Country Butcher Beef Jerky - Sweet & Spicy

Country Butcher is a brand that's been around since 2001 (based on our research). The company itself did not send us samples for review; we were provided samples by one of their online retailers. Country Butcher was started by Ken Croucher, based out of Placentia, CA.

Croucher has been making jerky since 1974, and perfected his recipe while working at a grocery store where he could offer samples to customers and gather feedback. He's been relying on the same recipe ever since. According to online documents, Croucher developed a beef jerky recipe for Perky Jerky. Perky Jerky grew to fame by offering the world's first energy-infused jerky, using Croucher's recipe, and today they're one of the biggest jerky brands on the market. Country Butcher currently sells online through Amazon and eBay, and a variety of other outlets.

This Sweet & Spicy variety is marked as being made from "Brisket". It's also marked, "Gluten Free" and "All Natural".

Read More

Homegrown Meats - Joel's Traditional

Homegrown Meats is a brand that launched in 2011, owned by a group of ranchers who've farmed the Palomar Mountain area of Southern California going back into the mid-1800s. They began marketing their steaks and cuts of beef to Whole Foods Markets shortly thereafter.

In 2016, they launched a line of jerky, and Whole Foods Market picked it up only for their Southern California market. However, in October 2018, Whole Foods announced it would begin selling Homegrown Meats Jerky nationwide, with a four of the company's specialized flavors, "Joel's Traditional", "Cracked Black Pepper", "Western Mesquite Barbecue", and "Paleo". The jerky is marked as, "gluten free" and "certified grass fed".

This "Joel's Traditional", according to Homegrown Meats, is described as, "a classic recipe named in honor of one of our original founders, Joel Mendenhall, who's family has been raising cattle on San Diego's Palomar Mountain since the 1800s", it goes on to say that it has a "traditional taste of the west".

Read More

The G.O.A.T. Beef Jerky Company - Original

The G.O.A.T. Beef Jerky Company is the creation of John Towe, who started the company late in 2018, based out of Oklahoma City, OK.

The story is perhaps none too unfamiliar, a guy gets a dehydrator for Christmas and actually does something with it. In fact, does a lot with it, eventually experimenting with various recipes and buying up so much beef at the local grocery store that he rose to the top of PETA's most wanted list. His friends liked his jerky so much, and he was tired of working at the same job for 20 years, and next thing you know he's taking out a loan, buying up more dehydrators, and making a replica of Devil's Tower with his mashed potatoes (look it up)...

No, this is not goat jerky. G.O.A.T. is an acronym for "greatest of all time".

This Original variety, according to the company's website, "is not traditional jerky", going on to say it has "bold flavor", "not too dry and not too moist", and "tender".

Read More

The Patriot Brands - Little Smokies Hot

A few weeks ago, we reviewed the Little Smokies from The Patriot Brands. Today, we have their "hot" variety of the same.

The Patriot Brands Beef Jerky is a new brand that launched in February of 2018 by James Napier of Cuba, MO. The company also markets a line of hot sauces under the same brand. Napier seems well-known and well-liked by many as a patriot with his beard dyed red, white, and blue. The name "Patriot Brands" stems from his overwhelming support of the United States and the people who have fought for it. He's associated with "The Patriot Church", a congregation also based out of Cuba, MO.

These "Little Smokies Hot" flavor are summed as, "Warm but Wonderfully filled with the best Spices available", going on to say that they're, "Smoke cured to perfection."

Read More

Country Butcher Beef Jerky - Sweet Teriyaki

Country Butcher is a brand that's been around since 2001 (based on our research). The company itself did not send us samples for review; we were provided samples by one of their online retailers. Country Butcher was started by Ken Croucher, based out of Placentia, CA.

Croucher has been making jerky since 1974, and perfected his recipe while working at a grocery store where he could offer samples to customers and gather feedback. He's been relying on the same recipe ever since. According to online documents, Croucher developed a beef jerky recipe for Perky Jerky. Perky Jerky grew to fame by offering the world's first energy-infused jerky, using Croucher's recipe, and today they're one of the biggest jerky brands on the market. Country Butcher currently sells online through Amazon and eBay, and a variety of other outlets.

