The next review for Crazy Horse Jerky will be on a 2 ounce/56 gram bag of their sweet flavor. This jerky was graciously submitted for review by Cara Wenrich, the wife of the owner, Dave Wenrich.
Crazy Horse Jerky is manufactured and distributed by Crazy Horse Jerky LLC, based out of Hellam, Pennsylvania, which is known as Pennsylvania Dutch Country. The Wenrich family has a history of farming, where Dave himself is a carpenter. Following a jerky recipe that had been passed down from several generations, Dave built his own custom smokehouse, and established Crazy Horse Jerky in 2009.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Beef, Water, Worcestershire Sauce (Distilled White Vinegar, Molasses, Water, Sugar, Onions, Anchovies, Salt, Garlic, Cloves, Tamarind Extract, Natural Flavorings, Chili Pepper Extract), Soy Sauce (Water, Salt, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Corn Syrup, Caramel Color), Corn Syrup, Brown Sugar Glaze, Smoke. Allergen Warnings: Soy, Anchovies
The beef used here is partially grass fed, originating from both the USA and Canada. That qualifies this jerky to be free range. The beef is believed to have been ethically raised, meaning no growth hormones and no additional antibiotics are given.
The liquid marinade consists of water, a good Worcestershire sauce, a poor soy sauce, and corn syrup. Our preference is that jerky has no business having any corn products in it.
There is no nutrition facts table provided. As a result, the exact sugar and salt levels are unknown.
This jerky does qualify to have no sodium nitrite, or any other similar unhealthy preservatives. Instead, salt is the main preservative used.
This jerky does not qualify to be MSG free because the soy sauce uses the highly processed flavor enhancer hydrolyzed soy protein. Being hydrolyzed also means that it is an unhealthy type of trans fat.
Decent (7/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
These strips of beef are fair sized, with a thickness that is medium, perhaps a little thicker. The texture is dry, but not overly dry, which results in jerky that is relatively easy to chew. There are no visible signs of fat, and handling this jerky leaves a slight oily film on your fingers.
The first taste detected is the smokiness, followed by the natural beef flavor. Then a moderate soy taste blends in. The saltiness level is moderate at best. While this jerky is advertised to be a sweet flavor, it is not all that sweet tasting, which allows a good deal of natural beef flavor to be present.
You can purchase a 4 ounce/113 gram bag online for $8.49, which works out to $2.12 an ounce. That rates as an average price. For anybody who enjoys a smoky taste and a good deal of natural beef flavor, this flavor is recommended as worth your money.
Bag Review
We have an ordinary transparent plastic bag here. A label is affixed to the front, and nothing is on the back. There is no easy of way opening this bag, where you need a sharp object such as a knife or scissors.
On the label is the Crazy Horse Jerky logo, with what looks like a stallion on its hind legs. The four beef jerky flavors are displayed, where somebody takes a marker to circle the appropriate flavor. Then the jerky weight in ounces is manually written.
There are quite a few bag categories missing here. However, Crazy Horse Jerky deserves credit for using a vacuum sealed bag, the best way to keep jerky fresh. Missing bag categories are slogans, bar code, nutrition facts table, jerky weight stated in grams, ingredient list, allergen alerts, a best before date, an easy to open bag, a blurb about Crazy Horse Jerky, and no jerky maker address details.
The sweet flavored 4 ounce/113 gram bag listed at the bottom was part of the online purchase made in 2011 that cost $8.49.
Order their jerky online: www.crazyhorsejerky.com
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