Ayoba-Yo - Biltong

September 27, 2020, 3:07 pm

≪ Previous: Back to School, Back to Football + Back to Jerky

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 (5/5)

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West Virginia Beef Jerky

October 5, 2020, 4:19 pm

≫ Next: Bounce Jerky - Spicy Pineapple

≪ Previous: Ayoba-Yo - Biltong

West Virginia Beef Jerky is a brand started by Wayne and Patti Burdette of Alderson, WV back in 1996.

Recently, the couple teamed up with meat processor named Peerless Food Service to take their brand into the competitive business of gourmet jerky. Produced in small batches, hand packed and graded, West Virginia Beef Jerky is claimed to be nitrate-free.

The company describes their jerky as, "Cowboy jerky", and as, "only a Mountaineer can make beef jerky this good".

Ingredients

Solid strips of beef, water, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper sauce, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder.

Review

The first flavors that hit my palate is the saucy combination of worcestershire and soy sauce, along with the garlic and onion powder seasoning. The chewing brings on a light natural meat flavor, along with a faint bit of heat, and a light black pepper.

I'd agree that this has a "cowboy style" flavor and does seem to evoke style of something more rugged and manly with its drier meat consistency, peppery flavor, and bold marinade. It's not a soft and tender chew, but not tough either. It has a dry, woody texture instead of the moist, soft chew you now find in large chain shops.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is a salty, saucy marinade of worcestershire and soy sauce, boosted with garlic, onion, and black pepper. It's not sweet at all, and almost has a fried steak flavor as opposed to grilled. It's not hot either, but is still lightly spicy from the black pepper and cayenne sauce. I'd rate the heat at "mild medium" (level 2 out of 5).

The meat consistency looks really good. It appears to be all meat with little to no fat visible. The chewing is dry, but very meaty and steak-like, similar to a well-done cooked New York Strip. It's not a soft chew, but not tough either.

Verdict

West Virginia Beef Jerky definitely lives up to its own description of "cowboy style" and its Appalachian ruggedness with its bold flavor, light spiciness, and meaty, steak-like chewing. It's definitely not the tender and moist styles popular in white-collar neighborhoods, nor the sweet and fruity flavors found in college-towns. It's much more masculine, perhaps best for guys who like to wake up in the morning by throwing a steak into the pan, and grabbing a cold-one from the fridge.

Rating:

Good (4/5)

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Bounce Jerky - Spicy Pineapple

October 11, 2020, 1:30 pm

≫ Next: 4 Seasons Jerky - Lemon Pepper

≪ Previous: West Virginia Beef Jerky

Bounce Jerky is a new brand launched by Patrick Bounce and his partner and fiance Amber Czech, based out of Essex, MD. A few years ago Patrick decided to direct his 10 years of culinary work into making jerky. After finding success in selling through eBay, they decided to take things to the next level.

The brand uses grass-fed Black Angus eye of round raised on Amish farms in Pennsylvania. Meat is hand sliced, while the marinade uses natural products like locally harvested honey, kosher salt, and gluten-free soy sauce. Finally, the jerky is smoked over apple, cherry, or hickory wood chips.

Finally, each online order can be customized to the customer by making it more hot, or less hot.

This Spicy Pineapple is said to be Bounce Jerky's best seller. It contains dehydrated pineapple chips.

Ingredients

Beef, gluten-free soy sauce, cane sugar, red chili peppers, white distilled vinegar, salt, garlic, natural smoke

Review

The first thing that hits my palate is the smoke flavor, followed by the soy sauce along with a noticeable heat. The chewing brings on the natural meat flavors, with touches of tanginess and a light garlic.

Meanwhile, the pineapple chips are soft and moist. When eaten with a piece of jerky, together they create this great contrast of sweet, fruity, tangy, with savory, smoky, salty, that makes this quite addicting.

The heat seems to sit just above moderate, at a "Medium Hot" rating (level 4 out of 5). It has enough heat to create a tingling on the scalp and a little watering of the eyes.

Overall the primary taste profile, when both the beef and pineapple are eaten together, is an even blend of spicy, fruity, smoky, sweet, and salty. The beef largely sits on the smoke flavor and soy sauce, while the pineapple is largely tangy and fruity. Both are quite spicy, however.

The meat consistency seems mostly all meat. The chewing is dry, and requires a little bit of extra work to chew through. Once chewed down soft, it feels like real steak, cooked well done. Eating with piece of pineapple, however, seem to mitigate that.

Verdict

This Spicy Pineapple from Bounce Jerky is surprisingly good when both jerky and pineapple are eaten together. The pineapple has a rich tangy and fruity flavor, not like the heavily-sugared dried pineapple you get in stores. The jerky itself has a great smoky flavor thanks to the use of real smoke woods, though otherwise I found it unremarkable compared to other jerky brands. But the two together create a very rich, contrasting flavor that's quite amazing.

Rating:

Best (5/5)

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4 Seasons Jerky - Lemon Pepper

October 27, 2020, 1:27 pm

≫ Next: Jerky by Art - Jalapeno Pepper

≪ Previous: Bounce Jerky - Spicy Pineapple

4 Seasons Jerky is a new brand that hit the market last month. 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 Lemon Pepper is described by the company as, "Combined with crushed black pepper and lemons, Lemon Pepper is a great choice who wants both a spicy and tangy taste. "

Ingredients

Beef, lemon juice, black pepper, worcestershire sauce, smoke liquid, garlic powder, onion powder, sesame seeds, red crush peppers, other spices.

