyart.com/

Humboldt's Best Beef Jerky is a brand owned by Robert's Distributing, based out of Fortuna, CA. It's one of those brands you typically find inside a convenience store/gas station located in the middle of nowhere along the Interstate.

This brand doesn't have a website where you can buy online. We found this at a Shell gas station in Garberville, CA, and I'm sure you can probably find it in other venues throughout Humboldt County, CA.

The packaging doesn't make any claims or promises on what this jerky tastes like, nor anything on what it offers.

Ingredients

Beef, sugar, water, vinegar, soy sauce, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, liquid smoke, sodium nitrite.

Review

The first flavor is a light sweet with a faint smoke. A hint of salt comes in soon. The chewing brings on a bit more sweet with a light soy sauce, and touch more salt.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is a moderately sweet, but watered down soy sauce. The seasonings are very light, almost unnoticeable, aside from a touch of smoke. There's little to no natural meat flavors, and very much mild in spiciness. It reminds me of a Jack Link's Original variety.

The meat consistency is mostly all meat with light bits and spots of fat. The initial chew feels gummy and rubbery, and eventually takes on a somewhat meaty feel, but never chews like steak. I can detect a fair amount of stringiness. It's otherwise moderately chewy, and dry to the touch.

Verdict

This Original variety from Humboldt's Best Beef Jerky is a very mild, low flavored jerky that mostly offers a moderately sweet, watered down soy sauce flavor. It's mostly a snack that you'd eat while driving long distances up and down the US-101, hence why it's only sold along the highway. Otherwise, it offers next to nothing for the jerky aficionado.

But it's not a bad jerky by any means. It's just not inspiring. It's perhaps a better choice than a Jack Link's jerky if you can pick up this up for a dollar cheaper.

Rating:

Average

Buy this online:

Only available in stores in Humboldt County, CA

Tony's Killer Elk Jerky is a brand of Beaver Mountain Distributors, based out of Beaver, UT. We actually reviewed this brand back in 2010, under the name "Tony's Killer Beef Jerky".

The "Tony's Killer" brand is not sold online, but in small, independent shops and roadside stands throughout the back country of the United States. The jerky itself is actually manufactured by a co-packer named, Springville Meat Company in Springville, UT.

We found this particular package of Peppered Elk Jerky, as well as another package of their Teriyaki Venison, at a local market in Soldotna, Alaska, during a recent trip.

Ingredients

Elk, vinegar, worcestershire sauce, salt, brown sugar, smoke flavoring, spices, garlic powder

Review

The first flavors that I pick up is a moderate salt along with a lightly noticeable vinegar. The chewing brings on the black pepper, along with a bit of vinegar tanginess, and a touch of worcestershire. There's also a hint of coriander in the background.

For being elk jerky, the natural meat flavors are hard to identify. They are there; they just don't stand out well against the marinade and seasonings. But the black pepper definitely shows up. I get a spiciness that I'd rate as "mild medium" on our heat scale (level 2 out of 5). The pepper does not have that fresh cracked flavor, although.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is a vinegary, black pepper spice, with a mild worcestershire sauce. The saltiness feels high, but I think it's actually the black pepper spiciness making it seem salty.

The meat consistency seems good. It looks to be mostly all meat. Biting off chunks is easy to do, and the chewing feels easy as well. It tends to chew dry, however. But, it does feels meaty, kind of like soft strips of tenderized filet.

Verdict

This Peppered Elk jerky from Tony's Killer offers a soft, meaty chewing experience, though mostly dry. I could not, however, get much natural meat flavor. The vinegar, worcestershire and seasonings tended to drown out what tasty goodness Nature had bestowed into Elk. Otherwise, what I got was a vinegary, peppery, worcestershire, which in itself is OK for awhile. But after several chews, I grew tired and really wanted to taste the Elk.

Rating:

Average

Where to buy:

In stores and roadside stands along backroads of America

Step 1: Go to LawlessJerky.com.

Step 2: Fill up your shopping cart with at least $35.00 of jerky.

Step 3: Check out with promo code, "PATS" or "FALCONS", whichever team you think will win Superbowl 51.

Step 4: If your team wins, Lawless Jerky will send you four free bags of jerky of their most popular flavors.

Note: these promo codes are good between now and SuperBowl 51 game time.

from Matt Tolnick

Matt Tolnick

Matt is Lawless Jerky’s Founder and Jerky Chef.

He was a jerky hobbyist, experimenting with interesting recipes for himself and his friends, until he came to the realization that his job practicing LAW was making him LESS happy.
He was certain he could contribute more to the world with his jerky than his lawyering.

Matt launched Lawless Jerky with a Kickstarter on the day of his 30th birthday … and the rest is history. Almost 4 years later, Lawless Jerky is available in 4,000 stores in the US and Canada along with a bustling online business. Enjoy the following tips for making your own jerky at home, and sample his greatest hits at LawlessJerky.com.

