Note: For a more recent, live taste review, open Jedidiah’s – Hot & Spicy Teriyaki Beef Jerky (Recipe #2).
Back in 2012, I made an online purchase of Jedidiah’s beef jerky. This review will focus on a 3 ounce/ 85 gram bag of their hot & spicy teriyaki flavor.
Jedidiah’s is distributed by Jedidiah’s Jerky & Gourmet Snacks, located in Fort Mohave, Arizona. This brand of jerky started all the way back in 1984, and is family owned and operated. They currently have three different retail locations in Barstow, California, Beatty, Nevada, and Laughlin, Nevada. They offer several different flavors and styles of jerky.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Brisket of Beef, Teriyaki Sauce (Soy Sauce (Water, Wheat, Soybeans, Salt), Wine, Sugar, Water, Salt, Spices, Onion Powder, Succinic Acid, Garlic Powder), Brown Sugar, Pineapple Juice, Crushed Chili Peppers, Garlic, Black Pepper, Organic Worcestershire Sauce (Organic Rice Vinegar, Organic Tamari Soy Sauce (Water, Organic Soybeans, Salt), Organic Evaporated Cane Syrup, Salt, Organic Spices), Ginger. Allergen Warnings: Soy, Wheat
This jerky uses brisket as the cut of beef, which is believed to absorb the marinade better than any other cut of beef. 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.
For the liquid marinade we have teriyaki sauce, pineapple juice, and organic Worcestershire sauce. Each sauce also contains soy sauce. Pineapple juice contains an enzyme named bromelain, which is widely used in the meat industry because it acts as a meat tenderizer.
Almost requirements for a teriyaki based flavor, super healthy garlic and ginger are used. The spiciness in this jerky comes from the crushed chili peppers, which are healthy if eaten in moderation. Another favorite is used, black pepper, which also contains multiple health benefits.
The sugar level is on the high side at 8 grams of sugar per 28 grams of jerky. For a sweet based teriyaki flavor, the preference is 5 grams of sugar or less. The salt level is very high at 550mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky. Our preference is 350mg of salt or less.
This jerky does qualify to have no sodium nitrite added, or any other similar unhealthy preservatives. Instead, salt is the main preservative. Admirably, this jerky does qualify to have no MSG added.
Decent (7/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
Note: For a recent, live taste review, open Jedidiah’s – Hot & Spicy Teriyaki Beef Jerky (Recipe #2).
What I remember most about Jedidiah’s beef jerky is that the jerky texture was very soft and tender. My notes indicated that this hot & spicy teriyaki flavor was not all that hot. If a jerky is advertised as being hot, with the flavor name being “Hot & Spicy Teriyaki”, it should be hot tasting. It was also not all that sweet tasting.
I paid $5.99 for this 3 ounce/ 85 gram bag of jerky. That works out to $2.00 an ounce, which rates as an average price. The ingredient list has since changed.
Bag Review
We have a fairly common resealable bag, gold colored on the front, and silver on the back. The front has a label affixed, and the back has a faint best before date. It should be noted that this was a vacuum sealed bag. That surely played a part on how they retained their incredibly soft and tender jerky texture.
This label has a picture of a man with a long beard, who looks to spend time in the desert. A slogan printed on the bag is “Another Quality Product” from Jedidiah’s Jerky & Gourmet Snacks. The only fact printed is “Product of U.S.A.”.
All the major bag categories are covered here. To their credit, they also provide a toll free number for customer inquiries. While there is no space on the label, a blurb about Jedidiah’s jerky would have been appreciated.
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