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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House of Jerky - Sweet & Spicy Beef

House of Jerky is a brand that you find in little tourist towns, inside of a small beef jerky shop nestled in between antique dealers and candy stores. Here in Southern California, whereever you find a throw-back old-west village, there's always a beef jerky store that sells exclusively House of Jerky.

The company started in 1997 by a husband and wife team in Temecula, CA (about 15 miles from my home interestingly), but is now headquartered in Evansville, IN. The company is growing quickly, having saw a growth rate of 15% from 2006 to 2007, and did $600,000 in sales last year.

While the company enjoys plenty of success from online sales, they sell a lot of beef jerky through shops and roadside stands all across the USA.

House of Jerky is a brand that I have had on many occasions, but this Sweet & Spicy marks the first entry into Best Beef Jerky. The company makes several varieties, including venison, ostrich, buffalo, alligator, and salmon.

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House of Jerky - Natural Style

House of Jerky is one of those great American success stories of where the little guy (or in this case, gal), creates a product that out-does the big guys, markets the product without a giant budget, and manages to create a successful empire with outlets all over the country.

I first learned of this brand by visiting a local beef jerky shop in Temecula several years ago. While I always liked the taste, I never seemed to purchase much of it, mainly because you don't find this in the big chain grocery stores. And since I've always been a junk food pig at heart, convenience has always been my weakness.

If you've been reading this blog regularly, you might have figured out that I haven't been reviewing much of the "regular" and "original" varieties of jerky. I have this presumption that any regular beef jerky probably just tastes like salt or soy sauce. I like complex tastes, that merge several flavors, and keep me guessing what I'm tasting. But since House of Jerky sent me this review sample on their own dime, how could I not resist?

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House of Jerky - Teriyaki Beef

When it comes to gourmet beef jerky, the House of Jerky brand is one that comes to my mind. I've always enjoyed this brand for years, but haven't purchased much of it, probably due to the fact that you don't find this in the large grocery store chains.

But when I'm out touring around other towns, and happen to see a beef jerky shop, I'll walk in, and 9 times out of 10 its an outlet for House of Jerky. The brand is very well represented in those small touristy towns, and along roadside stands.

The company is a husband and wife venture that got started here in Southern California, and sadly enough, moved to Indiana to set up its national headquarters. Nothing against Indiana, it seems California can't keep a good company within its borders.

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House of Jerky - Peppered Beef

House of Jerky has gained a place among my short list of favorite jerky brands by focusing on jerky with tons of flavor, using all natural ingredients, and being easy to eat.

Since peppered beef jerky is one of my favorite varieties, I was very curious to see how well the "House" could do up this tried and true jerky style.

The company is operated by a husband and wife team, and sells its jerky online as well as through independent shop owners across the country.

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House of Jerky - Sweet & Spicy Brisket Jerky

House of Jerky, which we've reviewed extensively, has a new line of jerky made from beef brisket. Their other beef jerky products are made from top round.

Brisket comes from the lower chest of cattle and is famous in barbecues and roasts. In the past decade it has found its way into jerky after meat snackers expressed a demand for for moist, tender jerky.

House of Jerky offers two varieties of brisket jerky, this Sweet & Spicy, and a Teriyaki.

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House of Jerky - Black Pepper Alligator

Also new to House of Jerky is this Black Pepper Alligator Jerky. See our reviews of other varieties from House of Jerky.

House of Jerky has become one of the hottest gourmet brands of jerky thanks to a growing number of its own branded jerky stores throughout the United States. House of Jerky uses all natural ingredients and no preservatives.

This Alligator Jerky is made from 100% alligator meat. According to House of Jerky's description, this jerky is "hand made", with a "mild flavor".

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House of Jerky - Black Pepper Kangaroo

New to House of Jerky is this Black Pepper Kangaroo Jerky. See our reviews of other varieties from House of Jerky.

House of Jerky has become one of the hottest gourmet brands of jerky thanks to a growing number of its own branded jerky stores throughout the United States. House of Jerky uses all natural ingredients and no preservatives.

