Savage Jerky

Savage Jerky Co. is a new brand of jerky produced by Brad and Michelle Summey out of Washington DC. We previously reviewed their jerky under the name "Brave Jerky" while they were still in fundraising mode.

We're re-reviewing the jerky based on the new name and packaging, and since their jerky is now shipping, we can assign ratings.

Savage Jerky is based on a unique Cuban marinade recipe that mixes together garlic, lime, and cilantro. Currently, they are shipping four varieties, Mojo, Mojo Jalerrano, Mojo Habanero, and Ghost Pepper Buffalo.

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Crazy Mike's Beef Jerky - Original

Crazy Mike's Beef Jerky is a brand started in 2013 by Mike Merwin, a retired US Navy veteran, based out of Altamount, NY.

Mike, who's known by his friends as "Crazy Mike", had been making jerky himself since 1994 when a friend bought him a dehydrator on a BOGO deal after watching a late night infomercial. Mike had been making homebrew and winning chili cook-offs at the time, so making jerky was right up his alley.

Crazy Mike's Beef Jerky is made from USDA Choice Beef, Eye Round, hickory smoked, and then slow cooked. It currently sells online from its website, as well as in one of Mike's friend's bars.

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Dave's Meat & Nuts - Smoked Beef Jerky with Ghost Pepper

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 "Smoked Beef Jerky with Ghost Pepper" is described by Dave as, "fire in jerky form", going on to say that it has, "Amazing deep flavors of smoked chilies & beef. Delicate to the bite & robust on the palate. This is very, very hot..."

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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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People's Choice Beef Jerky - Carne Seca Limon Con Chile

People's Choice Beef Jerky is a brand of People's 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.

Their "Carne Seca" line of beef jerky is based on the Mexican-style dried beef popular in Latin societies. Being that People's Choice Beef Jerky is located in downtown Los Angeles, they've found a lot of success marketing their line of Carne Seca to local hispanic grocery stores and carnicerias.

The flavors of "Limon" and "Limon con Chile" are made with all natural ingredients, are gluten free, and contain no preservatives.

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Pap's Beef Jerky - Pitmasters Barbecue #21 - Thin Style

Note: Pap's Foods is a sponsor of this website, but has no effect on our ratings and reviews.

Pap's Beef Jerky, introduced a revised line of jerky, with a new line of recipes. See our previous reviews of their jerky.

Four new varieties now anchor their beef jerky lineup, Mild, Hot, Blazin Cajun, and Pitmasters BBQ. Pitmasters BBQ is the only variety carrying over from the previous lineup. The words "Thin Cut" now grace Pap's beef jerky packaging, which is considerably more thin than their previous cut.

Pap's Beef Jerky originally grew from Pap's Genuine Beef Sticks. Pap's is a creation of Rick Waldon, based out of Junction City, KY. Pap's Beef Jerky is made using USDA inspected beef in a USDA inspected facility.

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Mike's Jerky - Lime Pepper

Mike's Jerky recently introduced some new flavors. See my reviews of other flavors from Mike's Jerky.

Mike's Jerky is based out of Albuquerque, NM, owned and operated by Mike Grier. It's a New Mexico Style of jerky where its sliced thin, dried crisp, and crunches when you bite into it, yet still chewing like real meat.

This Lime Pepper beef jerky is described by the company as, "You put the lime with the pepper, Cha-Cha-Cha!!"

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Kratos Beef Sticks - Original

Kratos, the brand of beef bars we reviewed a few years ago, recently introduced a new line of beef sticks.

Kratos is a brand owned by QuarterShare International, LLC, based in Tulsa, OK. The parent company happens to sell a line of meat sticks under the QuarterShare name, but are not 100% beef.

These new sticks from Kratos, however, are 100% beef, and made with a different recipe. The beef was raised without added hormones, no antibiotics, vegetarian fed, and minimally processed. The beef used is also "GAP Step 1" (Global Animal Partnership). These sticks are also stamped as "Certified Gluten Free".

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Jedidiah's Beef Jerky - Cowboy

Billed as one of the company's top selling varieties, this Cowboy style from Jedidiah's Beef Jerky is meant to be a throwback to the old days of campfire cooking, saddle sores, and pesky indians. Jedidiah's Jerky was started by David Coffey, a veteran of the beef jerky business, having taken his first bite of the industry in 1984, when he went to work for Polley's Beef Jerky. In 2005, he went to work for himself by starting Jedidiah's Jerky. Based out of Beatty, NV, Coffey also runs a chain of beef jerky outlets called, "Jed's Jerky", with locations throughout Nevada and California.

This "Cowboy Style" is more of a man's jerky, made with no added sugar, just simple seasonings and strong dose of cracked black pepper corns.

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Mike's Jerky - Butter Mesquite

Mike's Jerky recently introduced some new flavors. See my reviews of other flavors from Mike's Jerky.

Mike's Jerky is based out of Albuquerque, NM, owned and operated by Mike Grier. It's a New Mexico Style of jerky where its sliced thin, dried crisp, and crunches when you bite into it, yet still chewing like real meat.

This Butter Mesquite beef jerky is described by the company as, "Butter makes everything better!"

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