The next review on Stemmler Meats will focus on a 1.5 ounce/42 gram bag of their regular flavor. This jerky was kindly submitted by Kevin Stemmler, a son of the founders Gerard and Maryanne Stemmler.
Recently, Kevin Stemmler gave us a tour of the store in Heidelberg, Ontario, Canada. The Stemmler Meats store was bustling, with a tour bus out front. They are nearing capacity in their existing location, and it is starting to show with 47 employees working that day alone. All of their German made jerky equipment is quite expensive. They are currently developing cutting edge technology on several fronts. Kevin is an impressive individual, and a wonderful tour guide, where the future for Stemmler Meats appears to be exceptionally bright.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Beef, Reverse Osmosis Water, Sugar, Corn Syrup Solids, Salt, Hydrolyzed Plant Protein (from Soy), Onion, Garlic, Sodium Erythorbate, Dextrose, 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. These cattle also have some free range access to grass.
The liquid marinade is only reverse osmosis water. It is impressive that a filtered type of water is used, which is far better than tap water.
Pretty much the best vegetable combination of onion and garlic are used. This jerky is smoked using maple wood.
The sugar level is impressive at only 2 grams of sugar per 28 grams of jerky. However, the salt level is quite high at 510mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky. An original flavor by nature should be salty tasting, where our preference is 350mg of salt or less.
As for preservatives, both unhealthy sodium erythorbate and sodium nitrite are used. Kevin assures us the sodium erythorbate is only a few parts per million, all for consumer safety.
This jerky does not qualify to be MSG free. The highly processed flavor enhancer hydrolyzed plant protein is used, and a form of MSG. Worse, it’s a type of trans fat.
Alright (6/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
The strips are slightly bigger than medium in size. Jerky does not get much thinner than this. This texture is dry, but not overly dry, which is easy to chew. There are no visible signs of fat on this jerky, and this jerky does leave an oily residue on your fingers.
The first taste detected is the natural meat flavor, followed by a light soy taste. There is a slight smoked taste in the background. The saltiness level is moderate, and the sweetness level is mild. There is a good, light garlic/onion taste combination. With a regular flavor, the natural beef flavor should be the dominant taste, which it is here. Overall, this is a pleasant tasting jerky.
A 3 ounce/85 gram bag sells for $5.99 at Stemmler Meats. That works out to $2.00 an ounce, which would rate as an average price. This jerky is recommended for people who desire a mild tasting jerky.
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 provided.
Check out their web site: www.stemmlermeats.ca
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