This Kangaroo Jerky is made from 100% kangaroo meat. According to House of Jerky's description, "it's not gamey, has a nice texture with a tinge of sweetness".

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Christmas Gift Ideas from House of Jerky

Beef jerky for Christmas has become a tradition in many American households, often as stocking stuffers, but also as gifts found wrapped under the Christmas Tree.

House of Jerky has won numerous top ratings (5 stars) for their many varieties and flavors. Check out these great gift ideas...

Beef Jerky – five flavors
Sample their five beef jerky flavors A 4oz. each of the following beef flavors: Natural, Black Pepper, Teriyaki, Hot, and Sweet & Spicy (click here)

Beef & Turkey jerky variety pack
A 14oz package that contains the following flavors:
Beef jerky -Natural 2oz, Black Pepper 2oz, Teriyaki 2oz, Hot 2oz, Sweet & Spicy 2oz, Turkey Jerky – Black Pepper 2oz, Teriyaki 2oz (click here)

Mega Jerky Gift Bag
Perfect for the jerky lover. A Mega Gift Bag that includes:

Beef Jerky - Natural 4oz, Black Pepper 4oz, Teriyaki 4oz, Hot 4oz, Sweet & Spicy 4oz, 3.5oz. Beef Brisket Jerky – Teriyaki flavor and 3.5oz. Beef Brisket Jerky – Sweet & Spicy flavor.
Turkey Jerky - Black Pepper 4oz, Teriyaki 4oz
Exotic Jerky - Buffalo 3.5 oz, Venison 3.5 oz, Wild Boar 3.5 oz (click here)

Jerky of Month Program

Get a unique House of Jerky variety each month for 12 months. It's the ultimate expression of meat love!

4oz. each of Black Pepper Beef Jerky, Black Pepper Turkey Jerky, Hot Beef Jerky, Natural Beef Jerky, Sweet & Spicy Pork Jerky, Teriyaki Beef Jerky. 3.5 oz. each of Buffalo Jerky, Sweet & Spicy Brisket Jerky, Venison Jerky, Wild Boar Jerky, Kangaroo Jerky, and Alligator Jerky. (click here)

Shipping

Shipping is free at House of Jerky, and they can usually ship orders in one day. So order now!

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12 Month Most Unique Jerky Club

Best jerky in any house delivered to your house for 12 months!

Bundled up beside a cozy holiday fire, walking along a sunny springtime trail, fishing beside a crystal clear lake in July or raking leaves in late autumn. . . times to enjoy some peace and quiet, and perhaps a snack. A package of jerky would taste pretty good right now, yes Sir! But not just any jerky. That gourmet jerky you tried and you just couldn’t get enough of.

House of Jerky has got you covered with their House of Jerky 12 Month Most Unique Jerky Club. Imagine Santa would deliver gifts every month, instead of just at Christmastime! Well now he can! The House of Jerky elves will pack and ship the finest, freshest and most flavorful gourmet jerky to you 12 times a year. Each month you’ll savor a different taste of jerky that’s been delivered to your front door. The variety of flavors we offer throughout the year includes:

4oz. each of -
Black Pepper Beef Jerky
Black Pepper Turkey Jerky
Hot Beef Jerky
Natural Beef Jerky
Sweet & Spicy Pork Jerky
Teriyaki Beef Jerky

3.5 oz. each of -
Buffalo Jerky
Sweet & Spicy Brisket Jerky
Venison Jerky
Wild Boar Jerky
Kangaroo Jerky
Alligator Jerky

Steve Johnson, publisher and taster of Best Beef Jerky Reviews writes,

“If you've read my other reviews of House of Jerky, you'll know that I've given them all "best" ratings, for the taste-complexities, outstanding natural meat flavors, and ease of eating.”

