The Jerky Hut - Sweet Golden Nuggets

Next in the series on Jerky Hut are these Sweet Golden Nuggets. See my previous review of their Cowboy Beef Jerky.

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. Whiskey Hill Smokehouse runs its own USDA inspected facility.

These Golden Nuggets are the brand's signature product, sweetened with brown sugar and described as tasting like barbecue ribs.

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Jerky by Art - Jalapeno Pepper

Jerky by Art was established by Arthur Sandoval in 2004, based out of Albuquerque, NM.

As an iron worker, Art started making carne seca (Mexican-style jerky) at home for his own pleasure. He would take some to work and sell it to co-workers. He was selling so much of it, that he bought more dehydrators. Before he knew it, he was producing jerky all day and night. And thus became, Jerky by Art.

This Jalapeno Pepper variety is described simply as a "spicy jerky".

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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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House of Jerky - Camel Jerky

House of Jerky has extended their line of exotic meat jerky to include this Camel Jerky. They also offer Python Jerky now too.

The company started in 1997 by Ron and Janie Honeycutt, a husband and wife team in Temecula, CA. They opened a store there, but eventually moved their corporate office to Evansville, IN. The Temecula store is still there. Since then, they've franchised their business and now have House of Jerky shops all over the country.

This package of Camel Jerky doesn't make any claims on flavor, texture, quality, nor even mention where the camels were sourced from, or even the breed of camel. It's just plainly labeled as, "Camel".

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Louisville Vegan Jerky Co.

Louisville Vegan Jerky Co. is the creation of Stanley Chase III, a pioneer of sorts in the field of vegan snacks throughout the Louisville, KY region.

According to the brand's website and Facebook page, it's been around since 2012, originally launching under the name, "What a Jerky!". But Stanley Chase previously made and marketed another brand of vegan jerky called, "Morels the Vegan Butcher", which we reviewed here on Best Beef Jerky.

Louisville Vegan Jerky Co. represents a rebirth of Stanley Chase III as a vegan jerky specialist. Now with new recipes, non-gluten ingredients, Non-GMO certified, and adding touches of Kentucky sorghum for a local flair, Chase is taking soy-based jerky snacks full steam ahead into the eclectic world of vegan snacking.

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Firecreek Jerky - Original

Firecreek Jerky is a brand launched by Ryan Hansen based out of Jerseyville, IL. He got it off the ground in February 2016.

Hansen has been making "small batch" jerky from his family's meat business for the past three years. He makes jerky using USDA Choice Angus Beef. Since then, he's secured a deal with USDA inspected co-packer and is now relaunching the brand.

According to Firecreek Jerky, this Original is marketed as, "...an authentic, beef taste with perfect hints of salt, onion and garlic flavor profiles". It's also labeled as, "all natural" and "minimally processed".

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Keno's Beef Jerky - Kickin' T-Bone

Keno's Beef Jerky is a brand owned by Gary Keeney, baesed out of Wichita Falls, TX. Established in 2010, Keeno's manufacturing process is state inspected, and the company runs an outlet store in the same building.

Keeney got into the jerky business while working at Dell Computers, where he sold bags of his homemade stuff to fellow employees. After getting laid off, he went into business for himself with the aid of a $17,000.00 prize for winning the IdeaWF competition hosted by Midwestern State University. Keeney also won the 2014 Peppers and More World Jerky Contest.

This "Kickin' T-Bone" jerky is described as Keeno's signature variety. It's said to be reminiscent of a perfectly prepared Texas T-Bone steak, as well as "soft and easy to chew. It practically melts in your mouth."

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Dried and True Beef Jerky - Chile Limon

Dried and True is a brand that I covered a couple of years ago with their Sriracha Lima and Korean BBQ varieties. Recently, they sent me packages of their Original, Chile Limon, and Spicy Teriyaki.

