Port City Smokehouse - Cherry Turkey Jerky

Port City Smokehouse is a smokehouse located in Frankfort, MI. It's situated by Betsie Bay, on the northern portion of Lake Michigan. Port City Smokehouse is known more for their smoked fish, but they also do smoked meats and jerky, along with jams, jellies, salsas, and dried fruit.

And according to a phone call I had with the store keeper, they make their own jerky.

I decided to get this Cherry Turkey Jerky, along with another package of Chipotle Turkey Jerky, after having experimented with making my own cherry teriyaki jerky. Mine didn't come all that great, so I decided to try this one from Port City Smokehouse to see how it compared.

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Insane Jerky - Original

Update (Jan 11, 2010): Insane Jerky revised their recipe and meat since this review was published, please read my latest review here.

Insane Jerky is a newer brand of jerky claiming to use Halal Certified beef. Halal essentially means it's in accordance with Sharia law, and acceptable to eat for muslims.

I'm not exactly sure what process beef must go through in order to certified as Halal, however Insane Jerky has published a certificate on its website indicating Halal Certification, although I didn't see anything on that certificate identifying Insane Jerky by name.

Nonetheless, this is my first ever halal beef jerky, so I was eager to get some and write up a review.

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Long Meadow Ranch - Cabernet Beef Jerky

Long Meadow Ranch is a brand of Long Meadow Ranch Partners, LP, based in Rutherford, CA. The Ranch is known mostly for its vineyards, winery, and olive groves. But it also raises Highland cattle.

This particular variety of "Cabernet Beef Jerky", is said to be made with cabernet wine. The beef is also made from the same Highland cattle raised on Long Meadow Ranch, which I confirmed with a phone call to them. But the jerky itself was manufactured by Intermountain Natural, a meat processor that makes jerky for several brands.

The Ranch also claims that this jerky is "All Natural", with no artficial ingredients, and no hormones. It also lists several organic ingredients, but does not carry the USDA Organic symbol.

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Prasek's Hillje Smokehouse Beef Jerky - Red Hots

Next up in the series on Prasek's Hillje Smokehouse is this Red Hots variety of beef jerky. See my previous review of their Jalapeno beef jerky.

Prasek's Hillje Smokehouse is a smokehouse, bakery, deli, and country store located in El Campo, Texas. It originally started out as Hillje Grocery, a small town grocery store. In 1974, it was purchased by Mike and Betty Jo Prasek, and was renamed to its current name. Their first product was sausage, but eventually they expanded to beef jerky, and now jerky is their big seller.

I actually bought this jerky from a website called "The Cajun Turkey Company", thinking I was getting Cajun's brand. But when I recieved it in the mail, I found Prasek's jerky; they never explained they were a reseller of Prasek's.

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Woody's Smokehouse Beef Jerky - Sweet & Spicy

Woody's Smokehouse is a store located in Centerville, TX along Interstate 45 between Dallas and Houston and is a popular stop for travellers for a variety of road goodies ranging from jerky to nuts to candies to cheeses to pickles, and what not.

They also serve up BBQ where you grab a tray and start loading up on stuff like ribs, sausage, brisket, tri-tip, and even bacon-wrapped quail.

But Woody's is often known for its jerky. I bought a package of this "Sweet & Spicy" jerky from their website, and noticed the package said it was "Packed for Woody's Smokehouse", with a stamp indicating it was prepared by New Braunfels Smokehouse. And interestingly, I just completed several jerky reviews for New Braunfels.

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New Braunfels Smokehouse - Peppered Turkey Strips

Next in the series on New Braunfels Smokehouse is this Peppered Turkey Strips. See my previous reviews of their Peppered Pork Strips, Jalapeno, Sweet & Spicy, Teriyaki, and Peppered varieties.

New Braunfels Smokehouse is a smokehouse and restaurant located in New Braunfels, TX. The company's history goes back to 1943, when it originally opened as an ice factory. The idea to create smoked meats came when local ranchers would keep their meats stored at their ice factory. An employee created smoked meats using his own family's recipe, and the result was a big hit with locals. From that the ice factory shifted gears and became a smokehouse.

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Pioneer Brand Beef Jerky - Teriyaki

Next in the series on Pioneer Brand (PNR) Beef Jerky is this Teriyaki variety. See my previous review of their Smokehouse Original.

Pioneer Brand is a brand name of Jerky Snack Brands, Inc. based out of Minong, WI, though this jerky appears to have been manufactured out of the company's Schulenberg, TX facility.

