Grill Your Ass Off - Original

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 Original style jerky is described by Murff as, "a taste everyone can enjoy", going on to say that it's for those who want to, "keep it simple.

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Chef Craig's Beef Jerky - Original

One the newest jerky brands on the market is Chef Craig's Beef Jerky. A product of CJM Products, it's based out of West Kingston, RI.

It's the idea of Craig Mitchell, who a few years ago, had sent me samples of his own homemade jerky, with the intent of launching a business someday. Mitchell received his Culinary Arts degree from Johnson & Wales University, and has been cooking professionally since 1978.

As of this review, the only flavor Chef Craig's offers is this Original.

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Biltong USA - Traditional Sliced Biltong

Biltong USA was among the earliest brands of American-made biltong, dating back to 1996. South African immigrants, Dawid Joubert and Salome Joubert founded the company in Stallings, NC based on the same family recipe that dated back into the 1600s. Over the years, their biltong products helped launched a new meat snack category in the States.

In January 2018, Biltong USA was acquired by a rival biltong brand, Stryve Foods. However, Biltong USA continues on under its own brand, and is still manufactured at its original USDA inspected facility in Stallings.

This Traditional Sliced Biltong differs from the Original Sliced Biltong we reviewed last week in that it has some fat whereas the Original is lean. The package is also marked "Gluten Free".

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Bakke Brothers Brand - Honey Glazed Beef Jerky

Bakke Brothers Brand is owned by Whiskey Hill Smokehouse, LLC based out of Hubbard, OR. Whiskey Hill also owns The Jerky Hut, as well as its own house brand, Whiskey Hill Smokehouse.

Bakke Brothers was started by Phil Bakke, one of Whiskey Hill'founders. The brand differs from The Jerky Hut in that it's free of preservatives such as sodium nitrite, sodium erythorbate, et al, and it's also gluten-free.

This "Honey Glazed" is described by the brand as, "...flavored by Honey, Smoke, Brown & Maple sugars", going on to say that it's made with, "slices of premium, tender, juicy beef".

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Biltong USA - Original Sliced Biltong

Biltong USA was among the earliest brands of American-made biltong, dating back to 1996. South African immigrants, Dawid Joubert and Salome Joubert founded the company in Stallings, NC based on the same family recipe that dated back into the 1600s. Over the years, their biltong products helped launched a new meat snack category in the States.

In January 2018, Biltong USA was acquired by a rival biltong brand, Stryve Foods. However, Biltong USA continues on under its own brand, and is still manufactured at its original USDA inspected facility in Stallings.

This Original Sliced Biltong is the brand's most popular product, it's their lean variety, whereas their "Traditional Sliced" is the fatty variety. The package is also marked "Gluten Free".

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Grandpa's Beef Jerky - Sweet Teriyaki

Grandpa's Beef Jerky is a brand started by Jacob Piercy, based out of Fishers, Indiana. Piercy remembers being a kid and watching his grandfather hanging deer meat for jerky. Eventually, his grandfather handed down the recipe and process.

Today, Piercy sells packages of Grandpa's Beef Jerky at farmers markets across Indiana and online too, allowing jerky fans across the USA to enjoy a family legacy.

This "Sweet Teriyaki" is described as, "...smoky, salty and sweet in the best way", and is marked as, "Mild".

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Jerky's Gourmet - Habanero Sculpin

Jerky's Gourmet is a new brand of jerky, founded by Tim Gerstman and Andria Taylor, based out of San Diego, CA. Gerstman, who transplated to San Diego from the East Coast 8 years ago, met Andria who also happened to love beef jerky. The two joined forces and launched Jerky's Gourmet.

Their jerky is sold at various shops, bars, and venues across the San Diego area. However the two can be found at the Little Italy Farmers Market on Saturdays, doling out samples of their jerky.

Habanero Sculpin also happens to be the name of a craft beer made by Ballast Point Brewing, another San Diego business. This jerky is marinated for 24 hours in this brew, creating a one-two punch of habanero spices and "subtle hoppy notes" on the tongue.

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Grandpa's Beef Jerky - Original Hickory

Grandpa's Beef Jerky is a brand started by Jacob Piercy, based out of Fishers, Indiana. Piercy remembers being a kid and watching his grandfather hanging deer meat for jerky. Eventually, his grandfather handed down the recipe and process.