Review

The first flavors that hit my palate is a lightly salty seasoning of garlic and onion, with a noticeable black pepper. The chewing brings on a light lemon and a natural meat flavor, with a faint spiciness in the background. Meanwhile, the black pepper continues to ramp up.

For being marketed as "Lemon Pepper" it seems to hold up well. Both the lemon and black pepper are front and center, though the lemon is a little slow in getting there. This is not lemon zest, which you typically find in lemon-pepper seasoning mixes, this is lemon juice, hence it has a softer taste that still delivers its citrus character without being pungent. The black pepper is not overpowering, however, but enough to take spotlight.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is a seasoning blend of salt, garlic, onion, and black pepper, boosted with the citrusy flavor of lemon. The natural meat flavor makes up a big component of the flavor, with a marbleized flavor much like its Teriyaki Lime sibling I reviewed last week.

The meat consistency is chewy, and not quite as tender as the company's Teriyaki Lime Beef Jerky, but still has the steak-like chewing texture. It's still just as marbleized, and has the marbleized flavor.

Verdict

This Lemon Pepper Beef Jerky from 4 Seasons is based on a delicious marbleized meat flavor that brings out a man's natural urge to chew animal flesh. The softer lemon juice flavor delivers its citrus character without taking away from the beefy-goodness, while the black pepper follows suit in spicing things up without dominating the palate. What you're left with is a beef-focused flavor and a steak-like chewing texture for carnivores who crave the spicy-citrusy combo.

Rating:

Best (5/5)

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Jerky by Art - Jalapeno Pepper

October 31, 2020, 5:24 am

≫ Next: Lawless Craft Jerky - Aloha Teriyaki

≪ Previous: 4 Seasons Jerky - Lemon Pepper

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 Jalapeno Pepper variety is described simply as a "spicy jerky".

Ingredients

Beef, fajita sauce, water, jalapeno

Review

The first flavor I pick up is a light natural meat flavor and light salt. The chewing brings on a bit more of the meat flavor along with some light spicy seasonings.

For being marketed as, "Jalapeno Pepper", it doesn't hold up well. The jalapeno pepper is not noticeable. Instead, it's a spicy, peppery seasoning that comes out, but doesn't taste like chile pepper or jalapeno. There is, however, a light spiciness, but it may be too light to pass as jalapeno.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is a mildly salty, lightly spicy, moderately seasoned, natural meat flavor. It's comparable to a deli roast beef flavor.

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 Jalapeno Pepper variety from Jerky by Art doesn't really offer much of any jalapeno pepper flavor, or even enough heat that one might expect. But on it's own merits, it still has a light spiciness and enough seasonings to create a satisfying flavor, it just doesn't go above and beyond the call of duty. Otherwise, it's classic New Mexico-style jerky, dry, lightly crunchy, and very meaty and steak-like.

Rating:

Average (3/5)

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Lawless Craft Jerky - Aloha Teriyaki

November 1, 2020, 6:00 pm

≫ Next: Fat Yankee Jerky - Garlic

≪ Previous: Jerky by Art - Jalapeno Pepper

Next in the series on Lawless Craft Jerky is this Aloha Teriyaki beef jerky.

Lawless Jerky is a new brand created by a licensed attorney named Matthew Tolnick of Santa Monica, CA. Making jerky started from his days in college when he and his fraternity boys needed sustenance through long evenings of ~~partying~~studying. But today, Lawless Jerky has grown into a thriving business and Tolnick has moved full steam ahead with it, producing his jerky in a USDA inspected facility.

This Aloha Teriyaki is described by Tolnick as the best of American and Japanese cuisines blended together, sweet from brown sugar and 100% pure Hawaiian pineapple juice, it's spiced with ginger, garlic, and onion, with some Asian inspired vinegar for tanginess.

Ingredients

Grass-fed beef, sugar, soy sauce, beef broth, contains 2% or less of pineapple juice concentrate, natural flavors

Taste

The first thing I taste from the surface of these pieces is a soy sauce flavor with a light sweetness. I can pick up trace amounts of garlic and ginger.

The chewing flavor starts with a more defined soy sauce flavor along with a good deal of natural meat flavors. I get a touch of tanginess in the chewing, and can pick up the garlic a little more.

For being marketed as "Aloha Teriyaki" it seems to fit the bill, but more so as just Teriyaki. It has what I would consider a distinctive teriyaki flavor with its sweetness, a defined soy sauce flavor, a tanginess in the chewing, and touches of pungent ginger and garlic. The only ingredient I see that would make this uniquely Hawaiian is the pineapple juice, and I don't really identify a pineapple flavor. But to be honest, I've been to Hawaii and have had Hawaiian-style teriyaki, and I'm not sure there's any difference between that and just teriyaki. So I'm not sure how to define Aloha Teriyaki.

Otherwise, the flavors that seem to define this jerky is the distinct, authentic teriyaki flavors and the natural meat flavors. Both seem to balance each other out quite well. The natural meat flavors are rich, oozing out a steak-like flavor that's hard to miss.

The level of saltiness in this seems somewhere between light to moderate.

Overall, it's a mild tasting jerky in that there's no heat or heavy spiciness, but not mild in terms of flavor.