The brand was originally founded in 1986 by Robert George in Livonia, MI. The company was originally a distributor of branded meat snacks and originally operated as Western Snacks, and then became Metro Snacks, until it changed names to Pioneer Snacks, Inc. It wasn't until January 2007 that the business was acquired by Jerky Snacks Brands.

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Mahogany Smoked Meats - Beef Jerky Habanero

Next up in the series on Mahogany Smoked Meats is this Habanero variety. See my previous review of their Western Strips.

Mahogany Smoked Meats is a brand name of Meadow Farms Country Smokehouse, based in Bishop, CA. The brand goes back to 1922 when the original founder of Meadow Farms, a guy named "Wally", introduced the locals of Bishop to the goodness of smoking meats with Mountain Mahogany wood. Today, the same store is still there, and they're still selling smoked meats of all kinds.

It appears to me that Mahogany doesn't actually make their own jerky; rather it seems to be made by Glenoaks Foods, Inc. of Sun Valley, CA, the same company that makes the J.C. Rivers brand.

In fact, you can read my review of J.C. Rivers' Habanero Jerky, which actually has a very similar list of ingredients.

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Old Wisconsin Beef Jerky - Teriyaki

Next in the series on Old Wisconsin Beef Jerky is this Teriyaki variety. See my previous review of their Original variety.

Old Wisconsin is a brand name of Old Wisconsin Sausage, Inc. based out of Sheboygan, WI. They've been around since 1942. In the 1980s, it was purchased by Carl Buddig and Co.

I'm not exactly sure when Old Wisconsin began selling jerky, but I want to say that it's not part of their original product line going back into the 1940s, and more likely a recent addition since being purchased by Carl Buddig.

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Just Smoked Salmon - Candy Jerky

Next in the series on Just Smoked Salmon is this Candy Jerky. See my previous review of their Teriyaki Jerky.

Just Smoked Salmon is a brand name of Wright Distributing, Inc., based out of Port Angeles, WA. Even though the company uses the word "jerky" on their labels, it doesn't actually appear to be jerky as I discovered with their Teriyaki Jerky. I've reviewed other brands of salmon jerky and found them to be chewier, and more dry. This stuff is actually very soft, and very moist. It's just smoked salmon as the brand name says.

This Candy Jerky is what I believe to be traditional "squaw candy", which is effectively a sweetened salmon jerky. Except, I'm sure in this case, it's standard smoked salmon, as opposed to salmon jerky.

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Monty's Smoked Beef Jerky - Red Hot Sweetie

Next in the series on Monty's Smoked Beef Jerky is this Red Hot Sweetie variety. See last week's review of their Tenderfoot.

Monty's Smoked Beef Jerky is a new contender in the world of gourmet beef jerky, having entered the market earlier this year. It's a family run business run by Robyn Raile, her husband Tim, and her brother Wade.

The brand originally started out as Monte Nuss Beef Jerky in a little store in Littleton, CO back in 1996. After Nuss closed shop, he sold it to Wade, who then moved the business to Bird City, KS, and relaunched it as Monty's Smoked Beef Jerky.

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Prasek's Hillje Smokehouse - Beef Jerky Jalapeno

Prasek's Hillje Smokehouse is a smokehouse, bakery, deli, and country store located in El Campo, Texas.

It originally started out as Hillje Grocery, a small town grocery store. In 1974, it was purchased by Mike and Betty Jo Prasek, and was renamed to its current name. Their first product was sausage, but eventually they expanded to beef jerky, and now jerky is their big seller.

I actually bought this jerky from a website called "The Cajun Turkey Company", thinking I was getting Cajun's brand. But when I recieved it in the mail, I found Prasek's jerky; they never explained they were a reseller of Prasek's. But that's ok, I had Prasek's on my list of brands to buy, and I've heard good things about this jerky.

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New Braunfels Smokehouse - Teriyaki

Next in the series on New Braunfels Smokehouse is this Teriyaki Beef Jerky. See my previous reviews of their Peppered Pork Strips, Jalapeno, Sweet & Spicy, and Peppered varieties.

New Braunfels Smokehouse is a smokehouse and restaurant located in New Braunfels, TX. The company's history goes back to 1943, when it originally opened as an ice factory. The idea to create smoked meats came when local ranchers would keep their meats stored at their ice factory. An employee created smoked meats using his own family's recipe, and the result was a big hit with locals. From that the ice factory shifted gears and became a smokehouse.

