Beef jerky
May 18, 2016 11:08 AM Subscribe
Please recommend your favorite beef jerky, either widely available in stores or more specialty ones available online. I'd also be interested to hear if anyone has enjoyed a "jerky of the month club" sort of subscription.
This is a bit different, but I quite like Ayoba-Yo Droewors beef sticks (they suggest refrigerating after opening). I've seen it at Whole Foods and you can order it online.
posted by gudrun at 11:33 AM on May 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by gudrun at 11:33 AM on May 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
Holmen Meat Market's jerky is good even if you don't get the painfully spicy version. I see they've added a few other animals besides cows too.
posted by mattamatic at 11:34 AM on May 18, 2016
posted by mattamatic at 11:34 AM on May 18, 2016
I've enjoyed several flavors from Savage Jerky. My favorite is sriracha bacon, which I know is not beef, but they have plenty of beef flavors too.
posted by disaster77 at 11:35 AM on May 18, 2016
posted by disaster77 at 11:35 AM on May 18, 2016
Smith's Log Smokehouse jerky. Wide variety of flavors. They also avoid the dusty texture you so often get from mass-market "specialty" jerky.
Beef Jerky! In the summer of 1988 we began sampling out bags of this product at fairs and malls throughout Maine. Kids could be seen pooling their change to buy a $2.00 bag, folks without teeth were trying it, well-dressed ladies retraced their steps, a Smith's jerky sample on their tongue and bought purses full. People of all kinds stood, licking their fingers, wondering how much to buy. We kid you not! Thin strips of moist steak in a vac. pack.
posted by pie ninja at 11:55 AM on May 18, 2016
Beef Jerky! In the summer of 1988 we began sampling out bags of this product at fairs and malls throughout Maine. Kids could be seen pooling their change to buy a $2.00 bag, folks without teeth were trying it, well-dressed ladies retraced their steps, a Smith's jerky sample on their tongue and bought purses full. People of all kinds stood, licking their fingers, wondering how much to buy. We kid you not! Thin strips of moist steak in a vac. pack.
posted by pie ninja at 11:55 AM on May 18, 2016
Check the Asian Supermarket in Albany. Chinese dried beef comes in an astounding number of configurations.
posted by rhizome at 11:57 AM on May 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by rhizome at 11:57 AM on May 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
Big John's beef jerky is my go-to for when I feel like I might need some internet jerky.
posted by the uncomplicated soups of my childhood at 12:15 PM on May 18, 2016
posted by the uncomplicated soups of my childhood at 12:15 PM on May 18, 2016
Oh, oh, Mingua Brothers, so yummy! Their shipping charges are expensive but it's worth it. It's more of a dry jerky, not the weird (imo) chewy almost gummy texture you get with mass market jerkies, but I wouldn't describe it as dusty.
That reminds me, it's time to place another order...
posted by pennypiper at 12:16 PM on May 18, 2016
That reminds me, it's time to place another order...
posted by pennypiper at 12:16 PM on May 18, 2016
a friend brought back some chyler's beef chips from a trip to hawaii a while ago, and we (my coworkers and i) all went nuts for them, so much so that we put together an order together. you might want to make sure they are still around, 'cause they were amazing. they were very thinly sliced, so they were crunchy. so good.
posted by koroshiya at 12:16 PM on May 18, 2016
posted by koroshiya at 12:16 PM on May 18, 2016
I've been eating Pat's Beef Jerky for something like 20 years, and I've never had better jerky (except homemade). I'll definitely be trying some of these other suggestions, though...
posted by McBearclaw at 12:42 PM on May 18, 2016
posted by McBearclaw at 12:42 PM on May 18, 2016
Our local whole foods has some great jerky in the Butchers section just sitting in a jar on the counter you just buy as much as you like. I've only ever been in the one Whole Foods so not sure if it's available everywhere. But it's like meat crack to me.
posted by wwax at 1:15 PM on May 18, 2016
posted by wwax at 1:15 PM on May 18, 2016
Recently discovered Chefs Cut at Costco but available elsewhere. Also like Mingua Brothers which fortunately is a local brand here.
posted by tman99 at 1:16 PM on May 18, 2016
posted by tman99 at 1:16 PM on May 18, 2016
Krave jerky is pretty great! It's on Amazon, at Targets where I am, and sometimes is on Woot (owned by amazon) on sale. I think it's also at Sam's Club if you are a member.
posted by shortyJBot at 1:47 PM on May 18, 2016
posted by shortyJBot at 1:47 PM on May 18, 2016
Fantastic jerky and beef sticks from a tiny town in Iowa. Best I have ever had.
