Uncle Bo's Beef Jerky - Black Pepper

Uncle Bo's Beef Jerky is a brand started by Tim Benton (AKA Uncle Bo), based out of Winter Springs, FL. Benton describes himself as a "native (hillbilly) from West Virginia and a pioneer at heart".

He started making jerky in 1998 after a friend bought him a dehydrator as a gift. After six months of experimenting, he came up with the recipe for his business. Since then, he's made jerky for friends and sold it locally. Last October, Benton launched a Kickstarter campaign to go USDA approved.

This Black Peppered is described by Uncle Bo as, "My Classic Original with black pepper sprinkled on top just before it’s dried, giving it a steak house flavor profile."


Ingredients

Beef, water, sugar, salt, lemon juice, sesame oil, oyster extract, concentrated smoke, ginger, garlic, black pepper

Review

The first thing I taste is a light sweet with a bit of salt coming in. That seafood character comes in, likely the oyster extract. The chewing brings on the natural meat flavors. There's a faint bit of black pepper in the background.

For being described as the company's Classic Original, with black pepper sprinkled on, yes that's definitely what this is. However, it doesn't have much black pepper flavor at all. It's still mostly the same flavor as their Classic Original, and that's about it. I do see bits of granulated black pepper on these pieces, but it's not a lot, and apparently very little to taste.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is a moderately salted, lightly sweet marinade with touches of seasonings, and then a noticeable shell fish flavor lying underneath. The natural meat flavors come through just enough to add an extra dimension.

The meat consistency is excellent. These are thin-sliced strips cut against the grain, still chewy enough to be jerky, but yet easy enough to snack on without tiring the jaws. They start out chewy, but chew down to something more steak-like. It's a dry jerky, but doesn't chew tough nor crispy. I do see bits of fat here and there, but not too much, encountered only light stringiness.

Verdict

This Black Pepper from Uncle Bo's Beef Jerky doesn't really offer much black pepper flavor. In fact, it's hard to pick up against the stronger marinade. It's largely the same flavor as the company's Classic Original. Even though I gave the Classic Original a four-star rating (Good), I'm deducting a star from this Black Pepper because it doesn't deliver on black pepper flavor. It would also please black pepper lovers to use cracked instead of granulated, and perhaps that would've delivered more flavor as well. Otherwise, on its own merits however, it's still a good jerky for its savory, snackable flavor and meaty, steak-like chewing.

Rating: Average (3/5)