In 2013 I made an online order for a 4 ounce/113 gram bag of teriyaki peppered flavored beef jerky from Samak Smoke House.
They are based out of Kamas, Utah, USA. Samak Smoke House & Country Store has been making jerky “The Old Fashioned Way” for over 25 years. They use high quality hand sliced beef employing decent ingredients with no MSG, or any harmful preservatives added. The jerky is smoked in high end drying equipment using fresh cherry wood chips from Wisconsin.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Beef, Water, Teriyaki Sauce (Sugar, Soy Sauce Powder, Soybeans, Wheat, Salt, Dextrin, Ginger Powder, Vinegar Powder, Caramel Color, Black Pepper, White Pepper), Brown Sugar, Salt, Worcestershire Sauce (Distilled Vinegar, Molasses, Corn Syrup, Water, Salt, Caramel Color, Spices, Anchovies, Natural Flavor, Tamarind), Garlic Salt, Pepper Allergen Warnings: Anchovies, Soy, Wheat
The beef used is not guaranteed to be free of growth hormones or additional antibiotics. Also, the beef is not guaranteed to have at least partial free range access to graze on grass. As a result, the highest ingredient rating that can be awarded is a Good (8/10) rating.
The liquid marinade consists of water, a decent teriyaki sauce, and an average Worcestershire sauce.
An interesting ingredient used is garlic salt, which is just dehydrated garlic mixed with salt. Some people consider black pepper to be the king of spices, and it offers many health benefits.
A teriyaki based flavor by definition should be sweet tasting. This flavor uses 5 grams of sugar per 28 grams of jerky, which is right at the allowable amount for a sweet based flavor. On the other hand, the salt level is extremely high at 540mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky. The preference is 350mg of salt or less.
As advertised, this jerky qualifies to have no sodium nitrite, or any other similar unhealthy preservatives. Instead, salt is the main preservative used. Admirably, this jerky has no MSG added.
Decent (7/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
This jerky had almost a borderline soft and tender texture, which made the jerky easy to chew. The teriyaki flavor was at a good level, but the black pepper was only at a light level. Overall, this jerky had a great taste and texture combination.
This 4 ounce/113 gram bag of Samak Smoke House jerky cost $8.25. That works out to $2.06 an ounce, which rates an average price. Despite the high salt level this jerky would have been recommended as worth your money.
Very Good (9/10) – Taste Rating
Bag Review
This is one of the best resealable bags to open, where it is easy to tear. The entire bag is tan colored except for the window to view jerky. Everything is neatly laid out.
You could say their slogan is “Smoked in the Unita Mountains for over 30 years”. Some facts printed on this bag are “No Preservatives”, “No Fillers”, “97% Fat Free”, “Store in a dry place”, and “Freeze to extend life”.
Every single bag category is covered. What puts this bag over the top is a great blurb printed on the back, summarizing Samak Smoke House & Country Store. To their credit, a phone number is provided for customer inquiries.
Leave a Comment