Chef Craig's Beef Jerky - Black Thai

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

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

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

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Smokehouse Jerky Co. - Original

Smokehouse Jerky Co. is a brand of Tender Heifer Snack Co., based out of Beaumont, CA. It was started in 2008, and is currently run by a husband and wife team, Franco Fonseca and Patti Fonseca.

The company takes pride in its beef brisket-based jerky, using meat sourced from California. They add no MSG and no preservatives, and focus on small batches at a time.

This "Original" variety is described by Smokehouse Jerky Co as, "its mellow smoky flavor complements the jerky’s lean meat", going on to say that it's, "perfect for people who love the classic taste of beef jerky".

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Smokehouse Jerky Co. - Tropical Fusion

Smokehouse Jerky Co. is a brand of Tender Heifer Snack Co., based out of Beaumont, CA. It was started in 2008, and is currently run by a husband and wife team, Franco Fonseca and Patti Fonseca.

The company takes pride in its beef brisket-based jerky, using meat sourced from California. They add no MSG and no preservatives, and focus on small batches at a time.

This "Tropical Fusion" variety is described by Smokehouse Jerky Co as a Mango-Pineapple flavor, going on to describe it as, "a great taste of the tropics with flavors of pineapple, mango and teriyaki for a sweet, citrus flavor".

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Whiskey Hill Smokehouse - Saki Teri-Yaki

Whiskey Hill Smokehouse is a brand owned and operated by Whiskey Hill Smokehouse, LLC, based out of Hubbard, OR. The company also owns The Jerky Hut brand of jerky, along with Bakke Brothers Brand.

According to the company, the Whiskey Hill Smokehouse brand focuses on exotic meats and more exotic recipes than The Jerky Hut and the Bakke Brothers lines. It also focuses on all natural ingredients and its jerky varieties are all marked as "Gluten Free".

This "Saki Teri-Yaki" is said to be a throwback to the days when teriyaki was made with real sake. These days, most other companies make teriyaki with mirin wine, or rice wine vinegar.

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Smokehouse Jerky Co. - Boysenberry

Smokehouse Jerky Co. is a brand of Tender Heifer Snack Co., based out of Beaumont, CA. It was started in 2008, and is currently run by a husband and wife team, Franco Fonseca and Patti Fonseca.

The company takes pride in its beef brisket-based jerky, using meat sourced from California. They add no MSG and no preservatives, and focus on small batches at a time.

This "Boysenberry" variety is described by Smokehouse Jerky Co as having, "the sweetness of berries and the smoky, peppery flavor of our premium brisket beef", going on to say, "the boysenberry’s sweetness has a little bit more of a tangy taste which perfectly blends well with the jerky’s smoky lean meat".

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Jerky's Gourmet - Ghost Pepper

Jerky's Gourmet is a new brand of jerky, founded by Tim Gerstman and Andria Taylor, based out of San Diego, CA. Gerstman, who transplated to San Diego from the East Coast 8 years ago, met Andria who also happened to love beef jerky. The two joined forces and launched Jerky's Gourmet.

Their jerky is sold at various shops, bars, and venues across the San Diego area. However the two can be found at the Little Italy Farmers Market on Saturdays, doling out samples of their jerky.

This Ghost Pepper jerky is described as being "soy free" and "gluten free", and is balanced "with subtle hints of honey and pineapple".

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Smokehouse Jerky Co. - Sea Salt, Honey & Pepper

Smokehouse Jerky Co. is a brand of Tender Heifer Snack Co., based out of Beaumont, CA. It was started in 2008, and is currently run by a husband and wife team, Franco Fonseca and Patti Fonseca.

The company takes pride in its beef brisket-based jerky, using meat sourced from California. They add no MSG and no preservatives, and focus on small batches at a time.

This "Sea Salt, Honey & Pepper" variety is described by the company as being, "seasoned with freshly cracked peppercorns, sea salt, spices and sweet honey", going on to say that it, "packs an extra kick to its blend and taste".

