Chudabeef Jerky Strips - Original

Chudabeef Jerky Strips is a brand launched by Kevin Casey based out of Long Beach, CA. The brand has been in business since 2014, and at the beginning of 2015 had just completed a successful Kickstarter campaign.

Kevin is an active hiker and had been making his own jerky for his trips through the wilderness. His friends loved it so much, they offered to pay him for some. That got him interested in starting his own jerky business.

This Original is described the company as, "...crisp, smoky, peppery goodness", along with, "...a perfect blend of flavors that satisfies the taste buds of every jerky lover."

Ingredients

Beef, tamari soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, natural hickory smoke flavor, black pepper, onion powder, natural flavor

Review

The first thing I taste on the palate is a light sweet, followed by a light saucy flavor, with a faint onion. The chewing brings in a bit more sweet, particularly the honey flavor, which seems to add a little tang. There's also a bit more onion definition, and a noticeable black pepper that builds in the background.

For being described as "crisp, smoky, and peppery", it certainly delivers the peppery part. The smokiness has a light effect. As for the "crisp", all I can say is that the onion seems to cut through the other flavors and present itself well.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is that of onion. Think of something along the lines of french onion soup as a base marinade, but throw in a little bit honey for sweetness, and a bit of black pepper for spice.

The meat consistency seem pretty good. I find mostly all meat with no visible signs of fat, though I experienced some stringiness. It's quite soft to chew, more so than you might expect. It has a very meaty chewing texture, though a little bit rubbery.

Verdict

This Original from Chudabeef Jerky Strips manages to pack in some great flavor, marked by an onion seasoning, but bolstered with black pepper and tempered with honey. It actually ends up offering a little of everything: sweet, salty, savory, and spicy. But it's also pretty good chew too, being somewhat soft, tender, and meaty. I liked the bit of tanginess, and I also liked the heavier onion instead of the tried-and-true garlic that most brands rely on. It tends to still have a somewhat rubbery texture, and I don't get much natural meat flavor. But the flavors that it does offer are pretty good and creative.

Rating: Good