Empire Jerky Works - Peppered Teriyaki Beef Jerky

Last in the series on Empire Jerky Works is this Peppered Teriyaki variety. See my previous reviews of their Original, Peppered, and Teriyaki varieties.

Empire Jerky Works is a brand of Empire Jerky Works based out of Citrus Heights, CA. The company has been selling jerky since 2007.

The company was started by Brian Ingraham who started making his own jerky in 1975 using an old family recipe, and for many years shared it with friends and business associates. Due to positive feedback he hired a USDA inspected meat processor and got into the business of selling jerky. Today Empire Jerky Works is sold through casinos, taverns, stores, and motorcycle rallies throughout Northern California, as well as its own website.

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Jim's Biltong - Original

Jim's Biltong is a brand of Temba Meats based out of Charlton, Queensland, Australia.

The company is run by Jim and Cathie Tanner who bought the meat processor in 2004. Temba Meats is what produces Jim's Biltong and Jim's Jerky. Temba Meats was previously operated by a South African couple who made biltong and jerky in small quantities.

Biltong is a similar product to jerky, and based on how many different ways jerky can be made, it's basically the South African variety. It typically relies open air dehydration, and instead of using marinades, it's salted and dipped briefly in vinegar, and usually relies on coriander seed for spice.

Jim's Biltong is available only in Australia.

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Lando's Jerky - Inferno

Last August and September I posted a couple reviews for Lando's Jerky, their Hickory and Garlic Pepper varieties. Recently they sent me samples of this Inferno and Sweet & Spicy.

Lando's Jerky is run by Alex Landers of Chicago, IL. He says he's been making jerky for years and started selling it to his co-workers. Since then he's set up an eBay store to sell his jerky to the public, and now has launched his own website.

All of his jerky is made fresh to order using USDA choice grade angus from his local meat market, marinates for 24 hours, and then finally slow-cooks and smokes it for 6 hours.

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Wilderville's Country Beef Jerky - Black Pepper Teriyaki

Next in the series on Wilderville's Country Beef Jerky is this Black Pepper Teriyaki variety. See my previous reviews of their Original, Black Pepper, and Teriyaki varieties.

Wilderville's Country Beef Jerky is a small, USDA inspected meat processor based in Grants Pass, OR.

The company was started by Jim and Sally Lawson in August 2008 with the goal of making beef jerky that tastes great and is not hard to chew. Launching the new business allowed Jim to come off the road from long haul trucking after more than 30 years. The Lawsons sell their beef jerky at farmers markets and from their website.

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Papa Dan's Beef Jerky - Real Backyard BBQ

Next in the series on Papa Dan's Beef Jerky is this Real Backyard BBQ variety. See my previous reviews of their Sweet & Hot, Old Fashioned, Ring of Fire, and Carne Asada varieties.

Papa Dan's is a brand of Batistelli Foods, based in Fullerton, CA. The brand was started by David Batistelli along with his father in 1988. At one time Papa Dan's was manufactured in its own USDA facility, but is now produced by Monrovia, CA-based TM Jerky & Processing, which coincidentally now owns Papa Dan's old manufacturing facility.

The company describes this "Real Backyard BBQ" variety as "Thick, juicy steak strips marinated in a sweet barbecue sauce for over 18 hours and then slow smoked over real wood chips."

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Snow's Beef Jerky - Regular

Snow's Beef Jerky is based in Peru, IN, ran by a guy named Lane Shelton who's been making it under this brand for the past 15 years.

They offer four flavors at this time, but have plans to introduce several others soon, including many other varieties of hot. In addition to this Regular, they have Teriyaki, Hot, and Hickory. The only other flavor I have is the Hot, which I'll be reviewing later.

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Ed's Roadhouse Jerky - Spicy Jamaican Jerk

Spicy Jamaican Jerk is the newest flavor from Ed's Roadhouse Jerky. The company, based out of Buffalo Grove, IL, describes their latest offering as "sweet and spicy and full of exotic caribbean flavor".

And based on the ingredients list, it contains scotch bonnet and habanero peppers.

Ed's Roadhouse Jerky is operated by Ed Herman, who's been making jerky for over 20 years based on a childhood fascination with BBQ. He now focuses on combining spicy hot foods with decadent sweet.

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Mike's Country Meats - Regular Beef Jerky

Mike's Country Meats, LLC is a state-inspected beef jerky manufacturer based in Campbellsport, WI. The company has been making jerky since 2002.

It's actually been in operation since 1984 as Mike's Wild Game Processing serving local deer hunters. Slowly over the years business expanded and by 1998 they had constructed a larger facility. In 2002 they opened up their own store selling fresh cuts of meat and sausage, as well as beef jerky. The jerky business took off quickly and soon became the company's primary focus.

Mike's Country Meats offers three flavors in all, this Regular beef jerky, as well as Pepper and Hot Jamaican, which I'll be reviewing all in the coming weeks.

