Grill Your Ass Off Jerky - Cowboy Style

Grill Your Ass Off is a line of jerky and seasonings that launched in 2016 by Army Veterans, Jason Murff, based out of Hutto, TX. Murff had actually started with a line of seasonings and just now expanded into jerky.

The idea for his brand stems back into his Army days when he developed seasonings for his brothers in arms. After the service, he went into college to sharpen his business skills and went on to launch his new brand. Murff donates a portion of his proceeds to charities that benefit military and first responders.

This Cowboy Style jerky is described by Murff as, "Rugged Trail Delight with just a hint of smoke".

Ingredients

Beef, water, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, seasoned salt, onion salt, granulated garlic, corn syrup, salt, salt cure (93.75% salt and 6.25% sodium nitrite)

Review

The first flavor that hits my tongue is a light salt and light smoke. The chewing brings on a bit more salt through a light soy sauce. But, there's a garlic starting to come in along with a touch of sweet. The natural meat flavors bring up the rear in a light showing.

For being marketed as, "Cowboy Style", with "just a hint of smoke", it does have a resemblance of that bold, manly flavor, but toned down somewhat. When I think of Cowboy style jerky, I think of bold seasonings, more garlic, more black pepper, more smoke... This has those elements, doesn't have enough to seem "rugged". It's more of a gentle cowboy, or maybe a city slicker, who's still trying to get used to black coffee and chewing tobacco.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is a moderately salted, but watered down soy sauce, helped by a light boost of garlic, and a trace of smoke.

These are very thin sliced slabs that feel dry, yet are chewy. There's touches of crunch to these in the initial chews. The take on a crumbly chewing texture, with a meaty feel, but never becoming steak-like. I see some light fat streaks, but overall these are lean slices.

Verdict

This Cowboy Style beef jerky from Grill Your Ass Off offers that Old West flavor and feel without going overboard on the seasonings. It's more of a lightly seasoned Cowboy Style, one that lets the natural meat flavors show up better, and doesn't scorch the tongue with the heavy salt and black pepper that other brands tend to do. While old veteran cow pokes might prefer a bolder, stronger flavor that will help their weathered and worn taste buds register a stimulus, this interpretation from Grill Your Ass Off seems to be targeted to meat snackers looking for something more snackable. I really love the semi-crisp texture of these slices that deliver a light crunch. While it doesn't really deliver a steak-like chewing texture, it's still meaty good snack that keeps it simple.

Rating: Good (4/5)