1) Choice of Meat: One of the great things about home dehydrating is that you can use any meat that you want. So if you're looking to try an exotic meat (e.g. duck, goat, elk, venison, etc.) or just a different cut of a more common protein (e.g. beef brisket, chicken thighs), the world is your oyster!

2) Slicing the Meat: If (like most people) you don't have a meat slicer, you can get a thinner slice on your meat (and thus more surface area to marinade, and a quicker cook) by slicing the meat while it is still partially frozen.

3) Making a Marinade: In my early days, I'd start with a base marinade or sauce and then supplement it with salts, sugars, spices, and other sauces/vinegars. Once you're comfortable with building a nice jerky marinade from a base sauce/marinade, you can move towards building your marinade completely from scratch.

4) Calibrating your Marinade: Make your marinade stronger (more intense) than you would for grilled meats. The marinade's intensity will dissipate some during the drying process.

5) Marination: Marinate the jerky at least overnight, ensuring that the marinade is evenly distributed over each piece. If marinating in plasticware, shake the mixture rigorously during the marination process to simulate the tumblers that we use at our facility.

6) Rotating Trays During the Cook: No matter the style of your home dehydrator, there are probably multiple trays. When full, the top trays (if you're using a Nesco dehydrator for example) or the back of EACH tray (if you're using an Excalibur or Weston) should be rotated during the cook process to ensure an even cook. With a Nesco, swap your bottom two trays with your top two trays halfway into your cook and as needed throughout to control the consistent drying of your jerky. For "heat-element-in-the-back" units, simply rotate each tray in its slot 180 degrees, or two turns.

7) When to Pull the Jerky” Just like other cooked meats, deciding when the jerky is "done" is a matter of taste. To experiment with different levels of doneness, you can either cook meat sliced into different thicknesses for the same amount of time or cook meat of a uniform thickness for different amounts of time. Remember that the jerky will continue to cook and harden once it's pulled from the dehydrator, so account for that extra hardening when deciding when to pull it!

8) Bagging the Jerky: Make sure to let the jerky fully cool before bagging so that evaporated moisture (an enemy of jerky preservation) doesn't accumulate inside of your bag/container.

9) Cleaning Up: Whether dehydrating in a dehydrator or a home oven, if you're using a wet marinade, make sure to line the bottom of your unit with towels/paper towels to catch the drip of the marinade and to make for easy cleaning. Cleaning a Nesco is pretty easy but a stainless steel Weston definitely benefits from a bottom catch layer, or drip tray.

10) Jerky Shelf Life: One of the nice things about home jerky is that you can get a level of freshness that is impossible for commercial jerky to achieve. Like eating fresh cookies out of the oven! Also, as a home jerky maker, you aren't constrained (by law) by the moisture content of the final product, so you can have a moister jerky product than you could ever find in stores.

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

It's been nearly a year since I published my reviews of Crazy Horse Beef Jerky (Original, Sweet, and Cajun). And since that time, the owners of Crazy Horse have told me that sales have been great.

Along with that, customers have asked them to launch new flavors, and so towards that request, they've launched this new "Steak House" variety. Dave and Cara Wenrich, the owners of Crazy Horse, claim to love steak sauce and felt it would add a great flavor to their jerky.

Based in Hellam, PA, Dave started making this brand of jerky based on a old family recipe that he got from his father, who received the recipe from his father, who received it from his father...

Ingredients

None provided.

Taste

The first thing I taste from the surface of these pieces is a strong smoky flavor, followed by a sweet, steak sauce flavor. There's also a light saltiness.

The chewing flavor starts with some noticeable tanginess, more like a vinegar tanginess, along with a natural meat flavor. The saltiness is slightly increased.

For being marketed as a "Steak House" variety of beef jerky, it seems to live up to the description. I do get a steak sauce flavor, which is how the company described this. The sauce flavor is almost similar to A1 Steak Sauce, though perhaps a little more tomatoey, and maybe a little more sweet.

It actually mixes well into the strong smoky flavor. And in fact, the smokiness is probably the more noticeable flavor.

The natural meat flavor is also well noticeable, and helps to create that overall "steak house" experience.

There's also a noticeable tanginess in the chewing that has a vinegar-like quality. It seems to liven up the chewing.

The level of saltiness in this feels to be light, or moderate at best.

Overall, what you're going to notice in this is a strong smoky flavor, with a well-noticeable natural meat flavor. The steak sauce is also well-noticeable, with a light sweetness, yet still allows the smokiness and meat flavors to take the spotlight. There's a tanginess in the chewing.

Meat Consistency

These are slices of whole meat, sliced into thick strips measuring four to six inches in length, and about one inch wide.

