Little Bit Jerky - Sizzling Bit

Little Bit Jerky is a new brand that launched in February 2016, by Robert Helmcamp and Teresa Helmcamp, based out of Wichita Falls, TX.

Robert is a professional butcher of 22 years, learning the craft the "old school" way, and developed his own seasonings. Little Bit Jerky is made fresh daily from top round, and marinated for 18-24 hours.

This "Sizzling Bit" is described by the company as tasting like fajitas from a Mexican restaurant.

Ingredients

Beef, water, natural hickory wood smoke, vinegar, salt, onion, garlic, black pepper, crushed dark red chili, hydrolyzed soy & corn protein, sugar, molasses, papain, citric acid, smoked paprika, oregano, white pepper, fenugreek, fennel, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, basil, rosemary, celery, thyme, marjoram, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, coriander.

Review

The first flavors I taste is a complex seasoning, marked by garlic, thyme, oregano, and a light sweet and salty. The chewing brings on more complexity and variety from the seasoning, including a light vinegar tanginess. There's a light natural meat flavor that comes well into the chewing.

For being named, "Sizzling Bit", and described as tasting like fajitas from a Mexican restaurant, it seems to hold up. It definitely has the strong seasoning blend you'd expect to get from beef fajitas, and perhaps a touch of smokiness from a sizzling grill. It has a light bit of heat, rating as "mild medium" on my personal heat scale (level 2 out of 5).

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is that of a complex blend of seasonings with a light vinegar tanginess, and a light natural meat flavor. The level of saltiness seems moderate to high, but perhaps a little less than the company's other flavors.

The meat consistency looks really good, mostly all meat, sliced into slabs of medium thickness. It's dry, but flexible, and manages to tear apart with light effort. The chewing starts out quite chewy and eventually softens up enough to feel like a well-done cooked steak.

Verdict

This Sizzling Bit from Little Bit Jerky punches out a complex seasoning blend that attacks the palate from all sides. It's bursting with flavor, and if you're an expert at identifying spices, this will keep you thinking and guessing with each chew. I like the vinegar tanginess, though I'm not sure if that's something I'd expect to find in beef fajitas, and I like the addiction it creates through it's intense flavor and steak-like chewing texture. It's still somewhat high in saltiness, and definitely makes you want to quench your thirst with an ice cold beer. But that in itself may be a good situation to find yourself in.

Rating: Best (5/5)