Stanhope Locker
posted by Sweet Dee Kat at 2:14 PM on May 18, 2016
Stanhope Locker
posted by Sweet Dee Kat at 2:14 PM on May 18, 2016
The best jerky I have ever had - the one that literally redefined for me what beef jerky could be - is Lone Mountain Wagyu Beef Jerky. I haven't tried any of their other beef offerings, but this jerky, man, it's amazing. Super tender, feels rich in your mouth without having particular fatty/lean sections (i.e. the fat is extremely well distributed across the meat), and just delicious. Fun fact: my dogs only get particularly crazy, "I can't believe you aren't going to share that with me" about three human food items: meat and cheese lasagna, bone broth, and this particular brand of beef jerky. Second fun fact: this was one of the few things I could eat (along with rice chex in milk, string cheese, and mac n cheese) during a particularly horrible spell of morning sickness in my first trimester.
For more reasonably priced (and easier to find) jerky, I really like Field Trip Jerky. It's the go-to brand in my house for backpacking and hiking. I particularly like that it's not too sweet , and that the flavored versions are tasty but not overwhelming (I want to feel like I'm eating meat, not a candy bar).
My husband and I were introduced to both brands via Carnivore Club, which is a cured meat of the month club that we've been using for 18 months or so. Not every single box hits it out of the ball park, but most of them are really worth it (especially if you're European like my husband, and miss the sort of high-quality charcuterie that is much more common there than in the States). The June box is still available for order, and is looking pretty solid: 6 types of summer sausage/landjaeger/meat sticks from buffalo, elk, venison, and ham. Pork is definitely the primary meat that gets offered, though, not beef.
posted by Jaclyn at 2:22 PM on May 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
For more reasonably priced (and easier to find) jerky, I really like Field Trip Jerky. It's the go-to brand in my house for backpacking and hiking. I particularly like that it's not too sweet , and that the flavored versions are tasty but not overwhelming (I want to feel like I'm eating meat, not a candy bar).
My husband and I were introduced to both brands via Carnivore Club, which is a cured meat of the month club that we've been using for 18 months or so. Not every single box hits it out of the ball park, but most of them are really worth it (especially if you're European like my husband, and miss the sort of high-quality charcuterie that is much more common there than in the States). The June box is still available for order, and is looking pretty solid: 6 types of summer sausage/landjaeger/meat sticks from buffalo, elk, venison, and ham. Pork is definitely the primary meat that gets offered, though, not beef.
posted by Jaclyn at 2:22 PM on May 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
Trader Joe's used to sell a jerky called "South African Biltong" or something similar that was amazing and weird and wonderful. Obviously they discontinued it but if you can figure out where they were getting it from you're in for a real treat
posted by saladin at 4:11 PM on May 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by saladin at 4:11 PM on May 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
BKH BKH BKH!!!
I have relatives from all over the country who come and visit and take back pounds and pounds of jerky (they take orders from their friends and family and distribute when they get home). They've been doing this for the past 20+ years. Luckily, they now offer online purchases.
posted by btfreek at 6:02 PM on May 18, 2016
I have relatives from all over the country who come and visit and take back pounds and pounds of jerky (they take orders from their friends and family and distribute when they get home). They've been doing this for the past 20+ years. Luckily, they now offer online purchases.
posted by btfreek at 6:02 PM on May 18, 2016
I try not to do the "I know asked for A but try B!" thing too often, but....
Just today I bought some hard Jewish salami. I was sharing it with someone who'd never heard of it, and before I could explain what it was he said, "Oh, it's like really good beef jerky!" So.
You can see how it's dried around the edges; you can leave it in the fridge for a few days until it shrivels as much as you want. It's also easy to make: take a Jewish salami, remove the plastic but leave the wrapping. Hang it from a kitchen door or something for a few months. Growing up, we always had a salami hanging int he kitchen.
posted by Room 641-A at 9:06 PM on May 18, 2016
Just today I bought some hard Jewish salami. I was sharing it with someone who'd never heard of it, and before I could explain what it was he said, "Oh, it's like really good beef jerky!" So.
You can see how it's dried around the edges; you can leave it in the fridge for a few days until it shrivels as much as you want. It's also easy to make: take a Jewish salami, remove the plastic but leave the wrapping. Hang it from a kitchen door or something for a few months. Growing up, we always had a salami hanging int he kitchen.
posted by Room 641-A at 9:06 PM on May 18, 2016
Seconding Chef's Cut and also recommending Nick's Sticks. The spicy version of Nick's is a nice level of spice and will not burn your tongue off as the packaging might imply.
posted by bedhead at 11:11 AM on May 19, 2016
posted by bedhead at 11:11 AM on May 19, 2016
South African Biltong is the best. They used to carry it at Fairway, but these days I get mine online. Or you could opt for locally sourced, artisanal hipster biltong from Brooklyn. Or even make your own.
posted by monospace at 11:34 AM on May 19, 2016
posted by monospace at 11:34 AM on May 19, 2016
Trader Joe's in a green bag. I take it whenever I'm hiking, and my hiking companions tend to steal it from me.
posted by The corpse in the library at 12:45 PM on May 19, 2016
posted by The corpse in the library at 12:45 PM on May 19, 2016
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by zutalors! at 11:14 AM on May 18, 2016