Note: This "Regular Beef Jerky" is also labeled as "Teriyaki Flavor".

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Sturgis Beef Jerky - Original

Sturgis Beef Jerky is a brand of G&G Enterprises, Inc. based out of Sturgis, SD. The company original started in 1964 by the Gap family and over the years grew their brand by selling to local residents, ranchers, and many bikers who attend the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. They credit their loyal fans for helping them refine their recipe into what they currently sell today.

In 2002 they incorporated into G&G Enterprises, Inc. and now manufacture jerky in their own USDA inspected facility.

The company offers three beef jerky flavors in all, including this Original, a Teriyaki, and a Peppered, which I'll be reviewing all in the coming weeks.

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Empire Jerky Works - Teriyaki Beef Jerky

Next in the series on Empire Jerky Works is this Teriyaki beef jerky. See my previous reviews of their Original and Peppered varieties.

Empire Jerky Works is a brand of Empire Jerky Works based out of Citrus Heights, CA. The company has been selling jerky since 2007.

The company was started by Brian Ingraham who started making his own jerky in 1975 using an old family recipe, and for many years shared it with friends and business associates. Due to positive feedback he hired a USDA inspected meat processor and got into the business of selling jerky. Today Empire Jerky Works is sold through casinos, taverns, stores, and motorcycle rallies throughout Northern California, as well as its own website.

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JV Jerky - Hot Beef Jerky

Last in the series on JV Jerky is this Hot Beef Jerky. See my previous reviews of their Hawaiian, Hot Cajun, Teriyaki, Habanero, and Mild varieties.

JV Jerky is a brand of JV Jerky, Inc. based out of Lodi, OH. It's actually more well known by locals in the North East Ohio area as part of Mack's Food Center, a fixture in Medina County since 1947 as a combination grocery store, deer processor, and meat locker. Both Mack's Food Center and JV Jerky are owned by John Vanni, the son of the original owners. The company manufacturers its jerky in a smokehouse next to Mack's Food Center, using real hickory wood.

This Hot Style is described by JV Jerky as "Hickory flavor with a stronger pepper taste across the tongue. Leaves a delightful slight peppery bite on the sides and rear of the tongue. A taste sensation that will have you coming back for more."

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Wilderville's Country Beef Jerky - Teriyaki

Next in the series on Wilderville's Country Beef Jerky is this Teriayki variety. See my previous reviews of their Original and Black Peppered beef jerky.

Wilderville's Country Beef Jerky is a small, USDA inspected meat processor based in Grants Pass, OR.

The company was started by Jim and Sally Lawson in August 2008 with the goal of making beef jerky that tastes great and is not hard to chew. Launching the new business allowed Jim to come off the road from long haul trucking after more than 30 years. The Lawsons sell their beef jerky at farmers markets and from their website.

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Papa Dan's Beef Jerky - Sweet N' Hot

Next in the series on Papa Dan's Beef Jerky is this Sweet N' Hot variety. See my previous reviews of their Old Fashioned, Ring of Fire, and Carne Asada varieties.

Papa Dan's is a brand of Batistelli Foods, based in Fullerton, CA. The brand was started by David Batistelli along with his father in 1988. At one time Papa Dan's was manufactured in its own USDA facility, but is now produced by Monrovia, CA-based TM Jerky & Processing, which coincidentally now owns Papa Dan's old manufacturing facility.

From what I can tell, this Sweet N' Hot variety appears to be Papa Dan's "Super Sweet" beef jerky, but with chile pepper flakes added.

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Bridgford Beef Jerky - Original

I did a couple reviews of Bridgford Beef Jerky's Teriyaki and Sweet & Hot varieties about two and a half years ago. Recently the company sent me packages of their other varieties for review.

Anaheim, CA-based Bridgford Food Corp. was started in 1932 by Hugh H. Bridgford in San Diego, CA as a meat market. Bridgford expanded the business quickly by distributing his meats into other retail outlets and then distributed meats to hotels, restaurants, and other processors. In addition to their Anaheim factory, they have factories in Dallas, TX, Chicago, IL, and Statesville, NC.

Their beef jerky is made in their Chicago plant, along with many of their shelf-stable meat products. Bridgford's beef jerky is one the top selling brands in the United States, eclipsed only by Oberto and Jack Link's.

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Empire Jerky Works - Peppered Beef Jerky

Next in the series on Empire Jerky Works is this Peppered Beef Jerky. See my previous review of their Original Beef Jerky.

Empire Jerky Works is a brand of Empire Jerky Works based out of Citrus Heights, CA. The company has been selling jerky since 2007.

The company was started by Brian Ingraham who started making his own jerky in 1975 using an old family recipe, and for many years shared it with friends and business associates. Due to positive feedback he hired a USDA inspected meat processor and got into the business of selling jerky. Today Empire Jerky Works is sold through casinos, taverns, stores, and motorcycle rallies throughout Northern California, as well as its own website.

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