Monty's Smoked Beef Jerky - Tenderfoot

Monty's Smoked Beef Jerky is a new brand of beef jerky hitting the national market earlier this year. Based in Bird City, KS, it's a family run business co-owned by Robyn Raile, her husband Tim, and her brother Wade.

The brand originally started out as Monte Nuss Beef Jerky in a little store in Littleton, CO back in 1996. After Nuss closed shop, he sold it to Wade, who then moved the business to Bird City, KS, and relaunched it as Monty's Smoked Beef Jerky.

The company adds no preservatives in their jerky, and smokes the meat over hickory chunks, though also adds smoke flavoring. They offer five varieties, including this Tenderfood, which appears to be closest to a basic flavor, and a "Red Hot Sweetie", which I'll be reviewing later.

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Just Smoked Salmon - Teriyaki Jerky

Just Smoked Salmon is a brand name of Wright Distributing, Inc., based out of Port Angeles, WA.

The company started out in 1999 focusing on distributing smoked salmon products but has since expanded to include other seafood including tuna, clams, trout, oysters, and others.

While this package is labeled "Teriyaki Jerky", I can't tell if it was truly meant to be a jerky, or if it's really just smoked salmon. But since it carries the "jerky" description, I sought to do a review. I also have a package of their "Candy Jerky" which I'll review later.

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Timberline Smokehouse Beef Jerky - Beer & Fire

Continuing on in the Timberline Smokehouse series is this Beer & Fire variety. See my previous reviews of their Original, Beer & Garlic, Sweet Mountain BBQ, and Sweet Bourbon & Honey Pepper varieties.

Adam Thomas, founder of Timberline Smokehouse, is also the owner of Thomas Smoked Meats, both based in Johnstown, PA. Thomas originally offered his jerky in 1998 under the Thomas Smoked Meats brand, which he continues to do today. In 2008, he decided to take his line of beef jerky national, under the Timberline Smokehouse brand. Both brands utilize the same recipe.

This "Beer & Fire" variety is one of two beer varieties that Timberline Smokehouse offers. It's marinated in pure beer, as opposed to just having little bit of beer added to the marinade.

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Ralphs Beef Jerky - Original

Ralphs is a grocery store chain located throughout Southern California. They offer their own store-branded jerky.

The company is owned by The Kroger Co., and is aligned with the entire Kroger family of stores, including Kroger itself, King Soopers, Frys, Food4Less, Fred Meyer, Turkey Hill, and the list goes on and on.

Like most grocery stores, Ralphs doesn't make its own products. This jerky was manufactured by Mirab USA, one of the largest private labelers in the meat snack business.

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Pioneer Brand Beef Jerky - Smokehouse Original

Pioneer Brand is a brand name of Jerky Snack Brands, Inc. based out of Minong, WI, though this jerky appears to have been manufactured out of the company's Schulenberg, TX facility.

The brand was originally founded in 1986 by Robert George in Livonia, MI. The company was originally a distributor of branded meat snacks and originally operated as Western Snacks, and then became Metro Snacks, until it changed names to Pioneer Snacks, Inc. It wasn't until January 2007 that the business was acquired by Jerky Snacks Brands.

Just this year the brand went through a complete rebranding emphasizing the letters "PNR", with a new logo and new package design.

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Old Wisconsin Beef Jerky - Original

Old Wisconsin is a brand name of Old Wisconsin Sausage, Inc. based out of Sheboygan, WI.

The company has been around since 1942 and is more known for its line of sausages than its beef jerky. It originally started out as "Thielmann's" until the 1980s, when it was purchased by Carl Buddig and Co., and was changed to the present name.

I'm not exactly sure when Old Wisconsin began selling jerky, but I want to say that it's not part of their original product line going back into the 1940s, and more likely a recent addition since being purchased by Carl Buddig and Co.

Old Wisconsin makes this jerky in their own USDA approved facility.

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Timberline Smokehouse - Sweet Bourbon & Honey Pepper

Next in the series on Timberline Smokehouse is this Sweet Bourbon & Honey Pepper variety of beef jerky. See my previous reviews of their Original, Beer & Garlic, and Sweet Mountain BBQ varieties.

Timberline Smokehouse is a brand of Timberline Smokehouse, Inc., based out of Johnstown, PA. The company was founded by Adam Thomas in 2008. Thomas also runs Thomas Smoked Meats, a store also located in Johnstown, PA where he sells his line of meats, steaks, chops, sausages, as well as jerky. Timberline Smokehouse is his national brand, whereas the smoked meat shop is focused at local shoppers.

This Sweet Bourbon & Honey Pepper is said to have been marinated in Kentucky Bourbon and honey.

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New Braunfels Smokehouse - Peppered Pork Strips

Next up in the series on New Braunfels Smokehouse is this Peppered Pork Strips. See my previous reviews of their Jalapeno, Sweet & Spicy, and Peppered varieties.

New Braunfels Smokehouse is a smokehouse and restaurant located in New Braunfels, TX. The company's history goes back to 1943, when it originally opened as a ice factory.

Local ranchers used to bring their meats to them for cold storage. A smokehouse employee, who came from Germany, got the idea of smoking some of the meats using an old German recipe. Locals in the area loved the smoked meats, and soon orders started coming in from all over Texas, and the ice factory shifted gears and became a smokehouse.

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Ozark Mountain Jerky Co. - Peppered

Next in the series on Ozark Mountain Jerky Co. is this Peppered variety. See my previous review of their Original.

Ozark Mountain Jerky Co. is a brand of Frickenschmidt Foods based in Lockwood, MO. The company started in 1988 by Allen Frickenschmidt, who oversees operations, while his family members handle all the other duties.

In 2008, the company stepped up from state inspection to USDA inspection. That allowed the company to go national with its products, and spurned the launch of their Ozark Mountain Jerky brand. The brand sells only two varieties of beef jerky from its website, this Peppered, and the Original I reviewed earlier.

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Famous Dave's - Pork Jerky

Next in the series on Famous Dave's, is this Pork Jerky. See my previous reviews of their Original and Apricot Bourbon beef jerky.

Famous Dave's is a brand of Famous Products, Inc., based out of Eden Prairie, MN. Famous Dave's is known mostly for its line of award winning BBQ sauces and its chain of 170+ restaurants.

This Pork Jerky is actually the last of their line of jerky, in addition to their Original and Apricot Bourbon beef jerkies. It's said to be made using the same rib rub that transformed Dave Anderson into "Famous Dave's".

All of Famous Dave's jerky is manufactured by Jerky Snack Brands, of Mankato, MN.

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