Grandpa's Beef Jerky - Original Jalapeno

Grandpa's Beef Jerky is a brand started by Jacob Piercy, based out of Fishers, Indiana. Piercy remembers being a kid and watching his grandfather hanging deer meat for jerky. Eventually, his grandfather handed down the recipe and process.

Today, Piercy sells packages of Grandpa's Beef Jerky at farmers markets across Indiana and online too, allowing jerky fans across the USA to enjoy a family legacy.

This "Original Jalapeno" is described as, "Garden fresh jalapeños add flavor and heat to Grandpa’s original hickory-smoked flavor." It's also marked as, "Hot".


Ingredients

Beef, seasoning (hydrolyzed corn syrup & wheat gluten protein, salt, onion powder, spice, soy bean oil), water, spices, dextrose, natural smoke flavor, sodium erythorbate, sodium nitrite.

Review

The first thing I taste right away is a saltiness with a faint smoke. The chewing brings on a seasoning blend of onion and garlic, while a light bit of heat comes in. There's also touches of sweet noticeable.

As for being labeled, "Jalapeno", and "Hot", it doesn't really hold up. I don't taste any jalapeno flavor, especially not anything "garden fresh" as the company claims. There is a moderate level of heat to this, but not "Hot". Assuming only spicy food lovers would buy this, they might be disappointed that it's only moderately spicy at best.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is a salty seasoning blend of onion and garlic, with a touch of sweet and smoky, and a medium level of heat. You'll also notice a little bit of natural meat flavor too.

The meat consistency is chopped and formed beef, shaped into bite-sized strips. It's a little more chewy than the company's "Sweet Teriyaki" and but a tad more soft than their "Original Hickory". It has a meaty chewing, but not quite the steak-like texture. These have a somewhat dry handling touch.

Verdict

This Original Jalapeno from Grandpa's Beef Jerky didn't quite give me the jalapeno flavor I was looking for, especially not "garden fresh" as the company claimed on its website. It does deliver a fair amount of heat, but not quite the "Hot" that a spicy food lover might be looking for. As it stands on its own merits, it's a well-seasoned chopped and formed jerky, mainly flavored with salt, onion and garlic, with an average level of heat. It's still snackable, it just doesn't deliver on jalapeno flavor.

Rating: Average (3/5)