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Wicked Cutz Beef Jerky - Volcanic Jalapeno

Wicked Cutz Beef Jerky is a new brand, having debuted just a couple of months ago. It was launched by Branch Warren, a well-known body builder who has won numerous competitions over past couple of decades. Warren also owns other companies that market apparel and body building supplements.

Warren's move into beef jerky touches upon his heritage in the Texas cattle industry going back 150 years. He grew up on a cattle ranch and in his youth spent time as a ranch hand before moving on to body-building. Now in his retirement, he sought to start his own jerky brand and touch upon his cattlemen roots.

This Volcanic Jalapeno is described by the company as, "sweet and smooth first bite (that) slowly builds into a hot and spicy eruption", going on to say that it, "erupts like a boxing kangaroo with a caffeine addiction".

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Bakke Brothers Brand - Beer Sausage Sticks

Bakke Brothers Brand is owned by Whiskey Hill Smokehouse, LLC based out of Hubbard, OR. Whiskey Hill also owns The Jerky Hut, as well as its own house brand, Whiskey Hill Smokehouse.

Bakke Brothers was started by Phil Bakke, one of Whiskey Hill'founders. The brand differs from The Jerky Hut in that it's free of preservatives such as sodium nitrite, sodium erythorbate, et al, and it's also gluten-free.

These "Beer Sausage Sticks" are made with, "...a flavorful dark locally made Oregon beer". The brand goes on to describe these sticks as having a, "Mild Smoky flavor with a hint of garlic."

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J&K Beef Jerky - Prime Rib

J&K Beef Jerky is a brand owned by J&K Distributors based out of Huntington Beach, CA. J&K Distributors is an actual distributing company that stocks convenience stores throughout Southern California. J&K has been around since 1980.

Like most distributing companies, J&K offers several brands of jerky for its store clients, but also offers its own house brand. According to the company, they've offered this jerky over the past 20 years.

This Prime Rib beef jerky is not otherwise described by the company, nor comes with any claims aside from a photo of a juicy prime of beef on the label.

Ingredients

Beef, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, bouillon beef base, sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, cayenne, salt, paprika, seasoning salt, liquid smoke

Review

The first flavors that hit my palate is a light sweet, followed by a savory marinade that soon develops into a beefy soy sauce laden with onion seasoning. The chewing brings on some natural meat flavors, and introduces a whisp of cayenne spice at the end.

For being marketed as "Prime Rib", there's a light reminiscence of the popular weekend steakhouse special, particularly the fatty, outer edges of a 12 ounce slice encrusted with seasonings. It does not, however, taste exactly like a slice of prime rib, nor anything close to the center portion. There's no pungent horseradish in this jerky, just a modest recognition of au jus sauce in the marinade.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is a salty marinade comparable to a beefy flavored soy sauce with lots of seasonings and a bit of sticky sweet. It's peppery but also spicy with a light level of cayenne heat, registering as mild medium on our heat scale (level 2 out of 5). Think of it more as a seasoned steak variety of jerky than prime rib.

These slices of meat are chewy, but not tough. They have a faint bit of stickiness on the surface, but not enough to gunk up your fingers. There's light levels of stringiness in the chewing, but otherwise this jerky has a meaty chew that takes on a steak-like texture. I do see some streaks of gristle in the larger slices.

Verdict

This Prime Rib beef jerky from J&K may usher in some familiarity with a 12 ounce slice of the chef's special, perhaps with a light au jus flavor, or even the peppery, fatty edges of an end cut. But otherwise, these are not actual slices of prime rib, just beef jerky meant to mimic that roasted beef style. It kind of salty due to its stronger seasonings, as well as peppery with a light bit of cayenne heat. Think of it more as a seasoned steak style of jerky with a beefy soy sauce marinade. Chewy, yet easy to get through, this stuff has a meaty consistency with a steak-like texture. Definitely a more manly offering from J&K that you'll want to wash down with something cold and refreshing.


Rating: Good (4/5)

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