Smokehouse Jerky Co. - Sea Salt, Honey & Pepper

Smokehouse Jerky Co. is a brand of Tender Heifer Snack Co., based out of Beaumont, CA. It was started in 2008, and is currently run by a husband and wife team, Franco Fonseca and Patti Fonseca.

The company takes pride in its beef brisket-based jerky, using meat sourced from California. They add no MSG and no preservatives, and focus on small batches at a time.

This "Sea Salt, Honey & Pepper" variety is described by the company as being, "seasoned with freshly cracked peppercorns, sea salt, spices and sweet honey", going on to say that it, "packs an extra kick to its blend and taste".

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Bakke Brother Brand - Honey Jalapeno 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 Jalapeno Beef Jerky is marketed as, "Gluten Free", "No MSG", and "No Nitrates", going on to say that it has a, "spicy heat for a unique taste".

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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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Alien Fresh Jerky - Honey Chipotle

This Honey Chipotle Beef Jerky is one of the newest flavors from Alien Fresh Jerky, having rolled out last March. It's described as having, "an extraordinary fiery kick to it, which creeps up", going on to explain the subtle sweetness masks the heat, making you think it's not that hot.

Over the years, we've reviewed other flavors from Alien Fresh Jerky. The company has built a successful brand on the concept that superior beings from outer space can make superior jerky. Alien Fresh is a local favorite among Southern Californians who make the drive to and from Las Vegas. You can't help but to stop at their store in Baker, and peruse the humorous alien statues and decorations, along with one of the largest selections of hot sauces.

The success of Alien Fresh Jerky is now extending itself to the "UFO Hotel" currently planned for the tiny town of Baker.

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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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People's Choice Jerky - Orange Honey Teriyaki

People's Choice Beef Jerky makes a flavor, "Orange Honey Teriyaki".

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 Orange Honey Teriyaki 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 variety "...introduces a ping of sweetness and citrus from the honey and orange flavor... ...slowly brings through the more savory aspects of the Teriyaki sauce such as the spices and soy sauce. A subtle touch of ginger lingers in the mouth."

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Country Archer - Turkey Jerky Honey Dijon

Country Archer recently introduced some new flavors, including this "Hickory Smoke Turkey Jerky".

Country Archer 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.

This Honey Dijon Turkey Jerky is described as being made from turkey breast meat, "sophisticated flavor, and nothing frou-frou".

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Wyoming Gourmet Beef - All Natural Angus Honey

Wyoming Gourmet Beef is a brand of Wyoming Authentic Products, LLC based out of Cody, WY. The company was launched by David Fales to offer meat snacks using Wyoming-raised Angus cattle.

Fales is descended from a line of Wyoming cattle ranchers and hopes that his line of beef jerky and beef sticks will make "Wyoming Beef" a household name in the same way that "Florida Oranges", "Maine Lobster", and "Wisconsin Cheese" have become.

Wyoming Gourmet Beef is made from all natural, grass-fed, Angus beef, using no hormones nor antibiotics. All jerky and beef sticks are processed in Wyoming, using no MSG, no nitrites, and is gluten-free.

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Tong Jerky - Honey Pepper

Tong Jerky is a brand that launched in 2018 by two buddies attending college in Los Angeles. They originally discovered biltong, the South African dried meat snack. They came up with the idea of creating a beef jerky based on the biltong recipe, and Tong Jerky was born.

After several years of perfecting recipes, they finally launched the company and started selling online. Their jerky can also be found in a handful of stores across Los Angeles.

This Honey Pepper is described by the company as, "the perfect marriage between sugar and spice", going on to say that it, "starts with a smooth sweet taste and ends with a peppery hot finish".

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4 Seasons Jerky - Honey Basil Turkey

4 Seasons Jerky is a new brand that hit the market late in 2016. Launched by a guy named, "Thom", short for Thomas, the company is based out of Highland, CA. Thom is an avid outdoorsman, and is outside all year-round, hiking, boating, snowboarding, to name a few.

4 Seasons Jerky uses lean round or flank cuts of meat, marinated for 24 hours.

This Honey Basil Turkey Jerky is described by the company simply as, "...aromatic blend of basil and sweetness of honey spices up this healthy, red meat alternative."

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Genius Jerky - Honey Habanero

Genius Jerky was founded by Richard Plebuch in 2012, based out of Lovettsville, VA. Plebuch has long held an affinity for the culinary arts and in 2009 began pefecting recipes for jerky.

After raising funds through a Kickstarter campaign in 2016, Genius Jerky has been selling in markets throughout Virginia and Maryland, as well as from its own website.

This Honey Habanero beef jerky is marketed as using New Zealand grass-fed beef, grade A honey, real habaneros, and Himalayan pink salt. They describe it as, "sweet start and a long lasting umami flavor soon become victim to the habaneros grasp".

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Naked Cow Jerky - Honey

Naked Cow Jerky is a new brand that launched in October 2015. It's a brand of Appalachian Jerky Company.

Naked Cow Jerky was launched to specifically to cater to a growing audience seeking minimally processed jerky, made with natural ingredients. Their jerky offerings are made with 100% grass fed beef, sea salt, and spiced. They use no artificial preservatives, nitrates/nitrites, MSG or soy. They claim to be "paleo-friendly", gluten-free, and made in a USDA inspected facility. They are currently selling in Boston, MA area at various retail locations and Cross-Fit gyms. It's also available online.

