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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Smokehouse Jerky Co. - Spicy Sweet

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 "Spicy Sweet" variety is described by Smokehouse Jerky Co as having, "...just the right amount of jalapeño to give it some kick", going on to saying that it has a, "...sweet and spicy taste that’s not too overwhelming".

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Painted Hills Natural Beef - Asian BBQ Beef Jerky

Painted Hills Natural Beef got its start in 1997 when seven ranchers in the Wheeler County area of Oregon got together to form a new cattle venture that would protect their top quality animals from being blended with cattle of lower quality. The company is now a wholesaler of boxed primal cuts of steaks, and just recently added deli meats and jerky to their line up.

The cattle they raise receive a 100% vegetarian diet throughout their lives, grazing the pastures of 80 family farms. The animals never receive added hormones or antibiotics. The resulting jerky is 100% gluten free and made with no MSG or preservatives.

This Asian BBQ variety comes with no additional description or claims.

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Beefy Boys Beef Jerky - Jamaican Style

Beefy Boys Beef Jerky is a brand owned by John Bailey, based out of Salinas, CA. The brand has been around since 1999.

Manufactured in their very own USDA inspected facility, Beefy Boys is made from top round sourced from a supplier located 120 miles from their plant, then marinated and cooked using an old family recipe.

This Jamaican variety is new, being made with Jerk seasonings and Scotch Bonnet Peppers.

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Jeff's Famous Jerky - Carolina Reaper

Jeff's Famous Jerky recently released this new flavor, Carolina Reaper. Based out of Mission Viejo, CA, Jeff's Famous Jerky is a brand owned by Jeff's Famous Foods, Inc.

The company started up in 2010 when Jeff Richards decided to make a business from his favorite snack food, jerky. Since the 1970s, Richards has been making his own jerky, getting better year after year, similar to like a 40-year old bourbon. Professionally, Richards has spent his career in the restaurant business and also coaches entrepreneurs through a consulting business.

This Carolina Reaper variety is of course based on the currently-world's-most-hottest chile pepper, the Carolina Reaper. According to Jeff himself, he launched this jerky variety after friends kept asking for something "over-the-top fiery".

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Grill Your Ass Off - Original

Grill Your Ass Off is a line of jerky and seasonings that launched in 2016 by Army Veterans, Jason Murff, based out of Hutto, TX. Murff had actually started with a line of seasonings and just now expanded into jerky.

The idea for his brand stems back into his Army days when he developed seasonings for his brothers in arms. After the service, he went into college to sharpen his business skills and went on to launch his new brand. Murff donates a portion of his proceeds to charities that benefit military and first responders.

This Original style jerky is described by Murff as, "a taste everyone can enjoy", going on to say that it's for those who want to, "keep it simple.

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Biltong USA - Traditional Sliced Biltong

Biltong USA was among the earliest brands of American-made biltong, dating back to 1996. South African immigrants, Dawid Joubert and Salome Joubert founded the company in Stallings, NC based on the same family recipe that dated back into the 1600s. Over the years, their biltong products helped launched a new meat snack category in the States.

In January 2018, Biltong USA was acquired by a rival biltong brand, Stryve Foods. However, Biltong USA continues on under its own brand, and is still manufactured at its original USDA inspected facility in Stallings.

This Traditional Sliced Biltong differs from the Original Sliced Biltong we reviewed last week in that it has some fat whereas the Original is lean. The package is also marked "Gluten Free".

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Biltong USA - Original Sliced Biltong

Biltong USA was among the earliest brands of American-made biltong, dating back to 1996. South African immigrants, Dawid Joubert and Salome Joubert founded the company in Stallings, NC based on the same family recipe that dated back into the 1600s. Over the years, their biltong products helped launched a new meat snack category in the States.

In January 2018, Biltong USA was acquired by a rival biltong brand, Stryve Foods. However, Biltong USA continues on under its own brand, and is still manufactured at its original USDA inspected facility in Stallings.

This Original Sliced Biltong is the brand's most popular product, it's their lean variety, whereas their "Traditional Sliced" is the fatty variety. The package is also marked "Gluten Free".

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Grandpa's Beef Jerky - Sweet Teriyaki

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 "Sweet Teriyaki" is described as, "...smoky, salty and sweet in the best way", and is marked as, "Mild".

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Grandpa's Beef Jerky - Original Hickory

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 "Original Hickory" is said to be Grandpa's most requested variety, and is made from top-round-steak. It's marked with a heat-rating of "Medium".

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