The next review on Stemmler Meats will focus on a 1.5 ounce/42 gram bag of their honey flavor. This jerky was kindly submitted by Kevin Stemmler, a son of the founders Gerard and Maryanne Stemmler.
Stemmler Meats is located in Heidelberg, Ontario, which is near the tri-city area of Waterloo, Kitchener, and Cambridge. Their company was founded in 1985, and has grown more than 350% in just the last eight years alone. Stemmler Meats company philosophy is catering to consumers that have food allergies and sensitivities, which was rare for any company 25 years ago. Kevin and his brothers Terry and Shawn, along with his parents, run the store, making this a truly family run store with family values.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Beef, Local Honey, Reverse Osmosis Water, Brown Sugar, Corn Syrup Solids, Salt, Hydrolyzed Plant Protein (from Soy), Onion, Garlic, Sodium Erythorbate, Sodium Nitrite, Maple Smoke. Allergen Warnings: Soy
Stemmler Meats sources their beef from local farms in Ontario. The cattle used are ethically raised, meaning no growth hormones or additional antibiotics are given. While not 100% grass fed, the cattle used do have free range access to grass.
The liquid marinade is comprised of reverse osmosis water and local honey. It is impressive to see that a filtered type of water is used, which is far better than tap water. Even more impressive is that the local honey used is unpasteurized.
It is always appreciated when healthy fresh vegetables such as onion and garlic are used. This jerky is smoked using maple wood.
This jerky does not qualify as MSG free because the highly processed flavor enhancer hydrolyzed plant protein is used. Being hydrolyzed, it is an unhealthy type of trans fat.
The sugar level is fairly high at 7 grams of sugar per 28 grams of jerky. For a sweet based honey flavor, our preference is 5 grams of sugar or less. The salt level is reasonable at 320mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky.
This jerky uses both sodium erythorbate and sodium nitrite as preservatives. Kevin has assured us that the erythorbate content is only a few parts per million.
Alright (6/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
These jerky strips are somewhat large in size. The thickness is definitely thin. As for the texture, it is dry, but certainly not too dry, which results in jerky that is relatively easy to chew. This jerky has a pinkish hue attributed to the sodium nitrite used. There are barely any signs of fat on this jerky. There is some sticky residue left on your fingers while handling this jerky, but nothing major.
The first taste detected is the honey flavor itself. The sweetness from the brown sugar is also noticeable, but the honey taste is easily more dominating. There is a moderate soy taste, and a light smoky flavor that compliments the honey flavor well. This jerky is mildly salty tasting. The garlic and onion levels are light. Each bite is very flavorful and tasty, where the natural beef flavor comes through nicely.
You can purchase a 3 ounce/85 gram bag for $5.99 at Stemmler Meats. That works out to $2.00 an ounce, which rates as an average price. We recommend this jerky to anybody who enjoys the flavor of honey.
Very Good (9/10) – Taste Rating
Bag Review
We have a non-resealable, transparent bag here. There is a label affixed to both the front and back of this bag. Something you do not see often on a transparent bag, the Stemmler Meats logo is printed on the plastic, along with an Ontario Department of Agriculture stamp. The best feature of this bag is being vacuum sealed.
Slogans printed on this bag are “Only the Best from our Family to Yours” est. 1985, and “European Style – Imported Cheeses – Quality Meats”.
The vast majority of bag categories are covered here. Missing is the jerky weight stated in grams, and slits to make this bag easy to open. As a required law in Canada, French translations are needed. Perhaps somewhat surprising for a small meat store, there is a QR Code that provides a URL to the Stemmler Meats web site.
Check out their web site: www.stemmlermeats.ca
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