This is a semi-moist jerky with a moist surface feel due to the wet coating of steak sauce. There's some flexibility in these strips, but will eventually crack open. Biting off chunks seems easy to do, while chewing seems mostly easy.

The chewing texture starts out feeling tender and moist, and seems to break down easily enough. It chews down to a soft mass without too much effort and time, and by that point it actually feels more dry, but still very steak-like, more like one cooked well-done.

These strips also appear to be free of any fat, gristle or tendon. However in biting off chunks and chewing, I can feel a little stringiness, and a few times I encountered some wads of unchewable tissues.

In terms of clean eating, my fingers pick up a good deal of wet, sticky sauce, enough to require a licking and wiping on my jeans before touching the keyboard.

Snack Value

Crazy Horse Beef Jerky sells this Steak House variety at a price of $28.99 for one pound, and that price includes the shipping. That works out to $1.81 per ounce.

For general jerky snacking purposes, at the $1.81 per ounce price, it's a good value.
I'm getting a lot of snackability for an overall great flavor, good meat consistency, and good chewing texture. That price is comparable to what you'd pay at the grocery store for major brands of jerky, yet this offers far more snackability.

As a "Steak House" variety, at the same $1.81 per ounce price, it's also a good value. I'm getting a flavor that I do associate with eating a steak at a steak house, mostly for its steak sauce flavor and its strong smoky, natural meat flavor.

Rating

I'm giving this a best rating.

This Steak House variety from Crazy Horse Beef Jerky offers a well-noticed steak sauce flavor along with a strong smoky, natural meat flavor, that should give you a good feeling of chomping down a New York Strip slathered in steak sauce.

It's actually comparable to the company's Original variety I reviewed a year ago, with a similar smokiness, natural meat flavor, and even that tanginess in the chewing, but with the addition of steak sauce for an added flavor dimension.

Fairly easy to chew and eat with its soft, moist consistency, it seems to provide a good chewing experience to satisfy the discriminating meat snacker.

My recommended beer pairing for this, try a porter, such as the Anchor Porter or Stone Smoked Porter. The darker roasted malt should compliment the stronger smoky, meat flavor well.

Rating:

Best

Buy this online:

http://www.crazyhorsejerky.com/

Order now at: www.lawlessjerky.com

Red Truck Beef Jerky is a brand of Red Truck Beef Jerky, LLC, based out of St. Petersburg, FL. According to the company, they've been doing business for over 15 years.

This Old Bay-branded variety is an officially licensed product made with the famous seafood seasoning.

Red Truck Beef Jerky currently ships their jerky to Cracker Barrel, MAPCO Express, Lowes Foods, Schnucks Markets, Western Convenience Stores, and Green Top Sporting Goods.

We previously reviewed their Original and Teriyaki flavors back in 2014.

Ingredients

Beef, brown sugar, water, seasoning (spices, celery powder, paprika), salt, contains 2% or less of flavorings, vinegar, hydrolyzed soy protein, sodium erythorbate, citric acid, paprika oleoresin, sodium nitrite.

Review

The first flavor I taste is the Old Bay Seasoning along with a faint bit of sweet. The chewing brings on some salt and a bit more sweet.

For being marketed as "Old Bay Seasoned" it certainly does offer the unique flavor of Old Bay Seasoning, and in some respects mimics the experience of eating slices of steak topped with the renowned condiment. It has the same peppery bite and the same touch of spicy heat that Old Bay is known for, and doses of its dust can be seen all over these pieces.

The level of heat rates as "medium" on our scale (level 3 out of 5).

Otherwise, the primary taste profile of this jerky starts with the Old Bay sitting front and center. There's a light sweetness laden over a moderately salty backdrop, and a light cured-meat flavor that lingers throughout the chewing.

The meat consistency seems emblematic of most contemporary brands, meeting the expectations of common jerky snackers. Yet, at the same time, has a somewhat tender chew, of mostly all meat and no stringiness nor unchewable tissues to note. It doesn't exactly feel like chewing real steak however, and tends to lean towards rubbery.

Verdict

This Old Bay Seasoning variety from Red Truck Beef Jerky does a great job of delivering the flavoring and spiciness of the famed Chesapeake Bay topping. The jerky itself remains simple enough to let the seasoning take center stage, and doesn't let any other ingredient overshadow. Overall, it has a well-satisfying taste, and seems mostly tender to chew. On the other side, it's largely a one-dimensional jerky, focusing only on the Old Bay Seasoning. Compared to the other varieties of Red Truck Beef Jerky that I reviewed in 2014, this has even less natural meat flavor, and a bit more rubbery chew.

But if you're an Old Bay fan, this is thus far the best jerky interpretation I've found.

Rating:

Good

Buy this online:

https://redtruckbeefjerky.com/

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