Little Bit Jerky - Twisted 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 "Twisted Bit" is described by the company as tasting Cajun variety, "with a mix of traditional Texas smoke flavor twisted with the bold taste of jalapenos."

Ingredients

Beef, water, natural hickory wood smoke, vinegar, salt, onion, garlic, black pepper, crushed dark red chile, hydrolyzed soy & corn protein, sugar, molasses, papain, citric acid, smoked paprika, chipotle, cayenne, jalapeno powder

Review

The first flavors I taste is a moderate salt, followed by a blend of liquid smoke, vinegar, garlic and onion. The chewing brings on a rich, natural meat flavor, with a moderate spicy heat. The black pepper comes in later in the chewing, with touches of cayenne and jalapeno.

For being described as a Cajun variety, I can definitely taste it in here. It has the peppery blend of cayenne, black pepper, and jalapeno, but also the onion and garlic. The liquid smoke, combined with the smoked paprika and chipotle definitely gives this a smokey, earthy, Texas character. On my personal heat scale, I'd rate this as "medium" (level 3 out of 5).

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is that of a salty blend of seasonings, marked by touches of cayenne and chile pepper, and a noticeable smoke. The natural meat flavors are well identified, mostly in the latter part of chewing, as a well-done cooked steak.

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 Twisted Bit from Little Bit Jerky definitely rocks the Cajun variety, but throws in enough of the southwest character with some chile pepper and smoke. I found the saltiness rather prominent, just as with other varieties I've reviewed from Little Bit. The seasonings are strong and burst all over the tongue, but you definitely need a liquid companion to help alleviate the saltiness. I like the natural meat flavors that come out in this, and I love the meaty, steak-like chewing.

Rating: Good (4/5)