For the meat snacker in your life who enjoys “Only The Best”, House of Jerky 12 Month Most Unique Jerky Club makes the perfect gift. For just one payment of $150 you will receive 12 shipments of seriously delicious and tender jerky. This collection, a wide variety made from top round of Beef, Pork, Venison, Buffalo, Turkey, Wild Boar & Alligator. Healthful, savory and tender, each and every piece is guaranteed to have no preservatives and no MSG, and will be a gift that is sure to be remembered.

To start the tradition today, visit House of Jerky - Jerky of the Month to order.

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House of Jerky - Teriyaki Brisket Jerky

Next in the series on House of Jerky's new line of brisket jerky is this Teriyaki variety. See last week's review of their Sweet & Spicy.

Jerky made from beef brisket tends to be more moist and tender, which seems to satisfy a growing demand for soft, easier jerky chewing. The moist consistency also allows the seasonings and marinade to blend together more fully.

This Teriyaki variety has a slightly different recipe than House of Jerky's top round Teriyaki, namely the inclusion of worcestershire sauce.

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House of Jerky - Western Ostrich

House of Jerky is a brand you'll often find along roadside stands and in specialy shops nestled inside touristy areas. It's a husband-and-wife business that has grown to become well respected among beef jerky afficionados. The company makes jerky from a wide variety of animals, including ostrich.

Ostrich grew quickly in popularity because it was seen as a way to produce leaner red meat, that tastes very much like beef, but with less cost. Ostrich produces more meat for less feed compared to cattle. On top of that, ostrich hide produces a more durable leather than cattle, and in fact the hide is the primary use of farm-raised ostrich, with meat being second. The economics were such that it spurned the growth of small family-run ostrich farms all over the country.

Because ostrich is so much more lean than beef, it tends to be more tough.

But for whatever the reasons are, ostrich is still an exotic meat, and is something you rarely see sold in mainstream restaurants and grocery stores.

Ingredients

Ostrich, water, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, brown sugar, pineapple juice, liquid smoke, black pepper, garlic powder, white pepper.

Taste

The first tastes that come out of this is the black pepper, a sweetness, and the smokiness. The soy sauce makes itself known after a few chews, and then from behind those layers of flavorings, the natural meat taste comes out.

Even though the package doesn't label this as being a black pepper variety, this is effectively what this is. The liberal spread of black pepper on these pieces gives it a strong peppery taste that perhaps overshadows the ostrich flavor. If you love peppered jerky (which I do), you'll love this.

The natural meat flavors can be tasted in this, but with the way ostrich is, it's tastes very much like beef. I'll go on to say that the meat flavors are more subtle in this jerky than with House of Jerky's beef varieties. I think that is largely due to ostrich being so much more lean than beef; I tend to believe the real flavor that Americans love about beef is the marbilization of fat.

Being free of preservatives, this jerky still retains a fresh taste.

Overall, this ostrich is packed tightly with flavor, just as with all of House of Jerky's varieties. I keep getting lots of flavor as I continue to chew a piece. I find this particularly enjoyable just softening up a piece in my mouth for 30 seconds, and then chewing lightly and extracting the juices.

Meat Consistency

This appears to be real cuts of meat, sliced thin, and in small, medium, and large sized pieces.

This is mostly a dry jerky, but with a layer of stickiness due to the brown sugar and teriyaki sauce. The pieces tear apart easily, some maybe with a little more effort, and they chew fairly easily.

I didn't find any amount of fat, tendon, or gristle on these pieces.

Overall, the meat consistency is such that it provides an excellent eating experience, allowing you to put all of your attention on the flavor.




Snack Value

House of Jerky sells this online at a price of $13.50 for a 4oz bag. That works out to $3.38 per oz. That price includes the shipping.

As an ostrich jerky, at the $3.38 price per ounce, it offers a good value. I'm getting a good deal of snackability out of this for a good overall flavor, good meat consistency and chewing texture. I'm picking up some natural meat flavors, though it still seems to taste like beef. But considering ostrich jerky is not nearly as common as beef jerky, it's still a good jerky for the money.

Rating

I'm giving this a best rating.