Meat Consistency

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

This is a dry jerky with a semi-moist surface feel. Chewing seems labored, slightly tough, requiring a good deal of chewing to get through.

The chewing texture starts out with a good deal of chewing resistance, but very quickly takes on the feel of real meat, though still slightly tough. But it does chew down to a softer, easier chew, and by that point it feels like eating a piece of steak, one cooked medium-well.

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. Even though it's semi-moist on the surface, my fingers still seem clean enough to type on the keyboard.

Rating

I'm giving this a best rating.

This Aloha Teriyaki variety from Lawless Jerky offers an excellent teriyaki that remains in the classic Japanese style, marrying together a perfect quartet of sweet, soy sauce, tangy vinegar/wine, and the pungent dashes of ginger and garlic.

On top of that is a well-defined, easily identifiable, natural meat flavor that comes out right with the first chew, tasting like morsels of marinated steak grilled medium-well, and then seasoned with garlic, onion, and sprinkles of sesame seed. All that was missing were the bamboo skewers, because this meat reminds of the Hawaiian shiskabobs grilling at farmers markets and street fairs.

I didn't, however, identify anything in this as being uniquely Hawaiian, but then again I'm not sure there really is anything distinct between Teriyaki and Hawaiian Teriyaki aside from having slices of pineapple on the side. Maybe adding some crushed pineapple into the marinade might work. Otherwise, I think it's fine. The meat is also somewhat tough, particularly the thicker, chunkier pieces. But the great flavor still managed to get me through.

Lawless Jerky recommends any beer from Maui Brewing Co to pair with this. However, I think the fruitier Wailua Wheat from Kona Brewing makes a nice companion.

Rating:

Best (5/5)

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Fat Yankee Jerky - Garlic

November 5, 2020, 12:17 pm

≫ Next: Fat Yankee Jerky - Cherry Smoke

≪ Previous: Lawless Craft Jerky - Aloha Teriyaki

Fat Yankee Jerky is a new brand that launched in May 2016 by Keith Rainville and his wife Brenda. Both hailing from Rhode Island, they moved to Florida about 12 years ago. Keith wanted to start a new business, and decided to get into the meat snack industry after friends told him how awesome his homemade jerky is.

Fat Yankee Jerky uses hand trimmed, top round black angus beef, sliced thick. It's marinated in 6 pound batches for 48 hours, and hand tossed after 24.

This Garlic is described by the company as, "Not even your Mamma will kiss ya! yeh its Garlic but at least you won't get bitten by a VAMP!"

Ingredients

Beef, chili, water, soy sauce, soy beans, salt, garlic, vinegar, garlic powder, wheat, potassium sorbate, sodium bisulfite, caramel color, sodium benzoate.

Review

The first flavor that I pick up is a strong garlic. There's also a light sweet and salt, and a faint spiciness that comes in after. The chewing brings on the natural meat flavors and a light tanginess.

For being advertising as, "Garlic", it certainly holds up. It's significant enough that it probably could keep you safe during a vampire apocalypse. It even has a noticeable garlic aroma when you open the package.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is that of a natural meat flavor with a strong garlic. It's almost like a pan-fried steak with a generous helping from the garlic powder shaker. There's a light sweet and salt thrown in. The faint spiciness continues as such, and is light enough that I'd still rate this "mild" on my heat scale (level 1 out of 5).

The meat consistency looks excellent. Thick cut strips that feel semi-moist, and slightly drier in the chewing. It chews easily, with a meaty character, and with the texture of a well-done cooked steak. Very little fat is visible, and nothing stringy or unchewable was felt.

Verdict

This Garlic beef jerky from Fat Yankee belts out a strong garlic flavor and aroma that it gets the mouth watering before you get a chance to throw one into your face. The natural meat flavors in this actually taste more like a pan-fried steak, and reminds me of cooking up a New York Strip on a Sunday morning hangover. Garlic lovers will get a savory punch and spice that livens up the senses, while jerky traditionalists will love the meaty, steak-like chewing texture. Overall, this jerky has a simple character, but manages to keep your attention with a great fried-steak flavor and a heap of garlic.

Rating:

Best (5/5)

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Fat Yankee Jerky - Cherry Smoke

November 11, 2020, 4:41 am

≫ Next: Joe's Wicked Good Jerky - Sweet 'N Spicy

≪ Previous: Fat Yankee Jerky - Garlic

Fat Yankee Jerky is a new brand that launched in May 2016 by Keith Rainville and his wife Brenda. Both hailing from Rhode Island, they moved to Florida about 12 years ago. Keith wanted to start a new business, and decided to get into the meat snack industry after friends told him how awesome his homemade jerky is.

Fat Yankee Jerky uses hand trimmed, top round black angus beef, sliced thick. It's marinated in 6 pound batches for 48 hours, and hand tossed after 24.

This Cherry Smoke is described by the company as, "Delicious Taste of of rich cherry flavor with nice smokey finish! This is awesome on every level."

Ingredients

Beef, soy sauce, soy beans, cherries, water, brown sugar, high fructose corn syrup, spices, citric acid, potassium sorbate, salt, smoke, vinegar, wheat & sodium benzoate.

Review

The first flavors that I pick up are a sweetness and the smoke. A light bit of salt comes in. The chewing brings on a touch of fruitiness and a bit of soy sauce, along with some natural meat flavors.