Today, Piercy sells packages of Grandpa's Beef Jerky at farmers markets across Indiana and online too, allowing jerky fans across the USA to enjoy a family legacy.

This "Original Hickory" is said to be Grandpa's most requested variety, and is made from top-round-steak. It's marked with a heat-rating of "Medium".

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Whiskey Hill Smokehouse - Saki Teri-Yaki

Whiskey Hill Smokehouse is a brand owned and operated by Whiskey Hill Smokehouse, LLC, based out of Hubbard, OR. The company also owns The Jerky Hut brand of jerky, along with Bakke Brothers Brand.

According to the company, the Whiskey Hill Smokehouse brand focuses on exotic meats and more exotic recipes than The Jerky Hut and the Bakke Brothers lines. It also focuses on all natural ingredients and its jerky varieties are all marked as "Gluten Free".

This "Saki Teri-Yaki" is said to be a throwback to the days when teriyaki was made with real sake. These days, most other companies make teriyaki with mirin wine, or rice wine vinegar.

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J&K Jerky - Ghost Pepper

J&K Beef Jerky is a brand owned by J&K Distributors based out of Huntington Beach, CA. J&K Distributors is an actual distributing company that stocks convenience stores throughout Southern California. J&K has been around since 1980.

Like most distributing companies, J&K offers several brands of jerky for its store clients, but also offers its own house brand. According to the company, they've offered this jerky over the past 20 years.

This Ghost Pepper beef jerky is simply described by the company as, "scary hot", and "muy caliente" with photos of flames and caution tape.

Ingredients

Beef, soy sauce, brown sugar, spice, ghost pepper, vinegar, crushed red chilies, liquid smoke, sodium nitrite.

Review

The first flavors that hit my palate is sweet, followed by the flavor of red chiles. There's a light garlic. The level of heat starts out light. The chewing brings on a bit more red chile pepper flavor, along with a light natural meat flavor towards the end. The heat seems to pick up a bit.

For being named, "Ghost Pepper" with the warning of "scary hot", it doesn't quite get that hot. I mean, it's still a significant heat, but doesn't really reach the intense heat one expects from Ghost Peppers. This might be more along the levels of a habanero jerky, but even then it's still somewhat toned down for habanero. On our heat scale, this rates a "medium hot", level 4/5. Moreover, the flavor of Ghost Pepper is not there. I'm not getting that pungent, earthy, floral palate that Ghost Peppers are known for. It's really the crushed red chile flavor that comes through.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is a well-sweetened soy sauce, with a noticeable crushed red chile pepper flavor, and touches of garlic. There's a light natural meat flavors that comes on at the end.

These slices of meat are chewy, but not tough. They have a faint bit of stickiness on the surface, but not enough to gunk up your fingers. There's light levels of stringiness in the chewing, but otherwise this jerky has a meaty chew that takes on a steak-like texture. I do see some streaks of gristle in the larger slices.

Verdict

This Ghost Pepper beef jerky from J&K does ramp up the heat for those looking for a fiery chew, but manages to stay toned down for increased snacking enjoyment. While it's not really of the intense burn that one comes to expect with Ghost Peppers, it still seems to satisfy the urge for punishment without causing you to stop and douse your mouth with dairy-based extinguishers. But while it's a good alternative for sweat-breaking snacking, it doesn't provide any Ghost Pepper flavor. There's none of the pungent, earthy palate that Bhut Jolokia fans crave. Instead, it's mostly the flavor of crushed red chile flakes that dominate. Otherwise, you still get the same great steak-like chewing that J&K is known for, and it's still a tender, yet chewy, consistency.

Rating: Average (3/5)

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Bakke Brothers Brand Jerky - Teriyaki

Bakke Brothers Brand is owned by Whiskey Hill Smokehouse, LLC based out of Hubbard, OR. Whiskey Hill also owns The Jerky Hut, as well as its own house brand, Whiskey Hill Smokehouse.

Bakke Brothers was started by Phil Bakke, one of Whiskey Hill's founders. The brand differs from The Jerky Hut in that it's free of preservatives such as sodium nitrite, sodium erythorbate, et al, and it's also gluten-free.