House of Jerky has obviously found a great recipe for success with its jerky, and this ostrich variety carries that on. It's packed with flavor, it's easy to tear apart and chew, and retains some good natural meat flavors. The fact that it's free of preservatives and still offers a fresh taste is a bonus.

Even though the combination of black pepper, soy sauce, and sugar is a very common seasoning blend, there is so much taste packed into these pieces of meat that I didn't necessarily find this to be ordinary.

Rating: Best (5/5)

Originally reviewed: July 2, 2008

Buy this online:

• https://www.houseofjerky.net

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House of Jerky - Hot Beef

Having reviewed varieties from the House of Jerky brand already, I came to this package of "Hot Beef Jerky", wondering if this would actually be "hot" as the label claims. It seems whenever you see a product claiming to be hot, it's usually never hot, more like mild.

A quick look at the ingredients list confirms that this could definitely be hot, combining a mixture of Tabasco Sauce, habanero pepper, and red chili pepper.

If you've read my other reviews of House of Jerky, you'll know that I've given them all "best" ratings, for the taste-complexities, outstanding natural meat flavors, and ease of eating. With such a record of excellence, I wondered if the "best" streak would continue into this Hot Beef variety.

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House of Jerky - Turkey Black Pepper

I've never been a big fan of turkey jerky, but since there's a lot more of it coming out these days, it's hard not to notice new brands and varieties. And since black pepper jerky is a favorite of mine, it's something I always have to try when I see it.

So with this black pepper turkey variety from House of Jerky, I was very intrigued since "the House" has rated so well with me on this blog on their beef jerkies.

House of Jerky is a husband and wife manufacturer of gourmet jerky, based in Evansville, IN. After having done Google searches for their brand, and read the many reviews and articles on this company, it's clear they have earned a great deal of respect among the meat snack afficionados of this country.

Interestingly, you won't find their products in any major retail outlets, only in small jerky shops and road side jerky stands.

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House of Jerky - Venison Black Pepper

House of Jerky is a husband and wife venture that got started here just down the road where I'm writing this, and sadly enough, moved to Indiana to set up its national headquarters. Nothing against Indiana, it seems California can't keep a good company within its borders.

But when I'm out touring around other towns, and happen to see a beef jerky shop, I'll walk in, and 9 times out of 10 its an outlet for House of Jerky. The brand is very well represented in those small touristy towns, and along roadside stands.

Venison (deer meat), is always a curiosity with me when I see it on the menu, or in a jerky shop. While I've had venison jerky before, and other venison dishes, I can't say that I'm expert with it. But I do know that venison is an extremely lean meat, and because of that it's often tough.

Deer are adapted to sprint and run for long distances. Because of that, their muscles are rich with blood. This gives the meat a sweet and smooth taste, similar to that of eating liver, but with the consistency of meat.

Ingredients

Venison steak, water, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, brown sugar, pineapple juice, liquid smoke, black pepper, garlic powder, white pepper.

Taste

In biting off a piece, what I taste right away is the black pepper. I didn't see much black pepper on this piece (there's only one piece in this review sample). But I can still taste it. However, it's doesn't have the intense black pepper taste that the company's black pepper varieties for beef and buffalo had.

I can also taste the soy sauce in this, but it's not as well evident as in the company's other offerings.

So does it taste like venison? Well, yes it does. I can't say that this tastes "gamey" at all. It retains the sweet and smooth character that I described earlier.

Overall, I found this venison jerky as enjoyable. While it's a black pepper variety, I don't find an abundance of black pepper flavor. In fact, all the flavorings are rather subtle in this piece. But I think that's actually fine with venison. I want to taste the venison when I eat venison jerky, and to add more flavorings would overshadow the natural meat flavors.

Meat Consistency

This is a real cut of meat, sliced very thick, and in a medium sized piece.

It's dry, but retaining some slight moisture. It's rather tough, just like all of the other venison jerky brands I've had. While it will take some effort to tear off a piece, it does eat a little easier.