For being named, "Cherry Smoke", and described as, "rich cherry flavor with nice smokey finish", I'd say this holds up. I do taste a fruity character, and it does have that unique cherry character, but not tart by any means. But this does have a noticeable smokey quality and aroma.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is sweet and fruity with a light tanginess. The smoke is noticeable with a light salt and soy sauce in the background, and the natural meat flavors in the latter part of chewing. It's totally mild in spice.

The meat consistency looks excellent. Thick cut strips that feel semi-moist, and slightly drier in the chewing. It chews easily, with a meaty character, and with the texture of a well-done cooked steak. Very little fat is visible, and nothing stringy or unchewable was felt.

Verdict

This Cherry Smoke beef jerky from Fat Yankee delivers on its advertised flavor over a meaty, steak-like chewing. The initial fruity tanginess with the sweet and smoke livens up the senses and grabs my attention for a short while. But after a few pieces, it wasn't enough to keep my attention. The natural meat flavor didn't have that pan-fried steak flavor I found in the company's Garlic Beef Jerky that I reviewed last week. This tended to taste grilled with little to no seasoning. It's actually a light tasting jerky that relies on a tangy fruit to grab attention, but needs something else to keep to keep that "wow factor" going. It's a great jerky to nibble on with pilsners and light ales.

Rating:

Good (4/5)

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Joe's Wicked Good Jerky - Sweet 'N Spicy

November 23, 2020, 4:49 am

≫ Next: Jerky Jerks - Peppered Teriyaki

≪ Previous: Fat Yankee Jerky - Cherry Smoke

Joe's Wicked Good Beef Jerky is a brand owned by Joe's Wicked Good Jerky Corporation, based out of Redding, CA. It was started by the husband and wife duo of Joe Nixt and Traci Nixt, who launched the brand in October 2014.

At the time, Joe had been making his own jerky for over 20 years. He's shared it with friends and co-workers from his contracting business. When Traci lost her secretarial position, the couple decided to make a go at running a jerky company.

This "Sweet 'N Spicy" is described by the company as simply, "...a savory flavor with a sweetness and robust spicy kick that will knock your socks off".

Ingredients

Beef, marinade (soy sauce, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, mirin, water dehydrated garlic, spice, modified corn starch, sunflower oil), soy sauce.

Review

The first flavors I pick up on the palate is a noticeable sweet, followed by a light soy sauce and teriyaki. The chewing brings on a bit more defined soy sauce, with touches of tanginess, and a light black pepper. Here and there, I detect a subtle burst of coriander seed. I can also pick up a light natural meat flavor with a little bit of marbleized character.

With respect to its claims as a "Sweet 'N Spicy" jerky, with a description of "robust spicy kick that will knock your socks off", well my socks haven't moved at all. There's no spiciness to this. If anything, I can taste a light black pepper, but even then, it's light enough that it offers no spiciness whatsoever. I can see a few chile pepper seeds on these pieces of meat, but again, they offer no "robust spicy kick" that I can tell.

It does however, make good on being sweet.

Otherwise, I'd describe this jerky as primarily a sweetened soy sauce jerky, with touches of teriyaki flavor, and some light tanginess and black pepper. There's some garlic going on in the background, but much of the seasoning is from the soy sauce and black pepper. It has a pan-fried steak taste in terms of the natural meat flavor, with some fatty character coming through.

The meat consistency seems comparable to the large, national brands, but perhaps a little more meaty in texture. I see a few spots of fat here and there, and I can even taste the flavor of fat in the chewing too. It's mostly a dry jerky, but sticky to the touch, and a little gummy as a result. Yet, it also offers a meaty, steak-like chewing to some degree.

Verdict

This "Sweet 'N Spicy" from Joe's Wicked Beef Jerky does not quite stand up to being spicy, but certainly delivers on the sweet. Much of what spiciness that I'm getting is actually black pepper and a light garlic, and not the "robust spicy kick" the company claims. If anything, it tastes more like teriyaki beef jerky with some black pepper added. It's also comparable to the company's, "Regular Joe", variety, but also with a bit more black pepper. As it stands on its own merits, it's a tasty jerky and I think deserves a four-star rating, but just doesn't live up to my expectations as "sweet and spicy".

Rating:

Good (4/5)

Buy this online:

http://www.joeswickedgoodjerky.com/

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Jerky Jerks - Peppered Teriyaki

December 6, 2020, 4:42 am

≫ Next: Itsumo Ahi Tuna Jerky - Sweet

≪ Previous: Joe's Wicked Good Jerky - Sweet 'N Spicy

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 Peppered Teriyaki variety is described by them as having, "...cut thin and tender. Marinated in our signature Teriyaki sauce and then rolled with our own Black Pepper blend of spices."

Ingredients

Beef, teriyaki sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, spices, liquid smoke, sodium nitrite

Review

The first flavor I pick up is the teriyaki sauce, along with a lightly spicy seasoning. The chewing brings on some extra sweet, and a light black pepper. I can detect a touch of tanginess. The natural meat flavors maintain a low profile.

For being sold as, "Peppered Teriyaki" it certainly holds up. It has a clearly identifiable teriyaki sauce component, noted by its heavy sweet and fermented character. The peppered component is a one-two punch of black pepper and chile pepper. The black pepper remains in the background while a light chile pepper heat is more up front. I'd rate the level of heat as "mild medium" (level 2 out of 5).