This Teriyaki Beef Jerky is marketed as, "Gluten Free", "No MSG", and "No Nitrates", and other than that, is simple marked, "Teriyaki".

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Legacy Meats Jerky - Black Pepper & Garlic

Legacy Meats is a family-run meat-distribution business located in Kersey, Colorado. Ben Elliott, who built a career raising cattle, launched this business in 2012 when the trend for buying locally-sourced foods gained traction. Last year, Ben and wife opened up a store in Kersey.

Legacy Meats supplies grass-fed steaks and chops to local customers, but has built a following across the world. Recently, they added beef jerky to their product line up. You can purchase jerky packages individually, or through their own Jerky subscription program.

This Black Pepper & Garlic variety is described by them as delivering, "bold in flavor with a savory finish".

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Chef Craig's Beef Jerky - Black Thai

The newest flavor to come out of Chef Craig's Beef Jerky is this Black Thai. Read our review of their Original Beef Jerky.

Based out of West Kingston, RI, Chef Craig's Beef Jerky was originally started by Craig Mitchell, who holds a Culinary Arts degree from Johnson & Wales University. He's been cooking professionally since 1978. Chef Craig's Beef Jerky was a way to extend his career in cooking and cuisine.

This Black Thai variety is described by the company as "The same chewy beef jerky with a taste of Asian spiciness; it leaves a lingering warm sensation in your mouth."

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The Jerky Hut - Teriyaki Beef Sticks

The Jerky Hut is a brand of Whiskey Hill Smokehouse, LLC based out of Hubbard, OR. The brand which is often seen at boat shows, gun shows, car shows, and trade shows of every kind, was started over 30 years ago.

Much of its jerky is sold through independent "retail licensees", who are the folks running the booths at the shows. It's parent company, Whiskey Hill Smokehouse, runs its own USDA inspected facility.

These Teriyaki Beef Sticks are described by The Jerky Hut as, "Polynesian/Hawaiian style Teriyaki Flavor! MILD".

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Painted Hills Natural Beef - Sizzling Sriracha Beef Jerky

Painted Hills Natural Beef got its start in 1997 when seven ranchers in the Wheeler County area of Oregon got together to form a new cattle venture that would protect their top quality animals from being blended with cattle of lower quality. The company is now a wholesaler of boxed primal cuts of steaks, and just recently added deli meats and jerky to their line up.

The cattle they raise receive a 100% vegetarian diet throughout their lives, grazing the pastures of 80 family farms. The animals never receive added hormones or antibiotics. The resulting jerky is 100% gluten free and made with no MSG or preservatives.

This Sizzling Sriracha variety comes with no additional description or claims other than, "Gluten Free" and "No MSG", however the company claims to make their own in-house sriracha sauce.

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Whiskey Hill Smokehouse - Elk Jerky

Whiskey Hill Smokehouse is a brand owned and operated by Whiskey Hill Smokehouse, LLC, based out of Hubbard, OR. The company also owns The Jerky Hut brand of jerky, along with Bakke Brothers Brand.

According to the company, the Whiskey Hill Smokehouse brand focuses on exotic meats and more exotic recipes than The Jerky Hut and the Bakke Brothers lines. It also focuses on all natural ingredients and its jerky varieties are all marked as "Gluten Free".

Whiskey Hill Smokehouse describes this Elk Jerky as being made in a, "new natural Gluten Free recipe".

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Biltong USA - Original Droëwors

Biltong USA was among the earliest brands of American-made biltong, dating back to 1996. South African immigrants, Dawid Joubert and Salome Joubert founded the company in Stallings, NC based on the same family recipe that dated back into the 1600s. Over the years, their biltong products helped launched a new meat snack category in the States.

In January 2018, Biltong USA was acquired by a rival biltong brand, Stryve Foods. However, Biltong USA continues on under its own brand, and is still manufactured at its original USDA inspected facility in Stallings.

This Original Droëwors, according to the company, these sticks come from their large, fresh pieces of solid beef muscle, and is then ground coarse, seasoned, stuffed into lamb casing, and finally cured. Droëwors is a South African-style meat stick. These are the company's normal sized stick, they also make a thicker variety.