This Sweet Teriyaki variety is marked as being made from "Brisket". It's also marked, "Gluten Free" and "All Natural".

Read More

Smokehouse Jerky Co. - Garlic Pepper

Smokehouse Jerky Co. is a brand of Tender Heifer Snack Co., based out of Beaumont, CA. It was started in 2008, and is currently run by a husband and wife team, Franco Fonseca and Patti Fonseca.

The company takes pride in its beef brisket-based jerky, using meat sourced from California. They add no MSG and no preservatives, and focus on small batches at a time.

This "Garlic Pepper" variety is described by the company as being, "paired with our special garlic marinade", going on to say that it's sprinkled with garlic bits, and that, "you’ll definitely feel its strong earthy and pungent taste with every bite".

Read More

Bovino Crispy Grass-Fed Beef Jerky

Bovino Crispy Grass-Fed Beef Jerky is a new beef jerky brand that launched in 2017 by Trisha Paternite based out of San Francisco, CA. It's thin-style jerky for those who like it dry and crispy.

The idea came about when Trisha and her husband would frequently visit his Dad in Cleveland, OH and enjoy samples of his homemade jerky. Whey they brought some of it home to their friends in California, and learned how so many people craved it, they realized there was a business waiting to happen. Trisha and her husband took his Dad's recipe, but sliced it more thin with the idea of making it crispy. Since then, their business has been one of those worthy enough to make it into La Cocina, San Francisco's food-business incubator, and are currently selling it from their website.

Bovino Crispy Grass-Fed Beef Jerky is marked as, "no sugar", "no preservatives", and "gluten-free", along with, of course, "grass fed". It also uses all organic ingredients, though at this time it's not marked with a certified-organic label.

Read More

Country Butcher Beef Jerky - Lemon Pepper

Country Butcher is a brand that's been around since 2001 (based on our research). The company itself did not send us samples for review; we were provided samples by one of their online retailers. Country Butcher was started by Ken Croucher, based out of Placentia, CA.

Croucher has been making jerky since 1974, and perfected his recipe while working at a grocery store where he could offer samples to customers and gather feedback. He's been relying on the same recipe ever since. According to online documents, Croucher developed a beef jerky recipe for Perky Jerky. Perky Jerky grew to fame by offering the world's first energy-infused jerky, using Croucher's recipe, and today they're one of the biggest jerky brands on the market. Country Butcher currently sells online through Amazon and eBay, and a variety of other outlets.

This Lemon Pepper variety is marked as, "Original" indicating it's the company's flagship flavor. It's also marked, "Gluten Free" and "All Natural".

Read More

The Patriot Brands Beef Jerky - Carolina Reaper Freedom Fire

The Patriot Brands Beef Jerky is a new brand that launched in February of 2018 by James Napier of Cuba, MO. The company also markets a line of hot sauces under the same brand.

Napier seems well-known and well-liked by many as a patriot with his beard dyed red, white, and blue. The name "Patriot Brands" stems from his overwhelming support of the United States and the people who have fought for it. He's associated with "The Patriot Church", a congregation also based out of Cuba, MO.

Claiming this will, "it will light a Fire within your soul", the company describes this Carolina Reaper Freedom Fire variety as being made from their own hot sauce of the same name.

Read More

Bakke Brothers Brand - Teriyaki Snackin' Sticks

Bakke Brothers Brand is owned by Whiskey Hill Smokehouse, LLC based out of Hubbard, OR. Whiskey Hill also owns The Jerky Hut, as well as its own house brand, Whiskey Hill Smokehouse.

Bakke Brothers was started by Phil Bakke, one of Whiskey Hill's founders. The brand differs from The Jerky Hut in that it's free of preservatives such as sodium nitrite, sodium erythorbate, et al, and it's also gluten-free.

These "Teriyaki Snackin' Sticks" are made with the company's own teriyaki marinade and are marketed towards meat snackers who crave a sweeter, milder, chew.

Read More