Founded in Venice CA in 2012, by a local named Matt Lauster, Dried and True Beef Jerky sought to change to people's taste buds and perception of what beef jerky could taste like. After refining his product by selling at local farmer's markets and the LA food festival scene, Matt claims that so many customers have proclaimed, "This is the best jerky I've ever eaten!". He uses exclusively from California raised beef without chemical preservatives, nitrates/nitrites, MSG or high fructose corn syrup.

This "Chile Limon" variety is described by the company as their spiciest jerky, claiming that it will "sure to please the heat seekers and chile heads". It offers a spritz of lemon juice to balance out the spicy heat.

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Bubba's Carolina Jerky - Sweet Jalapeno Bacon Jerky

Bubba's Carolina Jerky is a brand that started in 2004 by Bubba Dunn, a retired veteran who spent 36 years in the US Coast Guard and US Army. The company is based out of Cocoa, FL.

Dunn grew up in an outdoor sporting family that frequently hunted, fished, and raised livestock. Lean meats were often turned into jerky using an old family recipe. Today, he spends his time perfecting marinades, running his jerky company, and making special batches of dehydrated meats for friends. Bubba's Carolina Jerky prides itself on using meat from US ranchers. Their jerky is sold through stores including Mast General Stores, Contemporary Nutrition, Edgewater True Value, and Crossroads Ace Hardware.

This "Sweet Jalapeno Bacon Jerky" is one of two bacon jerky flavors offered by the company. They describe it as having initial sweet that overtakes the taste buds and then gradually adds in the heat.

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Country Archer Jerky - Turkey Teriyaki

Country Archer Jerky is a well known brand in the meat snack industry, going back to 1977 when it became the private labeler for hundreds of brands over the decades. Now based in San Bernardino, CA, the company is leveraging its own brand and pushing its own line of jerky into stores across the country.

As the jerky market has migrated towards preservative-free, natural ingredients, so has Country Archer. The company claims it's jerky is handcrafted, made in small batches, using all natural ingredients.

This Turkey Teriyaki is marketed as being free of preservatives and MSG, and as having a "big taste". It's also labeled, "Private Reserve", suggesting it's better than normal. It also appears to have the same ingredients as the company's Beef Teriyaki I reviewed a couple weeks ago.

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Country Archer Jerky - Sweet Jalapeno

Country Archer Jerky is a well known brand in the meat snack industry, going back to 1977 when it became the private labeler for hundreds of brands over the decades. Now based in San Bernardino, CA, the company is leveraging its own brand and pushing its own line of jerky into stores across the country.

As the jerky market has migrated towards preservative-free, natural ingredients, so has Country Archer. The company claims it's jerky is handcrafted, made in small batches, using all natural ingredients.

This Sweet Jalapeno flavor is described as a "sweet and spicy" variety, being sweet, "but not enough to make you sing show tunes", while being spicy enough, "but not making you feel like you lost a bet".

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Dave's Meat & Nuts - Classic Smoked Dry Beef Jerky

Dave's Meat & Nuts is a brand that launched in January 2015 after raising funds on Kickstarter last November. We published a review back then, but withheld ratings until the company went live.

The company is the brainchild of Dave Gadlin, who had spent a great deal of time working in New York City with some of the country's best chefs and restauranteurs. He took his expertise out to Napa, CA to focus on his two biggest snack food passions, jerky and peanuts. Dave claims his jerky to be smoked in a real smokehouse.

This "Classic Smoked Dry" beef jerky is compared by Dave himself to other great classics like The Beatles, Julia Child, a '57 Chevy, and Neil Armstrong.

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Country Archer Jerky - Teriyaki

Country Archer Jerky is a well known brand in the meat snack industry, going back to 1977 when it became the private labeler for hundreds of brands over the decades. Now based in San Bernardino, CA, the company is leveraging its own brand and pushing its own line of jerky into stores across the country.

As the jerky market has migrated towards preservative-free, natural ingredients, so has Country Archer. The company claims it's jerky is handcrafted, made in small batches, using all natural ingredients.