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Jerky's Gourmet - Ghost Pepper

Jerky's Gourmet is a new brand of jerky, founded by Tim Gerstman and Andria Taylor, based out of San Diego, CA. Gerstman, who transplated to San Diego from the East Coast 8 years ago, met Andria who also happened to love beef jerky. The two joined forces and launched Jerky's Gourmet.

Their jerky is sold at various shops, bars, and venues across the San Diego area. However the two can be found at the Little Italy Farmers Market on Saturdays, doling out samples of their jerky.

This Ghost Pepper jerky is described as being "soy free" and "gluten free", and is balanced "with subtle hints of honey and pineapple".

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Dahlonega Jerky Co - Cracked Pepper Beef Brisket Jerky

Dahlonega Jerky Co. is a new brand launched in 2018 by Steve and Laurie Hallock out of Dahlonega, GA. The couple owns Outlaw Jerky & Trail Grub, a jerky and snack store based in the same town.

Their "Taste Local" jerky line was inspired by the farm-to-table culinary experience using locally sourced ingredients. The Dahlonega Jerky label pays tribute to the town's gold rush history. It is the location of the first U.S. Gold Rush in 1828. The label is based on an 1800's Gold Mining Stock certificate.

This Cracked Pepper Beef Brisket jerky variety is described as having a "savory hickory flavored beef, followed by salt and cracked black pepper...", along with "...a medium chew that chews down to a steak chew texture."

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Whiskey Hill Smokehouse - Whiskey BBQ Jerky

Whiskey Hill Smokehouse is a brand owned and operated by Whiskey Hill Smokehouse, LLC, based out of Hubbard, OR. The company also owns The Jerky Hut brand of jerky, along with Bakke Brothers Brand.

According to the company, the Whiskey Hill Smokehouse brand focuses on exotic meats and more exotic recipes than The Jerky Hut and the Bakke Brothers lines. It also focuses on all natural ingredients and its jerky varieties are all marked as "Gluten Free".

This "Whiskey BBQ" is part of a series of alcohol-infused jerky varieties recently launched by Whiskey Hill Smokehouse. Others include Maple Bourbon, and Saki-Teriyaki. The package is marked, "Gluten Free".

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Legacy Meats - Applewood

Legacy Meats is a family-run meat-distribution business located in Kersey, Colorado. Ben Elliott, who built a career raising cattle, launched this business in 2012 when the trend for buying locally-sourced foods gained traction. Last year, Ben and wife opened up a store in Kersey.

Legacy Meats supplies grass-fed steaks and chops to local customers, but has built a following across the world. Recently, they added beef jerky to their product line up. You can purchase jerky packages individually, or through their own Jerky subscription program.

This Applewood Beef Jerky is described by them as, "...on the mild side with hints of hickory smoked marinate and applewood smoke flavor".

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Wicked Cutz Beef Jerky - BBQ Mesquite

Wicked Cutz Beef Jerky is a new brand, having debuted just a couple of months ago. It was launched by Branch Warren, a well-known body builder who has won numerous competitions over past couple of decades. Warren also owns other companies that market apparel and body building supplements.

Warren's move into beef jerky touches upon his heritage in the Texas cattle industry going back 150 years. He grew up on a cattle ranch and in his youth spent time as a ranch hand before moving on to body-building. Now in his retirement, he sought to start his own jerky brand and touch upon his cattlemen roots.

This BBQ Mesquite is described by the company as, "no ordinary jerky", going on to say that it's, "flavor is so pronounced", and, "taste is so delicious, this jerky will leave even the most loyal Pitmasters wishing they had more."

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J&K Beef Jerky - Whiskey BBQ

J&K Beef Jerky is a brand owned by J&K Distributors based out of Huntington Beach, CA. J&K Distributors is an actual distributing company that stocks convenience stores throughout Southern California. J&K has been around since 1980.

Like most distributing companies, J&K offers several brands of jerky for its store clients, but also offers its own house brand. According to the company, they've offered this jerky over the past 20 years.

This Whiskey BBQ beef jerky is claimed to be, "...the true flagship of our company", going on to say that it was created with their own, "sweet and tangy barbecue sauce with Cayenne pepper and real Kentucky Bourbon".