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is the teriyaki sauce, marked by a strong sweet, with a light level of heat, and a lighter black pepper background. The level of saltiness feels moderate, though the nutrition label shows a higher sodium level.

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, even steak-like, but gummy from the heavy sweet. Some slabs tend to be stringy, others are not.

Verdict

This Peppered Teriyaki from Jerky Jerks delivers its promise of a sweet teriyaki sauce marinade, but throws in a mixture of black pepper and chile pepper for a blend of spice and heat. The teriyaki has an authentic character through the addition of vinegar, but goes extra sauce like a top sirloin served up at a Japanese steak house. I really like the addition of chile pepper to boost the spiciness, and faint bit of tangy chewing. Overall, a more sweet and spicy chew from the standard teriyaki jerky brands out there.

Rating:

Good (4/5)

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Itsumo Ahi Tuna Jerky - Sweet

December 8, 2020, 4:18 am

≫ Next: 4 Seasons Jerky - Honey Basil Turkey

≪ Previous: Jerky Jerks - Peppered Teriyaki

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 (4/5)

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4 Seasons Jerky - Honey Basil Turkey

December 15, 2020, 2:02 pm

≫ Next: Lawless Jerky - Japanese Curry

≪ Previous: Itsumo Ahi Tuna Jerky - Sweet

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 (4/5)

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Lawless Jerky - Japanese Curry

December 22, 2020, 1:10 pm

≫ Next: Dundalk Dan's Awesome Beef Jerky - Chesapeake

≪ Previous: 4 Seasons Jerky - Honey Basil Turkey

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 (4/5)

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Dundalk Dan's Awesome Beef Jerky - Chesapeake

January 5, 2021, 5:14 am

≫ Next: Crazy Horse Jerky - Cajun Chicken

≪ Previous: Lawless Jerky - Japanese Curry

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 "Chesapeake" variety is seasoned with J.O. Spice #1 Food Seasoning, a Maryland favorite on steamed crab. According to Dundalk Dan's, "This rates 3 out of 5 on the hot scale."

Ingredients

Beef, Worcestershire Sauce, Water, Gluten Free Tamari Soy Sauce, Brown Sugar, Honey, Natural Smoke Flavor, Garlic Powder, Tabasco, Onion Powder, Cayenne Powder, Spices

Review

The first flavor I pick up on the palate is a salty seasoning, with the soy sauce coming in soon after. The chewing brings on more of the seasoning, tasting much like steamed crab spices of garlic, onion, paprika, among others.

For being named "Chesapeake", it certainly does have that flavor reminiscent of seafood buckets of crab, clams, and lobster. As far the company's claims of rating "3 out of 5 on the hot scale", it's much more mild. On my heat scale, it still rates as mild, but could be seen as mild-medium on others (level 2 out of 5).

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is a steamed crab seasoning blend with a noticeable soy sauce. It's on the salty side too, though offering a light natural meat flavor.

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 Chesapeake beef jerky from Dundalk Dan's offers a great seafood seasoning that evokes the flavor of a crab bucket on a Baltimore Waterfront. The J.O. Spice does a better job of creating that east coast flavor than the usual Old Bay standby. The soy sauce and worcestershire marinade adds that familiar savory character you're used to in beef jerky, while the meat chewing remains tender and beefy. Overall, I love the use of J.O. Spice, and find this jerky quite unique. It tends to get salty after several bites, so keep a Samuel Adams Boston Lager close by.

Rating:

Good (4/5)

Buy this online:

https://www.dundalkdan.com

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Crazy Horse Jerky - Cajun Chicken

January 11, 2021, 5:30 am

≫ Next: Rickey's Jerky Review - Teriyaki

≪ Previous: Dundalk Dan's Awesome Beef Jerky - Chesapeake

Next up in the series on Crazy Horse Chicken Jerky is this Cajun flavor. See my review of their Original flavor.

Chicken jerky is quickly becoming a popular phenomenon, and seemingly one day may replace turkey as the favorite among poultry jerky. Chicken jerky had long been a popular form of dog treats, but recently it's been found that it has greater flavor satisfaction than turkey jerky, and is now in the realm of people treats.

Crazy Horse currently offers two varieties of chicken jerky, this Cajun flavor, and the Original I reviewed earlier.

Ingredients

None provided.

Taste

The first thing I taste from the surface of these pieces is a seasoning blend, somewhat spicy, with a light bit of heat. I can pick up a light smokiness as well.

The chewing flavor starts with some natural chicken meat flavors along with a slightly increased saltiness. The seasonings seem to gain a little more flavor as well.

For being marketed as a Cajun chicken jerky, this seems to hold up well. I do taste a seasoning blend that could definitely be associated with the cajun-style cuisine, having a cayenne pepper flavor and a light to moderate level of heat. But it also offers up the natural flavor of chicken and seems to provide a chicken meat chewing texture.

Otherwise, the flavors that define this jerky starts with the cajun seasonings primarily the cayenne pepper, with the real wood smokiness coming in next, then followed by the natural chicken meat flavors.

As for the saltiness, it feels to be moderate in intensity.

Overall, this jerky has the natural chicken meat flavor highlighted with cajun seasonings, and a real wood smokiness.

