Settlers Jerky - Ring of Fire

Last in the series on Settlers Jerky is this "Ring of Fire" variety. See my reviews of their other flavors (link).

Settlers Jerky is a brand of BeefJerky.com, an online retailer of beef jerky, launched by Gregory Nemitz in 1995. Nemitz began making jerky for family and friends several years before he launched his business. In addition to beef jerky, Nemitz sells salmon jerky and trout jerky.

This "Ring of Fire" flavor is described by the company as "flamin' hot jerky", and claims to bring "tears to your eyes and endorphins to your brain".

Ingredients

Beef, soy sauce, cayenne pepper, worcestershire sauce, vinegar, black pepper, lemon juice, liquid smoke, granulated garlic, habanero chili powder, white pepper, onion powder, sodium nitrite.

Taste

The first thing I taste from the surface of these pieces is a chile pepper flavor, and a vinegar flavor. There's a slight sweetness. A fair amount of heat is building up quickly.

The chewing flavor continues on with much of the same, with a little bit of saltiness, though the heat has built up incredibly.

For being marketed as, "Ring of Fire", it certainly lives up to that name. This is very hot! It's not quite the hottest jerky I've ever had, though it's right up there. I'm having to take breaks in between a couple of bites, and I have sweat running down my face and neck.

The flavors that seem to define this jerky most of all is the strong chile pepper flavor and a vinegar flavor. There's a light saltiness in the chewing, and a touch of sweet.

I'm not really picking up any natural meat flavors, which seems consistent with the Settlers Jerky brand, though some of their other flavors offered a light flavor. But I think because the overwhelming chile pepper and vinegar combination, along with blazing heat, it's difficult to taste anything else.

Meat Consistency

These are slices of whole meat, sliced into slabs of medium thickness, and in medium to large sizes.

This is a dry jerky with a mostly dry surface feel, though maybe a tad moist. There's a good deal of flexibility. Tearing off pieces can require some effort, and chewing seems somewhat tough.

The chewing texture starts out with a good deal of resistance, requiring some work to chew down. But after a few chews, it starts to take on a meaty, steak-like characteristic. Once chewed down to a soft mass, it's quite easy to chew and feels like a real steak, cooked medium-well.

These pieces appear to be very lean, at least, it's difficult to see through the covering of chile pepper flakes. I don't think I see any gristle, though I do encounter a fair amount of stringiness. Otherwise, no unchewable wads of tissue.

In terms of clean eating, my fingers pick up some chile pepper and sauce residue from having to pinch these pieces tightly due to the effort required in tearing pieces off.

Snack Value

BeefJerky.com sells this Ring of Fire variety at a price of $19.18 for an 8oz package. Shipping is free. They'll also discount that price if you buy two or more packages. Two packages works out to a price of $1.91 per ounce.

For general jerky snacking purposes, at the $1.91 per ounce price, it's a good value. I get a good overall flavor, while the meat consistency is decent and the chewing texture good. Compared to major brands of jerky sold in grocery stores, it's seem to offer a better snackability.

As a hot, chile pepper jerky, at the same $1.91 per ounce price, it's a great value. I'm getting a lot of chile pepper flavor, chile pepper flakes, and some insanely hot heat. It's far more than what I would get from the major brands.

Rating

I'm giving this a good rating.

This Ring of Fire variety from Settlers Jerky will light up palate and singe your tastebuds with an intense level of heat. The heavy layer of red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper seasoning are clearly noticeable in this jerky along with a vinegar flavor comparable to Tabasco sauce. The aroma alone is strong enough to clear your sinuses.

I don't really get much other flavors aside from a light saltiness and a touch of sweet. I don't get any natural meat flavors either, but I think that's mostly due to the heavy chile and vinegar flavorings. However, being a chile pepper fan, I do enjoy this jerky.

The meat seems somewhat tough, but for a jerky lover, I imagine it's tolerable for most. The chewing texture seems good, very steak-like.

My recommended beer pairing for this, try an oatmeal stout, such as the Firestone Walker Velvet Merlin, something smooth and creamy to douse the flames.

Rating: Good

Buy this online:

• http://www.beefjerky.com/