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Timberline Smokehouse Beef Jerky - Tequila Jalapeno

The last entry in the series on Timberline Smokehouse is this Tequila Jalapeno variety. See my other reviews of their Beer & Fire, Sweet Bourbon & Honey Pepper, Sweet Mountain Barbecue, Beer & Garlic, and Original.

Adam Thomas, founder of Timberline Smokehouse, is also the owner of Thomas Smoked Meats, both based in Johnstown, PA. Thomas originally offered his jerky in 1998 under the Thomas Smoked Meats brand, which he continues to do today. In 2008, he decided to take his line of beef jerky national, under the Timberline Smokehouse brand. Both brands utilize the same recipe.

This "Tequila Jalapeno" variety is described by the company as having a full jalapeno flavor with a shot of tequila to make a "tender cut with a kick".

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Mahogany Smoked Meats - Beef Jerky Western Strips

Mahogany Smoked Meats is a brand name of Meadow Farms Country Smokehouse, based in Bishop, CA.

The "Mahogany Smoked Meats" brand apparently goes back to 1922 when the original founder of Meadow Farms, a guy named "Wally", introduced the locals of Bishop to the goodness of smoking meats with Mountain Mahogany wood. Today, the same store is still there, and they're still selling smoked meats of all kinds.

Meadow Farms is also well known for its jerky, receiving praises from its customers, as evidenced by all the forum and blog posts. The best I can tell, Meadow Farms doesn't make their own jerky, rather it's made by Glenoaks Foods, Inc. of Sun Valley, CA, the same company that makes the J.C. Rivers brand.

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Monty's Smoked Beef Jerky - Tenderfoot

Monty's Smoked Beef Jerky is a new brand of beef jerky hitting the national market earlier this year. Based in Bird City, KS, it's a family run business co-owned by Robyn Raile, her husband Tim, and her brother Wade.

The brand originally started out as Monte Nuss Beef Jerky in a little store in Littleton, CO back in 1996. After Nuss closed shop, he sold it to Wade, who then moved the business to Bird City, KS, and relaunched it as Monty's Smoked Beef Jerky.

The company adds no preservatives in their jerky, and smokes the meat over hickory chunks, though also adds smoke flavoring. They offer five varieties, including this Tenderfood, which appears to be closest to a basic flavor, and a "Red Hot Sweetie", which I'll be reviewing later.

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Just Smoked Salmon - Teriyaki Jerky

Just Smoked Salmon is a brand name of Wright Distributing, Inc., based out of Port Angeles, WA.

The company started out in 1999 focusing on distributing smoked salmon products but has since expanded to include other seafood including tuna, clams, trout, oysters, and others.

While this package is labeled "Teriyaki Jerky", I can't tell if it was truly meant to be a jerky, or if it's really just smoked salmon. But since it carries the "jerky" description, I sought to do a review. I also have a package of their "Candy Jerky" which I'll review later.

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Ed's Roadhouse Jerky - BBQ Chipotle

Next up in the series on Ed's Roadhouse Jerky is this BBQ Chipotle variety. See my previous reviews of their Sweet Black Pepper, Devil's Tongue, and Lil Sweet Jalapeno Habanero varieties.

Ed's Roadhouse Jerky is a family run business based out of Buffalo Grove, IL, run by a guy named Ed Herman. Ed's been a BBQ fanatic since his childhood, and has been making his brand of jerky for about 20 years now. His jerky is made fresh to order, never sits on a shelf, and contains no preservatives. Ed recommends you refrigerate it as soon as it comes in.

This BBQ Chipotle variety is described as a "Wonderful blend of sweet tangy BBQ marinade and smoky chipotle peppers", and is one of eleven varieties of jerky Ed offers.

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Timberline Smokehouse Beef Jerky - Beer & Fire

Continuing on in the Timberline Smokehouse series is this Beer & Fire variety. See my previous reviews of their Original, Beer & Garlic, Sweet Mountain BBQ, and Sweet Bourbon & Honey Pepper varieties.

Adam Thomas, founder of Timberline Smokehouse, is also the owner of Thomas Smoked Meats, both based in Johnstown, PA. Thomas originally offered his jerky in 1998 under the Thomas Smoked Meats brand, which he continues to do today. In 2008, he decided to take his line of beef jerky national, under the Timberline Smokehouse brand. Both brands utilize the same recipe.

This "Beer & Fire" variety is one of two beer varieties that Timberline Smokehouse offers. It's marinated in pure beer, as opposed to just having little bit of beer added to the marinade.