Ingredients

Beef, BBQ sauce, brown sugar, BBQ seasoning, whiskey bourbon, vinegar, honey, liquid smoke, corn syrup solids, cayenne pepper, sodium nitrite

Review

The first flavors that hit my palate is a sticky sweet BBQ sauce, weighted on sugar, but with a light spiciness. The chewing brings on more of the same, but with a light natural meat flavor coming on in the end.

For being marketed as "Whiskey BBQ" this strikes up a clearly identifiable barbecue sauce, more like the Kansas Style with a thick sweet, tomatoey profile, yet a lightly seasoned spice. There's even a touch of smoke noticeable. The Whiskey part is noticeable too, but you're not going to taste any alcohol. There's a faint fermented character to this along with a light whiskey burn going down the throat. If anything, the whiskey livens up the barbecue sauce and gives it more punch.

Otherwise, the primary taste profile is a thick sweet, tomatoey barbecue sauce with a light spiciness, a touch of ferment and a bit of whiskey burn going down the throat. There's a light natural meat at the very end.

These slices of meat are quite soft and very sticky from the heavy BBQ sauce marinade. Underneath that layer of sauce is still a chewy meat texture that takes on a steak-like feel once chewed down soft. This jerky tends to be stringy, however. Your fingers will pick up a lot of "goop" and you'll need to suck them clean before grabbing the steering wheel or touching the remote control.

Verdict

This Whiskey BBQ variety from J&K Beef Jerky dishes out a very lively barbecue sauce based on a thick sweet, tomatoey profile, a spicy combination of seasonings, and livened up with a dose of bourbon. You're not going to taste any alcohol in this, but you will notice a fermented character in the sauce, and you will feel a light whiskey burn going down. It's still a chewy jerky overall, but layered with enough sticky sauce that you'll need to suck your fingers clean before touching anything. While there's some stringiness in the chewing, this jerky takes on a steak-like texture that recreates a decadent barbecue-beef experience. This is probably J&K Jerky's best flavor.

Note: if you buy this, make sure to get the larger size package to get the bigger, softer slices.


Rating: Best (5/5)

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Ryder's Savage Jerky - Teriyaki

Ryder's Savage Jerky is a brand that launched in 2017 by Monica Willoughby based out of Sacramento, CA. Monica currently markets her jerky at local farmers markets, street fairs, and online through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

She started the business as a way to create a college fund for her 5-year old son Ryder. Last year she launched a crowdfunding campaign to secure licenses, materials, and equipment. Last month she got a boost after being featured on a television news show in Sacramento.

This Teriyaki beef jerky has no other marketed claims other than its name, "Teriyaki".

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Bakke Brothers Brand - Garlic Lovers Beef Jerky

Bakke Brothers Brand is owned by Whiskey Hill Smokehouse, LLC based out of Hubbard, OR. Whiskey Hill also owns The Jerky Hut, as well as its own house brand, Whiskey Hill Smokehouse.

Bakke Brothers differs from The Jerky Hut in that it's free of preservatives such as sodium nitrite, sodium erythorbate, et al, and it's also gluten-free.

This "Garlic Lovers" appears to be one of the brand's best sellers based on reviews.

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Chew On This Jerky - Sweet & Spicy

Chew On This Jerky is a new brand of jerky launched in April 2018 by Eric Bowlus and Grace Bowlus, based out of Corona, CA.

Veteran-owned and operated, the Bowlus' history in craft jerky goes back over 40 years working in the food manufacturing industry. Eric began making jerky as a hobby just within the last five. After a couple of years making dehydrated meats, he decided to turn it into a business.

This Sweet & Spicy variety is described by the company as, "Beef Jerky with a sweet taste, a little hickory, then the heat", going to to say that it's their most popular flavor.

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Wicked Cutz Beef Jerky - Original Peppered

Wicked Cutz Beef Jerky is a new brand, having debuted just a couple of months ago. It was launched by Branch Warren, a well-known body builder who has won numerous competitions over past couple of decades. Warren also owns other companies that market apparel and body building supplements.

