Palm Springs Beef Jerky - Old West Original

Palm Springs Beef Jerky is a brand of Jerky Galore, based out of Palm Desert, CA. It recently launched earlier this year, and sells locally to outlets in the Palm Springs, CA area, and nationally through its website.

The brand uses USDA inspected American beef, marinated for 12-24 hours and slow cooked. They add no preservatives and claim their jerky is lower in sodium than most brands.

This "Old West Original" is described by the company as having, "...a special blend of spices in a unique marinade that has been refined to perfection. The result is a savory old west jerky with a well-balanced natural beef flavor; soft and tender decadence in every bite."



Ingredients

Beef, brown sugar, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, chili sauce, balsamic vinegar, seasoned rice vinegar

Review

The first flavors I pick up is a light sweet, followed by a lighty seasoned sauce with a bit of garlic. The chewing brings on some tanginess and a touch of fruit. The sweetness becomes a little more strong. There's a light natural meat flavor lingering in the background.

For being called "Old West Original", this jerky actually tends to resemble something more sweet, tangy, and fruity, and not so much the rough and rugged prospecting days of Palm Springs' a hundred years ago. When I see the words, "Old West", I tend to think of something with more salt & pepper, and a lot less sweet. On the other hand, if they're taking about old Palm Springs, during the days of the Rat Pack and the Hollywood elite, then maybe this still exemplifies the "Old West".

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is a complex sauce with a significant sweet, and noticeable tones of fruity and tangy. The sauce definitely has some shades of worcestershire, a touch of soy sauce, but definitely I can taste the effect of the chili sauce and vinegar. It's well mixed sauce, that produces a lot of taste-interest, quite savory and unique.

It's not at all hot, with only a light to moderate level of saltiness.

The meat consistency and chewing texture is excellent. This looks to be beef brisket, and as such has some stringiness, but not as much as other brands have. Otherwise, it chews very tender with minimal effort. It's lightly moist, and bursts with flavor. The chewing texture is that of soft steak.

Verdict

This Old West Original from Palm Springs Beef Jerky tends to redefine the image of cowboys, indians, and gold miners of Palm Springs' yesteryear. You start to wonder if our idea of dusty, dirty, gun-toting horseback riders might have had a more colorful, light-hearted spirit if this jerky says anything. Otherwise, it's a very addictive chew for its complex, saucy character, and for its balance between sweet, savory seasonings, and swashes of tangy chew. The chewing is also excellent by the way, tender and semi-most strips, with a steak-like chewing texture. It's not the salty, peppery jerky that other "Old West" style brands usually offer, but then again, Palm Springs is not your typical Old West town either.

Rating: Best (5/5)