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Ralphs Beef Jerky - Original

Ralphs is a grocery store chain located throughout Southern California. They offer their own store-branded jerky.

The company is owned by The Kroger Co., and is aligned with the entire Kroger family of stores, including Kroger itself, King Soopers, Frys, Food4Less, Fred Meyer, Turkey Hill, and the list goes on and on.

Like most grocery stores, Ralphs doesn't make its own products. This jerky was manufactured by Mirab USA, one of the largest private labelers in the meat snack business.

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Pioneer Brand Beef Jerky - Smokehouse Original

Pioneer Brand is a brand name of Jerky Snack Brands, Inc. based out of Minong, WI, though this jerky appears to have been manufactured out of the company's Schulenberg, TX facility.

The brand was originally founded in 1986 by Robert George in Livonia, MI. The company was originally a distributor of branded meat snacks and originally operated as Western Snacks, and then became Metro Snacks, until it changed names to Pioneer Snacks, Inc. It wasn't until January 2007 that the business was acquired by Jerky Snacks Brands.

Just this year the brand went through a complete rebranding emphasizing the letters "PNR", with a new logo and new package design.

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Old Wisconsin Beef Jerky - Original

Old Wisconsin is a brand name of Old Wisconsin Sausage, Inc. based out of Sheboygan, WI.

The company has been around since 1942 and is more known for its line of sausages than its beef jerky. It originally started out as "Thielmann's" until the 1980s, when it was purchased by Carl Buddig and Co., and was changed to the present name.

I'm not exactly sure when Old Wisconsin began selling jerky, but I want to say that it's not part of their original product line going back into the 1940s, and more likely a recent addition since being purchased by Carl Buddig and Co.

Old Wisconsin makes this jerky in their own USDA approved facility.

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Timberline Smokehouse - Sweet Bourbon & Honey Pepper

Next in the series on Timberline Smokehouse is this Sweet Bourbon & Honey Pepper variety of beef jerky. See my previous reviews of their Original, Beer & Garlic, and Sweet Mountain BBQ varieties.

Timberline Smokehouse is a brand of Timberline Smokehouse, Inc., based out of Johnstown, PA. The company was founded by Adam Thomas in 2008. Thomas also runs Thomas Smoked Meats, a store also located in Johnstown, PA where he sells his line of meats, steaks, chops, sausages, as well as jerky. Timberline Smokehouse is his national brand, whereas the smoked meat shop is focused at local shoppers.

This Sweet Bourbon & Honey Pepper is said to have been marinated in Kentucky Bourbon and honey.

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New Braunfels Smokehouse - Peppered Pork Strips

Next up in the series on New Braunfels Smokehouse is this Peppered Pork Strips. See my previous reviews of their Jalapeno, Sweet & Spicy, and Peppered varieties.

New Braunfels Smokehouse is a smokehouse and restaurant located in New Braunfels, TX. The company's history goes back to 1943, when it originally opened as a ice factory.

Local ranchers used to bring their meats to them for cold storage. A smokehouse employee, who came from Germany, got the idea of smoking some of the meats using an old German recipe. Locals in the area loved the smoked meats, and soon orders started coming in from all over Texas, and the ice factory shifted gears and became a smokehouse.

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Ozark Mountain Jerky Co. - Peppered

Next in the series on Ozark Mountain Jerky Co. is this Peppered variety. See my previous review of their Original.

Ozark Mountain Jerky Co. is a brand of Frickenschmidt Foods based in Lockwood, MO. The company started in 1988 by Allen Frickenschmidt, who oversees operations, while his family members handle all the other duties.

In 2008, the company stepped up from state inspection to USDA inspection. That allowed the company to go national with its products, and spurned the launch of their Ozark Mountain Jerky brand. The brand sells only two varieties of beef jerky from its website, this Peppered, and the Original I reviewed earlier.

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Famous Dave's - Pork Jerky

Next in the series on Famous Dave's, is this Pork Jerky. See my previous reviews of their Original and Apricot Bourbon beef jerky.

Famous Dave's is a brand of Famous Products, Inc., based out of Eden Prairie, MN. Famous Dave's is known mostly for its line of award winning BBQ sauces and its chain of 170+ restaurants.

This Pork Jerky is actually the last of their line of jerky, in addition to their Original and Apricot Bourbon beef jerkies. It's said to be made using the same rib rub that transformed Dave Anderson into "Famous Dave's".

All of Famous Dave's jerky is manufactured by Jerky Snack Brands, of Mankato, MN.

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