Warren's move into beef jerky touches upon his heritage in the Texas cattle industry going back 150 years. He grew up on a cattle ranch and in his youth spent time as a ranch hand before moving on to body-building. Now in his retirement, he sought to start his own jerky brand and touch upon his cattlemen roots.

This Original Peppered is described by the company as, "Smoked in a bed of flavorful bliss and peppered to perfection, this Jerky lines up all of your taste buds and peppers them with love and affection."

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Chew On This Jerky - Teriyaki

Chew On This Jerky is a new brand of jerky launched in April 2018 by Eric Bowlus and Grace Bowlus, based out of Corona, CA.

Veteran-owned and operated, the Bowlus' history in craft jerky goes back over 40 years working in the food manufacturing industry. Eric began making jerky as a hobby just within the last five. After a couple of years making dehydrated meats, he decided to turn it into a business.

This Teriyaki variety comes with no other claims or description other than "teriyaki".

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Trader Joe's - Sweet Sriracha Uncured Bacon Jerky

Trader Joe's recently released a new flavor of uncured bacon jerky, "Sweet Sriracha".

Dubbed, "a sweet & spicy way to dress up thick, flavorful uncured bacon", it's yet another in a long line of snack foods paired with up the famous Thai condiment.

I had review Trader Joe's jerky years ago and found that I wasn't really a fan. But that was years ago. The brand has revamped its jerky line with cool new flavor ideas.

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Beefy Boys - Original Beef Jerky

Beefy Boys Beef Jerky is a brand owned by John Bailey, based out of Salinas, CA. The brand has been around since 1999.

Manufactured in their very own USDA inspected facility, Beefy Boys is made from top round sourced from a supplier located 120 miles from their plant, then marinated and cooked using an old family recipe.

This Original variety is described by the company as its first ever product offering, described as "conservative" and "milder" than their other flavors.

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Poor-Man's Jerky - Hawaiian Heatwave

Poor-Man's Jerky is owned by Mike Stringfield, based out of Wellsville, KS. A landscaper by day, and jerky chef at all other times.

The company makes both whole-muscle jerky, such as this Hawaiian Heatwave, along with chopped and formed jerky that we reviewed previously. Poor-Man's Jerky doesn't have its own website; all sales comes from local street festivals and county fairs, as well as through Facebook.

This "Hawaiian Heatwave" variety doesn't come with any other description or claims.

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Bakke Brothers Brand - Teriyaki Snackin' Sticks

Bakke Brothers Brand is owned by Whiskey Hill Smokehouse, LLC based out of Hubbard, OR. Whiskey Hill also owns The Jerky Hut, as well as its own house brand, Whiskey Hill Smokehouse.

Bakke Brothers was started by Phil Bakke, one of Whiskey Hill's founders. The brand differs from The Jerky Hut in that it's free of preservatives such as sodium nitrite, sodium erythorbate, et al, and it's also gluten-free.

These "Teriyaki Snackin' Sticks" are made with the company's own teriyaki marinade and are marketed towards meat snackers who crave a sweeter, milder, chew.

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Jerky Jerks - Sweet Garlic Beef Jerky

Jerky Jerks is a business owned by Tracy Hood, based out of Bakersfield, CA. It started up selling Jerky Hut brand snacks at trade shows and farmers markets across the USA. These days, Tracy has extended the Jerky Jerks brand to its very own line of jerky.

Jerky Jerks is made in a USDA inspected facility and uses no added MSG.

This Sweet Garlic Beef Jerky is described by them as a favorite at garlic festivals, "...starts out sweet, then the perfect of Garlic, not overpowering."

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Legacy Meats Jerky - Mild Hickory

Legacy Meats is a family-run meat-distribution business located in Kersey, Colorado. Ben Elliott, who built a career raising cattle, launched this business in 2012 when the trend for buying locally-sourced foods gained traction. Last year, Ben and wife opened up a store in Kersey.

Legacy Meats supplies grass-fed steaks and chops to local customers, but has built a following across the world. Recently, they added beef jerky to their product line up. You can purchase jerky packages individually, or through their own Jerky subscription program.

This Mild Hickory Beef Jerky is described by them as simply, "a classic flavor; right out of your favorite spaghetti western film".