The biggest complaint I have with this is that there is a thin membrane covering each side of this piece. This membrane doesn't chew. So when I've chewed up a piece, I have this piece of chewy membrane left in my mouth that feels something like a piece of cloth.

The bottom photo below illustrates the membrane pulled away from the actual muscle. After taking that photo, I attempted to pull off as much of this membrane as I could, but could only remove so much. Removing this membrane also meant removing much of the seasonings.

Otherwise, I didn't find any tendon or gristle. There was just one tiny spot of fat, which is visible in the first photo. It's a very lean piece of meat.

The meat consistency is largely ok. I wouldn't mind this being rather tough to tear apart, because it's not as tough to chew. But the chewy membrane surrounding this piece, on both sides, detracted from the overall enjoyment. Perhaps House of Jerky could get their meat processor to remove this?







Rating

I'm giving this a "good" rating.

I would have given this the "best" rating, except for that problem with the membrane. It detracted from the enjoyment quite a bit for me. I tried to ignore it, and just swallow the membrane, but everytime I bit off a piece I kept feeling that "piece of cloth" in my mouth. Finally, I felt compelled to remove as much of the membrane as I could, and that resulted in removing much of the seasonings.

Otherwise, it's a great tasting piece of venison jerky, that retains every bit of the character that makes venison unique. While it's seasonings are more subtle than in the company's other animal varieties, I think that's fine because I want to enjoy the venison.

Rating: Good (4/5)

Buy this online:

• https://www.houseofjerky.net

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House of Jerky - Buffalo Black Pepper

The husband-and-wife business of House of Jerky is a popular gourmet jerky brand that thrives in small tourist mecca towns across the USA, and in roadside stands along the highways. They're a classic American success story of a great product, some hardwork, and the entrepreneurial spirit.

This black pepper variety is the only variety the company offers in Buffalo jerky. Buffalo meat really took off in the 1980s as the health-food craze really started to take off. And while everyone has tried buffalo by this time, I don't think it'll ever get anymore popular, largely because it doesn't taste much different than beef, and it's health benefits are not that much more better.

But it's always great to have some buffalo jerky, just to say that you've expanded your food experience.

Ingredients

Buffalo, water, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, brown sugar, pineapple juice, black pepper, liquid smoke, garlic powder, white pepper.

Taste

Immediately, I'm hit with a strong taste of pepper. That's good since this jerky touts itself as a black pepper variety. I can also detect the soy sauce pretty quickly, followed by the natural meat flavors.

The liberal seasoning of black pepper probably makes this jerky mild to medium in the "hot" scale, and maybe medium hot for tongues of lesser tolerance.

There's also a sweetness I can sense, but very subtle.

The soy sauce continues to leach itself out of the meat as I continue to chew and suck on these pieces. There's also a saltiness that makes itself known.

The natural meat flavors have a fresh taste, not stale at all considering this variety contains no artificial preservatives. Not being an expert with buffalo meat, I can't really say that this tastes more like buffalo than beef. But it does have a very evident meat taste.

Overall, I find this to be very tasty. It has a strong black pepper flavor, and plenty of flavor that continues to leach out as I chew and chew.

Meat Consistency

These appear to be real cuts of meat, sliced thin, and in large pieces.

This is a dry jerky, with some stickiness to touch. It tears apart easily, and chews just as well. This is a really good jerky for softening up in your mouth and enjoying the flavors.

I don't find much fat on this at all, it's pretty lean. I didn't find too much in tendon, and nothing in gristle.

Overall, the meat consistency provides for a great eating experience, allowing me to enjoy it's taste without detraction.





Rating

I'm giving this a "best" rating.

Overall, it has a great taste, just as with House of Jerky's other varieties. It's easy to tear apart and chew, and offers you plenty of natural meat flavors. As a black pepper variety, it stands up on its feet as a serious black pepper variety. It also has great snackability, I find myself always wanting more.

While the flavorings are simple, just black pepper, soy sauce, and sugar, it's packed heavily with these flavors so that it continues to leach itself out for as long as you chew. While I didn't necessarily find the taste as redundant, I would certainly welcome an extra seasoning, I'm thinking along the lines of jalapeno pepper, in a small amount, just to add that extra taste dimension.