This Teriyaki flavor is simply described as having a teriyaki marinade so authentic, "that you'll think it was made by kawaii robots in Japan".

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Dave's Meat & Nuts - Cinnamon Jerk Jerk

Dave's Meat & Nuts is a brand that launched in January 2015 after raising funds on Kickstarter last November. We published a review back then, but withheld ratings until the company went live.

The company is the brainchild of Dave Gadlin, who had spent a great deal of time working in New York City with some of the country's best chefs and restauranteurs. He took his expertise out to Napa, CA to focus on his two biggest snack food passions, jerky and peanuts. Dave claims his jerky to be smoked in a real smokehouse.

This "Dried Beef Jerky with Cinnamon" is described by Dave as "Jamaican Jerk spices with cinnamon", going to say that it offers, "Warm winter spice notes, smokiness and true beef flavor, all wrapped in to a dry but tender Jerky."

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Astro Fresh Jerky - Sweet & Spicy

Astro Fresh Jerky is a brand owned by HJP Trading, LLC based out of Los Angeles, CA. It was started by Roy Park in early 2015 who found an old family recipe that dated back to the late 1980s.

Since then, Roy has been selling his jerky in local markets and retailers in California. Recently they started a website and are now taking online orders.

This Sweet & Spicy variety makes no additional claims, other than being "sweet & spicy".

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Astro Fresh Jerky - Supernova Hot Beef Jerky

Astro Fresh Jerky is a brand owned by HJP Trading, LLC based out of Los Angeles, CA. It was started by Roy Park in early 2015 who found an old family recipe that dated back to the late 1980s.

Since then, Roy has been selling his jerky in local markets and retailers in California. Recently they started a website and are now taking online orders.

This Supernova Hot variety is one of three hot beef jerky flavors the company offers.

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Northwest Bierhaus Jerky - Dark Ale

Northwest Bierhaus Jerky is a brand owned by GJ Products, based out of Clackamas, OR. It's run by Glenn Loehr who started it in 2015.

The company also owns, "Oregon Wine Country Jerky". Together, the two brands infuse the flavors of craft beer and wine from the Pacific Northwest, and target the tourist and gift basket markets.

This, "Dark Ale" variety is described by the company as combining the, "hearty dark ale with mouth-watering premium beef", and says that jerky snackers will love the "high quality nutty flavor".

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Think Jerky - Sriracha Honey Turkey

Think Jerky is a new brand that hit the scene late last year. Based out of Chicago, IL, the brand spent nearly two years perfecting its recipe for a health-conscious market. The company claims to have "cut the salt in half" and replaced them with herbs and spices.

Think Jerky is a collaboration with three celebrity chefs, Chef Laurent Gras, a three-star Michelin Chef, Chef Matt Troost, a Baconfest champion, and Chef Gale Gand, a TV-host on Food Network. Together, their goal with Think Jerky is to create a great tasting jerky, with grass-fed beef, free-range turkey, that's paleo friendly, gluten free, family-farmed, with no artificial preservatives, and all natural ingredients

This "Sweet Chipotle" is described by Chef Gand as, "...a custom blend of sriracha, honey & spices", to create a, "...perfect balance of sweetness and heat".

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Astro Fresh Jerky - Original

Astro Fresh Jerky is a brand owned by HJP Trading, LLC based out of Los Angeles, CA. It was started by Roy Park in early 2015 who found an old family recipe that dated back to the late 1980s.

Since then, Roy has been selling his jerky in local markets and retailers in California. Recently they started a website and are now taking online orders.

Astro Fresh Jerky currently lists 10 varieties of beef jerky and 1 variety of chicken jerky.

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Grandpa's Beef Jerky - Cherry Chili

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 "Cherry Chili" is described as being made from, "Montmorency cherries and Thai chilies", and is marked as being, "Extra Hot".

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