Smokehouse Jerky Co - "Oh" That's Hot!

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 "Oh That's Hot!" variety is described by Smokehouse Jerky Co as, "Starts off sweet then gives you a late hit of the Jalapeno heat at the end. Very different but a bit spicier than the rest."


Ingredients

Beef, teriyaki sauce, brown sugar, pineapple juice, worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, lemon juice, chili pepper, black pepper, ginger powder, salt, spices.

Review

The first flavors to hit my tongue is a thick sweet and a light spicy heat. I can pick up a light ginger. The chewing brings on the teriyaki sauce in copious amounts, and there's a touch of chile pepper flavor. I can also pick up some tanginess.

For being marketed as "Oh That's Hot!" it lives up to the billing somewhat. Yes, there's some heat in this, but at a moderate level. I'd rank this on my personal heat scale as "medium" (level 3 out of 5). However, assuming you're someone who doesn't tolerate hot foods, then certainly this would be very hot. But then again, if you don't tolerate hot foods, you'd never buy this anyway.

Otherwise, the flavors that define this jerky starts mainly with the teriyaki sauce. This has a classic, Japanese-style teriyaki flavor, with the thick sweet, the noticeable soy sauce, the fermented character, and the splash of ginger seasoning. But it throws on some chile pepper flavor and heat, a light tanginess in this chewing, and even a touch of black pepper.

The meat consistency is much like brisket-style jerky. It has the usual stringiness, but not as bad I've found in other brands. It's mostly dry, though some strips were noticeably moist and sticky. The chewing is easy, comparable to the company's "Ole Cracked Pepper". It has a meaty feel, and tends to have a steak-like texture.

Verdict: This "Oh That's Hot!" from Smokehouse Jerky Co is effectively a Spicy Teriyaki style, or perhaps a Sweet & Spicy style. Either way, this was able to open my eyes and give me that "Wow!" factor. I really like the teriyaki sauce in this, having a more authentic Japanese-style. I also like the light chile pepper flavor, the light tanginess in the chewing, and the moderate level of heat is just right for most spicy food lovers.

Rating: Best (5/5)