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Jerky's Gourmet - Craft Beer

Jerky's Gourmet is a new brand of jerky, founded by Tim Gerstman and Andria Taylor, based out of San Diego, CA. Gerstman, who transplated to San Diego from the East Coast 8 years ago, met Andria who also happened to love beef jerky. The two joined forces and launched Jerky's Gourmet.

The pair can be found at farmers markets across the San Diego area doling out taste samples. Their jerky is also sold at various stores and shops across town, and also sell from their website.

This "Craft Beer" jerky is part of their "Top Shelf Line" of alcohol-infused jerky, and was inspired by San Diego's love of craft beer. According to Jerky's Gourmet, "It packs a bold punch of traditional spices and, of course, lots of premium beer. We use the best domestic pale ale in our marinade to bring the on-tap flavor of hops and barley that will make your mouth water!"

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People's Choice Beef Jerky - Garlic Ginger

People's Choice Beef Jerky launched a new flavor recently, "Garlic Ginger".

People's Choice Beef Jerky is a brand of Peoples Sausage Company, Inc. based out of Los Angeles, CA. It's a family-run business that's been around since 1929. See our previous reviews of their jerky.

This Garlic Ginger jerky is part of the company's "Tasting Kitchen" series, which is a line of jerky that mixes bold, eclectic ingredients, with the old fashioned style of making jerky. People's Choice says that this Garlic Ginger variety gives a healthy dose of garlic with the bright, counterbalance of ginger. They infused sesame seeds and sesame oil to create an Asian profile.

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Whiskey Hill Smokehouse - Venison Jerky

Whiskey Hill Smokehouse is a brand owned and operated by Whiskey Hill Smokehouse, LLC, based out of Hubbard, OR. The company also owns The Jerky Hut brand of jerky, along with Bakke Brothers Brand.

According to the company, the Whiskey Hill Smokehouse brand focuses on exotic meats and more exotic recipes than The Jerky Hut and the Bakke Brothers lines. It also focuses on all natural ingredients and its jerky varieties are all marked as "Gluten Free".

Whiskey Hill Smokehouse says this Venison Jerky has , "No wild taste", and goes on to describe the flavor as, "Just a hint of tang with a little Black Pepper", and says the meat comes from, "slices of premium, tender VENISON prime steak".

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Joe's Wicked Good Jerky Firefighters' Favorite

During the summer of 2015 a serial arsonist attacked Contra Costa County in California, sending more than 10,000 firefighters on the line fighting fires. The men and women of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) are dedicated to the fire protection and stewardship of over 31 million acres of California's privately-owned wildlands. Joe's Wicked Good Jerky answered the call to help support those firefighters.

During the hot summer over 60,000 packages of Joe's Wicked Good Jerky was sent to the front lines. In the sack lunches firefighters found packages of Joe's Peppered, Regular and Sweet and Spicy jerky. Owned and operated by Joe and Traci Nixt, Joe's Wicked Good Jerky is distributed out of Redding, California and has been in business since March 2015.

"It feels so good to send a treat to these men and women who do so much for us and keep us safe. Joe and I are so grateful for their efforts," said Traci.

As it turns out, these firefighters love this jerky! Orders pour in all year long after the firefighters return home. In 2016 more of Joe's jerky was sent to the front lines and even more orders poured in afterwards.

"Had your Regular in a lunch sack at the fires in Trinity County last Summer. Best jerky ever! Reminds me of what my Mom made when I was a kid. Keep up the great work!" Andrea T., Fair Oaks, CA

"Had this jerky on the Valley Fire and it is amazing!! Every time I opened my lunch this is the first thing I went for!" Dan M., Nampa, ID

"This is by far the best jerky that I've ever tasted!" Ashley C., West Columbia, SC

Joe and Traci want to thank these firefighters for all they do and encourage everyone to be fire safe this summer.

Order yours today by visiting their website.

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Whiskey Hill Smokehouse - Gator Jerky

Whiskey Hill Smokehouse is a brand owned and operated by Whiskey Hill Smokehouse, LLC, based out of Hubbard, OR. The company also owns The Jerky Hut brand of jerky, along with Bakke Brothers Brand.