Meat Consistency

These are slices of whole meat, sliced into strips of four to six inches in length, and sliced thick. It appears to be sliced chicken tenderloin and breast meat.

This is a dry jerky, with a slightly moist, slightly oily surface feel. There's very little flexibility, in fact it's somewhat brittle, breaking off easily with some bending. It's easy to bite off chunks and chewing is quite easy as well.

The chewing texture starts off feeling stiff, but easily breaks apart and breaks down with some light chewing. It has a dry, almost crumbly texture, and quickly renders into a soft mass. At that point, it feels quite meaty, very much resembling chicken meat, but a little more dry.

I don't see any bits of fat on these strips, nor any gristle or tendon. There's no stringiness. It's all very meaty and lean.

As for clean eating, it's clean. My fingers pick up just a fine film of oil, still dry enough to type on my keyboard.

Snack Value

Crazy Horse Jerky sells this Cajun Chicken Jerky from its website at a price of $31.99 for a one pound bag. Shipping is $2.00 flat rate (or free if you buy $40 or more). That works out to a price of $2.12 per ounce ($33.99 / 16 oz).

For general chicken jerky snacking, at the $2.12 per ounce price, it's a good value. I'm getting a great overall flavor, with great meat consistency and good chewing texture. Compared to other chicken jerky brands, it's priced about the same or slightly lower, yet offers a great flavor and meat consistency.

As a Cajun variety of chicken jerky, at the same $2.12 per ounce price, it's also a good value. I'm getting a good cajun seasoning flavor, perhaps comparable or slightly better than the major brands of cajun flavored jerky.

Rating

I'm giving this a best rating.

This Cajun Chicken variety from Crazy Horse Jerky is very much like their Original variety, but dusted with cajun seasonings, giving off primarily a cayenne pepper flavor. Otherwise, it has the same real wood smoked flavor of the Original, and the same great natural chicken meat flavors.

But also like the Original, the impressive part of this jerky is the meat consistency, giving you large strips of whole chicken meat, seemingly of breast meat or tenderloin. It's pure meat, no fat, tendon, or other chewy parts. Of all the chicken jerky brands I've eaten or looked at, this appears to be the most meaty.

I'm still, however, a big fan of Crazy Horse's real wood smoked jerky, having that rich smoky flavor that seems to define the old American tradition of meat snacks. Between this Cajun and their Original variety, I still I like the Original better, just because it puts that smoky meat flavor front and center.

My recommended beer pairing, go with a malty brown ale, try the Rogue Hazelnut Brown or the Abita Pecan Brown.

Rating:

Best (5/5)

Buy this online:

https://www.crazyhorsejerky.com/

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Rickey's Jerky Review - Teriyaki

March 22, 2021, 2:50 pm

≫ Next: Jeff's Famous Jerky - Korean Barbeque

≪ Previous: Crazy Horse Jerky - Cajun Chicken

Rickey's Jerky is a brand based out of Livingston, TX. It was started in 2014 by Ryan Rickey who began selling strips of chew in farmers markets in the Portland, OR area.

As his success grew, he brought his wife into the business, and eventually his brother. Since then, he's added sales reps in Texas, Florida, and Arizona.

According to the company's website, their jerky is all hand made at a USDA-inspected facility in Oregon. According to Rickey, his secret to great jerky is simple, "marinate it, smoke it, and package it." This Teriyaki variety is described by Rickey as being gluten free, made from 100% American beef, and using only natural ingredients.

Ingredients

Beef, brown sugar, water, gluten free soy sauce, rice wine, molasses, salt, honey, pineapple, spices, garlic, onion, natural flavoring, sesame.

Review

The first flavors I pick up is a thick sweet that immediately brings on a classic teriyaki sauce. The chewing brings on a savory character with a light salt, a noticeable onion, and some of the natural meat flavors.

For being labeled as, "Teriyaki", this has a very convincing flavor much in the classic Japanese-style. The fermented palate in this comes out front and center, just like what you'd expect to get at any Hibachi steakhouse worth its weight in Yen. You get that thick, gooey sweet on top and the light garlic, onion overtones that round out what a top-notch teriyaki sauce is supposed to have. I'd want to say that this marinade could have come straight out of a Benihana, but a USDA-inspected facility in Oregon will do.

The natural meat flavors are well-noticed in the chewing, having a lightly smoked portrait and faintly buttery body.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is a classic, Japanese-style teriyaki sauce, with a thick sweet, easily noticed fermented flavor, and touches of garlic, onion and salt.

These are thick sliced strips of beef that appear to be quite lean. They are very soft and considerably moist. The thick sweet does create a bit of a mushy chew, but I was still able to get that manly meaty texture to satisfy my craving for carnal chewing. You can expect to get your fingers quite sticky handling these strips of decadence. You will want to keep a napkin handly, or be prepared to lick your fingers and wipe your pants.

Verdict

This Teriyaki beef jerky from Rickey's Jerky an amazing teriyaki sauce that spares no expense at delivering a classic Japanese-style steakhouse flavor. As a huge fan of Teriyaki sauces, I got more than my money's worth, along with a present surprise, in how well Rickey's Jerky goes outside the box to do this unique Asian-style flavor right. I also enjoyed the moist, tender chewing, the thick strips of meat, and the subtle wood-smoke flavor. It's not a jerky that throws in a lot of odd-ball ingredients to create something weird or wacky. It simply addresses the subject of Teryaki and does it exceedingly well.