This "Honey" variety is based on the "Smoke" variety we reviewed last week, but graced with a dousing of honey. The company claims it, "sweetens the flavor and compliments the natural spice of the jerky".

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Double Deluxx Jerky

Double Deluxx is a brand of beef jerky owned by Double Deluxx, LLC based out of Phoenix, AZ. The company was launched just this year, formed by Mark Mall.

Double Deluxx Jerky claims to use grass fed beef, using all natural ingredients, with no MSG, no sodium nitrite, and no refined sugars. The brand currently offers five flavors, Original, Garlic, Honey Mesquite BBQ, Hickory Cracked Black Pepper, and Green Chili Carne Asada.

The company sells its Double Deluxx jerky online and at Flagstaff Farmers Market.

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Klemke's Sausage Haus - Turkey Jerky

Klemke's Sausage Haus is a local favorite among residents of Slaton, TX. Founded by Rod and Judy Klemke in 1993, much of their business lies in meat processing for hunters and farmers, but their jerky and sausage have grown in demand throughout West Texas.

Rod's grandfather came from Germany. As a child, he grew up in the meat business, learning how to skin and prepare meat. In 1987, he started Slaton Packing Company, and then in 1993 launched Klemke's Sausage Haus. In 2006, he bought a second packing plant in Wolfforth. The couple also run a Barbecue restaurant in Slaton.

Klemke's offers two varieties of turkey jerky, their Original, and a Honey. They also have four varieties of beef jerky, as well as a pork jerky.

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Bad Buds Bull Jerky - Honey Bourbon

The newest flavor from Bad Buds Bull Jerky is this Honey Bourbon Beef Jerky.

Bad Buds Jerky is a brand run by Buddy Stone out of Hogansville, GA. Bad Buds has been in business since 2005. In addition to jerky, the brand also markets its own line of hot sauces.

This new Honey Bourbon variety is described by the company as, "Brown sugar and bourbon give this unique jerky a sweeter flavor."

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Gran D Jerky - Honey BBQ (Revised Recipe)

I had reviewed Gran D Jerky nearly a year ago, assigning a "Fair" rating for their Honey BBQ flavor due to a tough, hard chew, and lack of any honey or BBQ flavor.

The company has since revised its recipe and sent a new sample to me for re-review.

Gran D Jerky originally launched in January 2012, based in Caracas, Venezuela. To my understanding it's being sold in stores in Venezuela, and has sponsored a variety of sporting events around the country. The company is expanding its infrastructure to accommodate increasing demand.

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Jeff's Famous Jerky - Honey Jalapeno Bacon Jerky

The newest offering from Jeff's Famous Jerky is this Honey Jalapeno Bacon Jerky. Read our previous reviews of Jeff's Famous Jerky.

Jeff's Famous Jerky is led by Jeff Richards of Mission Viejo, CA. Jeff has been making beef jerky since the 1970s. His love for cooking took him into the restaurant business for over 20 years. In 2006 he started working on creating his own beef jerky brand, and just last year saw the launch of his new company.

This Honey Jalapeno Bacon Jerky is described as having been 5-years in the making, said to be crisp like real bacon but without all the grease.

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Hi-Country Beef Jerky - Honey Kist TenderSlice Strips

Next in the series on Hi-Country Beef Jerky is this Honey Kist TenderSlice Strip Style jerky. See last week's review of their Original Flat Style.

Hi-Country Beef Jerky is a brand of Hi-Country Snack Foods, Inc. based out of Lincoln, MT. The company started out in 1976 strictly as a beef jerky manufacturer, then as sales increased, they added beef sausage to their line up. The company makes jerky from their own USDA inspected facility.

This Honey Kist flavor is described by Hi-Country as "a delicious twist on our Original recipe with a kiss of honey."

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Lawless Jerky - Honey Chipotle BBQ

Next in the series on Lawless Jerky is this Honey Chipotle beef jerky. See my previous review of their other flavors.

Lawless Jerky was created by a licensed attorney named Matthew Tolnick of Santa Monica, CA. He started making jerky during his days in college when he and his fraternity boys needed sustenance through long evenings of studying. After a successful Kickstarter campaign, he's now producing jerky from a USDA inspected facility and marketing Lawless Jerky full time.

This Honey Chipotle BBQ is described by Tolnick as being a mild variety of BBQ, being smokey, and made with chipotle, paprika, garlic, and honey.

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Settlers Jerky - Honey Teriyaki Beef

Next up in the series on Settlers Jerky is this Honey Teriyaki variety. See my previous review of their Hickory Beef.

Settlers Jerky is a brand of BeefJerky.com, an online retailer of beef jerky, launched by Gregory Nemitz in 1995. Nemitz began making jerky for family and friends several years before he launched his business. In addition to beef jerky, Nemitz sells salmon jerky and trout jerky.

The Settlers brand includes this Honey Teriyaki, the Hickory Beef, as well as a Ring of Fire, and a "Final Frontier", which is a black peppered jerky that actually went into orbit on the International Space Station.

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