Jerky Direct is a brand of jerky sold exclusively through a "direct marketing" basis. It's not sold in stores. You have to buy it directly from a Jerky Direct sales associate. It basically works exactly like Avon, Partylite, and Cookie Lee. But while housewives often have Avon parties, and candle parties, I haven't heard of anyone doing a jerky party.

Jerky Direct is manufactured by Intermountain Natural, LLC, based out of Idaho Falls, ID. In fact, Jerky Direct is also based in Idaho Falls. In fact, the two companies were started by the same guy, Roger Ball. In fact, Roger Ball found success with another "direct marketing" company, "Melaleuca".

In case you're wondering, I didn't become a Jerky Direct salesman. This sample of Organic Sweet & Spicy, along with previous reviews of Jerky Direct, were all obtained from another Jerky Direct marketer, in the same way I might obtain sample jerky from other brands.

Ingredients

Organic beef, organic evaporate cane juice, water, organic soy sauce, organic flavorings, organic apple cider vinegar, sea salt, organic paprika, natural smoke flavoring.

Taste

The tastes I pick up from the surface of these pieces is a good deal of sweet flavor, as well as a red pepper flavor, perhaps cayenne pepper. In the chewing, I get some salt flavor, and then some more of the sweet and red pepper flavor.

Right off the bat, this jerky does have a fair amount of spiciness, which I admit surprised me. I remembered eating some Golden Valley Natural, Sweet & Spicy beef jerky, which is also made by Intermountain Natural, and I expected this stuff from Jerky Direct to taste exactly like that. But it clearly has a more intense level of spiciness.

As a sweet & spicy variety I'd say it does live up to that billing. I get a medium-level of sweetness from the surface and throughout the chewing, while there is a clearly identifiable spiciness to this. It seems to taste more like cayenne pepper. On my "hot scale" I'd rate it as medium, though others might see it as medium-hot.

Considering this is organic beef jerky, I don't get any natural meat flavors. That's a disappointment in my book, for one because I really like getting lots of natural meat flavors in jerky, and two because with an organic beef product you'd expect to taste beef the way nature intended it to taste.

The salt intensity in this is rather light, just enough to be noticed.

The soy sauce listed in the ingredients is hardly noticeable.

Overall, the dominant flavor of this jerky seems to be the sweetness, with the spiciness being second-most dominant, and the light saltiness coming in third.

Meat Consistency

These appear to be slices of whole meat, sliced at average thickness, and in small to medium sized pieces.

It's more on the dry side, but very much soft and tender. I found it easy to tear apart, and easy to chew.

The chewing texture has some steak-like, fibrous, quality to it, but just enough mushiness to remind you this isn't exactly steak.

In terms of cleanliness, this jerky leaves some tiny fragments on my lap, and it also leaves some powder on my fingers which I think might be the red pepper. But it's seems pretty lean; I found no pieces of fat, or chewy connective tissues.




Snack Value

Jerky Direct sells this organic sweet & spicy variety at a price of $12.00 for two 3oz bags. That works out to a price of $2.00 per ounce, putting this on the border between expensive and average.

For general jerky snacking purposes, at this price, it's a fair value. It has some snackability to it, but not a strong one. I can see myself reaching for more, but I don't see it difficult to resist. It doesn't offer an impressive taste, but just good enough to keep a jerky snacker pacified.

As a sweet & spicy variety, it presents a decent value because I do get a considerable amount of sweet and spicy flavors. It's only a decent value because of this higher $2.00 per ounce price. If priced lower, then the value becomes better and is worthwhile buying.

Rating

I'm giving this an average rating.

While it does have some snackability to it, it's not very snackable. It's not something that I find hard to resist. It's not a good tasting jerky, but it doesn't taste bad. Combined with the easy to eat consistency, it's just enough to keep me eating some more. But it's the fact that this jerky does a good job of living up to its sweet & spicy billing that strengthens the average rating.

Aside from that, the taste is somewhat bland. I don't get much flavor complexity out of this other than sugar, red pepper, and salt. The fact that there's no natural meat flavors in this forces this jerky to rely on that trio of seasonings, and well, it's just not an impressive collection of flavors.

The chewing texture is not exactly great either.

Overall, it's just enough to be snackable, but mostly satisfies as a sweet & spicy jerky, and nothing beyond that.

For a good companion beer with this, try a brown ale.

Rating: Average

Buy this online:

• http://moreplease.jerkydirect.com