Rating: Best

Buy this online:

https://rickeysjerky.com

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Jeff's Famous Jerky - Korean Barbeque

February 6, 2021, 12:08 pm

≫ Next: Ria's Roadkill Jerky - Canadian Steak

≪ Previous: Rickey's Jerky Review - Teriyaki

Jeff's Famous Jerky has a new beef jerky variety out called, "Korean Barbeque". It also comes in their new packaging and branding. Read our previous reviews of Jeff's Famous Jerky.

Jeff's Famous Jerky officially opened for business in 2010 and is owned and operated by Jeff's Famous Foods, Inc., led by founder Jeff Richards and CFO Mike Aggarwal, out of Mission Viejo, CA. The company offers numerous flavors of jerky, all hormone-free, American beef (or bacon), without added MSG or preservatives.

This Korean Barbecue is stamped, "Sweet & Smoky", and described as having the, "distinctive taste of Korean Barbeque", made with fresh garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, black pepper, and natural smoke.

Ingredients

Beef, soy sauce, cane sugar, brown sugar, sesame oil, fresh garlic, granulated garlic, granulated onion, green onion flakes, black pepper, natural smoke flavoring, ground ginger, sesame seeds

Review

The first thing I taste from the surface of these pieces is a significant sweetness with soy sauce, garlic and onion seasonings. There's a touch of sesame noted. The chewing brings on the same flavors with a bit more definition, but I can also get a light black pepper and shades of that ginger.

For being marketed as Korean Barbeque, and stamped as "Sweet & Smoky", it seems to hold up well. It has the dominant sweet I've found in most teriyaki sauces used in Korean Barbeque restaurants, and it also has the sesame flavor found in Korean Bulgogi. But if you didn't know this was marketed as Korean Barbeque, you might easily conclude this is Teriyaki. The smoky flavor is very light, just barely registering on my palate, and tasting more like the smokiness that comes from a wok.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is that of well-sweetened soy sauce, comparable to teriyaki, but with a clearly noticeable sesame flavor, and a garlic & onion seasoning. The saltiness is quite noticeable, though not necessarily high.

The meat consistency and chewing texture is excellent. Considering this is made from brisket, it's feels a lot less stringy. It's very tender and chews with minimal effort. It's lightly moist, and bursts with flavor. The texture is that of soft steak.

Verdict

This Korean Barbeque from Jeff's Famous Jerky is great departure for teriyaki lovers because it adds a nice sesame flavor with a bit more seasonings, and hints of smokiness. The tender, moist chewing is a great compliment to the ingredients because this jerky just bursts with flavor. Overall, it's a very addictive jerky that manages to win on both flavor and chewing.

Rating:

Best

Buy this online:

http://jeffsfamousjerky.com/

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Ria's Roadkill Jerky - Canadian Steak

February 13, 2021, 5:11 am

≫ Next: Freedom Jerky - Tactical Teriyaki

≪ Previous: Jeff's Famous Jerky - Korean Barbeque

Ria's RoadKill Jerky introduced a new flavor, Canadian Steak. See our reviews of other flavors from Ria's RoadKill Jerky.

Ria's RoadKill Jerky is run by Eden Van, based out of Long Beach, CA, having launched in January 2011. Eden got started in making jerky after receiving compliments on his barbecue recipes. He uses USDA Choice top round from his local meat market. All jerky is dehydrated in a smoker. He currently sells through Facebook and eBay while waiting for his new website to finish.

The company describes this new flavor as being made with, "a generous amount of Canadian inspired rub to make this one of our more savory flavor profile(s)".

Ingredients

Beef, water, cane sugar, soy sauce, garlic, onion, black pepper, lemon juice, monosodium glutamate, coriander, cayenne pepper, dill seed, salt

Taste

The first thing I taste from the surface of these pieces is a real wood smoked flavor. The sweetness comes in next, followed by a bold seasoning flanked by garlic and salt, and shades of soy sauce. The chewing brings on more smokiness, and bit more definition of soy sauce. The black pepper becomes more noticeable and swashes of dill come to light.

For being dubbed "Canadian Steak", I think this holds up well. It takes on a flavor much like Montreal Steak Seasoning for its heavy use of bold spices, but also throws on a decadent layers of real-wood smokiness, savory soy sauce, and a noticeable sweet. It's not hot in terms of heat, but certainly spicy from the black pepper and garlic.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is smoky, over a sweetened soy sauce base and crusted with a layer of steak seasonings. The natural meat flavors come through well, even giving off a marbleized character.

The meat consistency is excellent. It has the chewiness you expect from jerky, but remains easy to eat through a semi-moist consistency. Each piece feels and chews like real slices of beef, pretty much like chewing a steak cooked medium-well to well-done. There's also a light layer of oil and sticky sweet, so keep a paper towel handy or be prepared to wipe your fingers on your pants.

Verdict

This Canadian Steak beef jerky from Ria's Roadkill offers up mouth-watering slices of real-wood smoked beef in a sweet & savory marinade bolstered with sharp, bold, seasonings in the famed Montreal Steak style way. The bits of chopped garlic burst with flavor, while the flecks of dill color the background. This jerky tastes like eating a marinated, seasoned steak just off the grill, and has an excellent steak-like chewing texture. Ria's Roadkill always does a great job of smoking their meats, and this new Canadian Steak entry is no different. The smoke flavor is rich, vibrant, and makes this jerky taste fresh and natural. The marinade is delectable with its savory soy sauce but creates excitement with its light sweet. We just can't say enough at how amazing this jerky is!

