The G.O.A.T. Beef Jerky Company - Hot

The G.O.A.T. Beef Jerky Company is the creation of John Towe, who started the company late in 2018, based out of Oklahoma City, OK.

The story is perhaps none too unfamiliar, a guy gets a dehydrator for Christmas and actually does something with it. In fact, does a lot with it, eventually experimenting with various recipes and buying up so much beef at the local grocery store that he rose to the top of PETA's most wanted list. His friends liked his jerky so much, and he was tired of working at the same job for 20 years, and next thing you know he's taking out a loan, buying up more dehydrators, and making a replica of Devil's Tower with his mashed potatoes (look it up)...

No, this is not goat jerky. G.O.A.T. is an acronym for "greatest of all time".

This Hot variety, according to the company's website, is based on the same recipe as their Original, but claims will, "push the limits of your heat tolerance."

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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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Country Butcher Beef Jerky - Sweet & Spicy

Country Butcher is a brand that's been around since 2001 (based on our research). The company itself did not send us samples for review; we were provided samples by one of their online retailers. Country Butcher was started by Ken Croucher, based out of Placentia, CA.

Croucher has been making jerky since 1974, and perfected his recipe while working at a grocery store where he could offer samples to customers and gather feedback. He's been relying on the same recipe ever since. According to online documents, Croucher developed a beef jerky recipe for Perky Jerky. Perky Jerky grew to fame by offering the world's first energy-infused jerky, using Croucher's recipe, and today they're one of the biggest jerky brands on the market. Country Butcher currently sells online through Amazon and eBay, and a variety of other outlets.

This Sweet & Spicy variety is marked as being made from "Brisket". It's also marked, "Gluten Free" and "All Natural".

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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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Wicked Cutz Beef Jerky - Orange Teriyaki

Orange Teriyaki is a new flavor from Wicked Cutz Beef Jerky. We reviewed the company's three original flavors last year (see the reviews).

Wicked Cutz 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 Orange Teriyaki is described by the company as, "sweet & tangy and smoothly transitions into a subtle yet exciting spicy kick", going on to say that it has a, "citrus aroma", and a "savory and appetizing scent".

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Homegrown Meats - Joel's Traditional

Homegrown Meats is a brand that launched in 2011, owned by a group of ranchers who've farmed the Palomar Mountain area of Southern California going back into the mid-1800s. They began marketing their steaks and cuts of beef to Whole Foods Markets shortly thereafter.

In 2016, they launched a line of jerky, and Whole Foods Market picked it up only for their Southern California market. However, in October 2018, Whole Foods announced it would begin selling Homegrown Meats Jerky nationwide, with a four of the company's specialized flavors, "Joel's Traditional", "Cracked Black Pepper", "Western Mesquite Barbecue", and "Paleo". The jerky is marked as, "gluten free" and "certified grass fed".

This "Joel's Traditional", according to Homegrown Meats, is described as, "a classic recipe named in honor of one of our original founders, Joel Mendenhall, who's family has been raising cattle on San Diego's Palomar Mountain since the 1800s", it goes on to say that it has a "traditional taste of the west".

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Bakke Brothers Brand - Scorpion Peppered 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'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 Scorpion Peppered Beef Jerky is made with Trinidad Moruga Scorpion peppers and is marked as, "Gluten Free", "No MSG", and "No Nitrates", going on to say, "So you think you want to go a little hotter?".

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The G.O.A.T. Beef Jerky Company - Original

The G.O.A.T. Beef Jerky Company is the creation of John Towe, who started the company late in 2018, based out of Oklahoma City, OK.

The story is perhaps none too unfamiliar, a guy gets a dehydrator for Christmas and actually does something with it. In fact, does a lot with it, eventually experimenting with various recipes and buying up so much beef at the local grocery store that he rose to the top of PETA's most wanted list. His friends liked his jerky so much, and he was tired of working at the same job for 20 years, and next thing you know he's taking out a loan, buying up more dehydrators, and making a replica of Devil's Tower with his mashed potatoes (look it up)...

No, this is not goat jerky. G.O.A.T. is an acronym for "greatest of all time".

This Original variety, according to the company's website, "is not traditional jerky", going on to say it has "bold flavor", "not too dry and not too moist", and "tender".

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