Rating: Best (5/5)

Buy this online:

• https://www.houseofjerky.net

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House of Jerky - Turkey Teriyaki

House of Jerky is a small, but well known brand in the field of gourmet jerky, relying on a national network of small beef jerky stores, and a website optimized for search engines.

Teriyaki turkey jerky is perhaps the most popular form of turkey jerky, and probably also the most popular form of jerky period. Probably the biggest reason has to do with the fact that combining both sweet and salty into a snack food has been one of the fastest growing flavor combinations in the industry.

I had previously reviewed a teriyaki turkey from Smokey's Beef Jerky, which received a "best" rating from me. So I thought I'd put this rival offering from House of Jerky to test.

In addition to this teriyaki variety, House of Jerky also offers a black pepper turkey variety, which already received a "best" rating from me as well.

Ingredients

Turkey breast, teriyaki sauce, brown sugar, honey, pineapple juice, water, liquid smoke, black pepper, garlic powder, ginger powder.

Taste

The first thing I notice is a thick sweetness of teriyaki and honey, followed by the taste of teriyaki. The taste of ginger comes through afterwards, and then finally I can detect the natural meat flavors.

Even though black pepper is listed in the ingredients, and is visible in sparing amounts, I don't really taste it. It probably only provides a "taste ambiance".

The natural turkey meat flavors are there, but the thick sweetness of the sugar and teriyaki masks much of it. I tend to taste more of it after several chews, and sucking out some of the juices. Turkey meat's unique taste is still evident in these pieces; you still know that you're eating turkey, it's just not as well defined as it is in the company's black pepper turkey variety.

Despite this variety not containing any artificial preservatives, it has a fresh taste.

Overall, this is a good teriyaki turkey jerky. It offers a good and sweet teriyaki flavor, some natural turkey meat flavors, and some ginger can be detected too. It's not that salty, even though the nutritional label an average volume of sodium. After having eaten several bites, I can sense a black pepper aftertaste.

Meat Consistency

These are real cuts of turkey meat, sliced in average thickness, and in medium sized pieces.

The meat is generally dry, but with a thick layer of sticky sweetness. I found the pieces to be moderately easy to tear apart and chew, with a little bit of extra effort required here and there, but overall offering a good jerky experience.

One piece had a small bit of tendon that I couldn't chew through, and ended up pulling out of my mouth and tossing into the trash. Otherwise, I didn't find any fat, or gristle; these are mostly lean cuts of turkey.

There is enough stickiness to these pieces, that you'll have to lick your fingers each time you tear off a piece.




Product Value

House of Jerky sells this through their website at a price of $10.50 for a 4oz package, making that an average price of $2.63 per oz, which makes it rather expensive. The company says that this price includes shipping. I've been able to find their jerky at lower prices when visiting one of their outlet stores.

But I'd still say this offers a good value, considering it's hard to find really good turkey jerky. The terikyaki turkey jerky from Smokey's Beef Jerky, which I'm comparing this to, is actually priced cheaper than this, and got a "best" rating from me.

Rating

I'm giving this a "best" rating.

I actually sat on the line between the "good" and the best" rating. While this is indeed very good, I found this to be somewhat bland. But it's largely the same jerky as their teriyaki beef, which I gave a "best" rating to. I'm thinking that maybe this particular review package (which contains only 2oz) might have been an exception. But since the company sent me several varieties of their jerky for free, I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt.

I still like the contrast between the sweet teriyaki, and the pungent taste of ginger powder. It gives it more of an Japanese experience. I probably would prefer to taste more of the black pepper, just to break the blandness, but that's just a personal preference of mine.

On the other hand, I'm just being a nit-picky critic. Most people who love teriyaki turkey jerky will find this to be exceptional.

I also found this to be very snackable, always wanting to reach for more.

Rating: Best (5/5)

Buy this online:

• https://www.houseofjerky.net

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