Rating:

Best (5/5)

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Freedom Jerky - Tactical Teriyaki

February 18, 2021, 4:24 am

≫ Next: Journey Snacks - Beef Jerky

≪ Previous: Ria's Roadkill Jerky - Canadian Steak

Freedom Jerky was founded in November 2017 by creative producer Jonathan Chia and television actor Vincent "Rocco" Vargas, both combat veterans. The two were inspired to create a line of jerky whose sales benefited the team at War Horses for Veterans, a charity that helps wounded service men and women through experiences with horses.

"Healing those who have been in combat is not just an intention, it is our mission,” says Vargas. “We’ve created a great product to serve the best people we know. Freedom Jerky supports and hires veteran families with a focus on our community."

This "Tactical Teriyaki" is the company's most popular variety, describing it as both "sweet and savory".

Ingredients

Beef, soy sauce, brown sugar, pineapple juice, chili sauce, seasoned rice vinegar, sesame oil, spices
Review

The first flavor I pick up is a light sweet and light salt, with shades of vinegar in the background. The chewing brings on some soy sauce definition while the salt increases a bit. There's a faint bit of tanginess going on.

For being marketed as a Teriyaki variety, it "kind of" holds up. It's not really the classic Japanese-style teriyaki because I'm not really getting any of the fermented flavor usually brought on by mirin wine or sake, I'm not getting any of the ginger we normally find in teriyaki, and it doesn't have that heavy, sticky sweetness either. This is more of a soy sauce with a lighter level of sweet, and shades of tanginess.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is largely soy sauce, with an even-balanced sweet and salty character, bits of tanginess in the chewing and a very subtle vinegar in the background.

The meat consistency is excellent. It's easy to chew, and feels just like soft pieces of steak once chewed down. I found very little stringiness, ad mostly all meat with just scant pieces of fat.

Verdict

This Tactical Teriyaki variety from Freedom Jerky delivers the "sweet and savory" description the company claims, offering up mostly a soy sauce flavor with a moderate degree of sweet. But other than a light tanginess and a very faint vinegar background, there isn't much else going on these slices of meat. It doesn't have that authentic Japanese-style teriyaki taste, it's more of a sweetened soy sauce. On its own merits however, it offers a great meat consistency and steak-like chewing texture, and is great for folks who love soy sauce-focused jerky without a lot of other stuff competing for attention. For our taste buds however, we were looking for a teriyaki more true to classic standards and something that awakened our senses.

Rating:

Average (3/5)

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Journey Snacks - Beef Jerky

February 24, 2021, 1:39 pm

≫ Next: Jeff's Famous Jerky - Sweet Cinnamon Roll Bacon Jerky

≪ Previous: Freedom Jerky - Tactical Teriyaki

Journey Snacks is a brand owned by Journey Snacks, LLC based out of Lake Ozark, MO. The brand launched in 2017 by a group of friends who wanted to market exceptional beef jerky to the world.

The brand currently sells from their website and a few retail locations around the State of Missouri. They currently only offer this one flavor marked as, "Original", with the only descriptions of, "fully cooked", "simple, delicious, and healthy", "real beef jerky", and "handcrafted in Missouri".

Ingredients

Beef, water, Worcestershire sauce, salt, soy sauce, onion and garlic powder

Review

The first flavor that comes into focus is salt, followed quickly by real wood smokiness. The garlic and onion seasoning walks into the picture, along with hints of soy sauce. The chewing brings on the natural meat flavors along with a more defined smokiness. Looming in the background are faint hints of worcestershire.

For being described with words like "real beef jerky" and "simple, delicious, and healthy", it actually does stand up. This jerky has a flavor, feel, and texture reminiscent of something homemade, or something made the old fashioned way. I think much of it is due to the lack of added sugar (aside from what's already in Worcestershire), but also the real wood smokiness and the simple ingredients contributes to this jerky's fresh, natural character.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is a well-brined, garlic and onion seasoning with a prominent real wood smoke. A natural meat flavor comes on in the chewing. The soy sauce remains faint, just enough to let in its subtleties, and an even more faint Worcestershire in the background.

The meat consistency is excellent. Though dry and woody, it's actually easy to bite off pieces and there's a light crunch in the initial chewing. Once chewed down, it takes on the texture of a well-done cooked steak, though a bit on the crumbly side. I found no stringiness and no unchewable matter.

Verdict

This Original beef jerky from Journey Snacks does a great job of delivering a more natural, fresh character through its real wood smoke flavor, lack of added sugar, and simple ingredients. It is however, quite salty despite its nutrition label showing a moderately-low 300mg of sodium per ounce. But with a cold beer or bottle of water in hand, these slices of brined beef are hard to stop eating for their smokey natural meat flavor and their easy, lightly crunchy, chewing. Their extremely low 50 calories per ounce (150 calories for an entire bag), and the lack of added sugar, makes it a great dieting snack if you can limit the liquid chaser to just water. Overall, we're really impressed with how snackable this jerky is despite its simple ingredients, and perhaps it's a testament to how good simple, old fashioned style jerky can be.

Rating:

Best (5/5)

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