Crazy Horse Jerky - Meat Sticks

New from Crazy Horse Jerky is this line of Meat Sticks. They come in a variety of flavors, including this Original, but also Hot and Cheese & Meat.

Crazy Horse Jerky was founded by Dave Wenrich and Cara Wenrich in Hellam, PA. They started making jerky using an old family recipe that Dave got from his father, and eventually launched this business from it. Wenrich says he comes from a long line of farmers in Berks County, PA where they smoked their own meat using maple, oak, and fruit woods. He continues the same process today, using the same smoking processes, but with USDA bottom round.

This Original variety of their Meat Sticks is described as having, "a nice smokey flavor and a lite snap", going on to say that they're gluten free.

Ingredients

None provided

Review

The first flavors I pick up is the smoke, with a light salt. The chewing brings on a burst of flavors, particularly a tangy vinegar, with garlic and black pepper, followed by a cured meat flavor towards the end. The salt increases through the chewing. After several bites and chews, there seems to be a light cayenne pepper noticeable.

For being described as a "nice smokey flavor and a lite snap", it's pretty spot on. The smoke comes on right away and continues throughout the chewing, but is most noticeable in the first few chews. The lite snap to the bite is right there too, and even gives off a couple of crunches in the first few chews.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is that tangy, vinegar (encapsulated citric acid most likely), but is perhaps stronger in these sticks than competing brands. The salt, garlic, black pepper, and perhaps a bit of cayenne, helps turn that tangy vinegar into something more like a mild Tabasco sauce, but with a clearly identifiable cured meat flavor.

The meat consistency is largely noted by that initial snap to the bite, but otherwise finds a very soft, and lightly oily, texture inside. It doesn't really take on a meaty feel, but rather more mushy, and something closer to national retail brands of meat sticks than gourmet. However, the firm feel and snap, countered by the soft inside, somehow makes these mysteriously addictive.

Verdict

These Original flavored meat sticks from Crazy Horse Jerky definitely goes beyond the lot of competing meat sticks with its firm, snap to the bite, yet soft, tender inside, and it's more intense flavor that mimics the character of Tabasco sauce without the heat. The firm, snap to the bite becomes quite addictive, which all snacks should do, but yet meets the chewing with something soft, tender, and lightly oily. The smoke flavor greets you first, which imparts a sense of Pennsylvania Dutch tradition, but that tangy, vinegary, cayenne-like flavor bursts its way in, and really takes over the palate, and beckons you for a cold swig of Yuengling's. Overall we enjoyed these sticks, mostly for that contrast of firm snap bite with moist soft meat, but it's definitely a different brand of stick that'll grab your attention.

Rating: Good (4/5)

Buy this online:

• https://www.crazyhorsejerky.com/