According to the company, the Whiskey Hill Smokehouse brand focuses on exotic meats and more exotic recipes than The Jerky Hut and the Bakke Brothers lines. It also focuses on all natural ingredients and its jerky varieties are all marked as "Gluten Free".

Whiskey Hill Smokehouse doesn't make any marketing claims on this Gator Jerky aside from being low fat, high protein, and that it "tastes like chicken".

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Jeff's Famous Jerky - Sriracha Style Ghost Pepper

Sriracha Style Ghost Pepper is the newest beef jerky creation from the folks at Jeff's Famous Jerky. Read our previous reviews of Jeff's Famous Jerky.

Jeff's Famous Jerky officially opened for business in 2010 and is owned and operated by Jeff's Famous Foods, Inc., led by founder Jeff Richards and CFO Mike Aggarwal, out of Mission Viejo, CA. The company offers a dozen flavors of jerky and four flavors of bacon jerky, along with one chicken jerky variety.

This Sriracha Style Ghost Pepper is described on the packaging as "Extra Hot & Spicy" and is the second jerky from Jeff's Famous to include the popular asian-style hot sauce.

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People's Choice Beef Jerky - Old Fashioned

People's Choice Beef Jerky is a brand of Peoples Sausage Company, Inc. based out of Los Angeles, CA. It's a family-run business that's been around since 1929. See our previous reviews of their jerky.

Recently the company relaunched its Old Fashioned line of jerky using an old recipe that hadn't been packaged before, and based on our previous reviews, it looks to be a different cut of meat as well. The relaunched Old Fashioned line is meant to be simple, preservative free, gluten-free, and to highlight the natural meat flavor.

The two varieties in this line are Original and Hot & Spicy.

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Pony Express Beef Jerky - Applewood Smoked

Pony Express Jerky is a brand owned by Pony Express Enterprises based out of New Holland, PA. The brand was started in 2009 by Ted Cundiff, a veteran of the meat snack industry. Cundiff originally launched Wild Bill's Beef Jerky in 1983, a brand that was bought up by Monogram Foods in 2009.

Pony Express is manufactured in its own USDA inspected facility in New Holland, right in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country. The company offers a retail location in Blue Ball, PA.

This "Applewood Smoked" is described by the company as, "Aromatic, rich, and robust a flavor that only a true traditional Apple Wood smoke can impart to."

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Bakke Brothers Brand - Wild Game Snack Sticks

Bakke Brothers Brand is owned by Whiskey Hill Smokehouse, LLC based out of Hubbard, OR. Whiskey Hill also owns The Jerky Hut, as well as its own house brand, Whiskey Hill Smokehouse.

Bakke Brothers was started by Phil Bakke, one of Whiskey Hill'founders. The brand differs from The Jerky Hut in that it's free of preservatives such as sodium nitrite, sodium erythorbate, et al, and it's also gluten-free.

These Wild Game Snack Sticks are is marketed as, "Super Lean", "Naturally Wood Smoked", and are made from a blend of Bison and Elk.

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Katie's Beef Jerky - Carolina Reaper

Katie's Premium Jerky & Snacks is a brand owned by Katie's Snack Foods, LLC based out of Hilliard, OH. It was started in 2014 by Katie Levesque, a graduate of The Ohio State University.

Katie loves jerky so much, that she actually sleeps with it under her pillow (in a plastic bag), and prefers spicy jerky (so that other people won't ask for some). She loves it so much, she left her career as an engineer to launch her own jerky company. Katie's Premium Jerky & Snacks is made in its own USDA inspected facility.

This "Carolina Reaper" variety won an award at the 2017 ZestFest Fiery Food Challenge. It's described as "gluten free", and comes with the warning, "dangerously hot!".

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Boston Jerky Co. - Wicked Hot

Boston Jerky Co. was founded by Mike Tryba and Brandon Angiolillo based out of Danvers, MA. The brand just opened up for sales in February 2018, however both Mike and Brandon had been working on recipes since 2014.

The brand focuses on using 100% grass fed beef, and claims to add no nitrites and no MSG. It also claims that each package is, "100 calories per bag".

This "Wicked Hot" variety is described by the company as being made with, "wicked hot habanero peppers", going on to say that it, "packs a mean Beantown punch".

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