The next review on Mountain Man will focus on a 1.8 ounce/50 gram bag of their original flavored beef jerky. This bag was graciously submitted for review by the founder of Mountain Man, Robert Lahue.
While not common, the Mountain Man jerky brand is distributed under the name Robert Lahue. Robert is located in Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada. His jerky is advertised to have no preservatives, no nitrates, no gluten, and no MSG, all great characteristics for jerky. There are an impressive 18 different Mountain Man flavors available.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Beef Slices, Pineapple Juice, Brown Sugar, Liquid Hickory Smoke, Sherry, Salt, Onion Juice, Vinegar, Sherry, Garlic Juice, Molasses, Spices.
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 used here consists of pineapple juice, sherry, liquid hickory smoke, vinegar, garlic juice, and onion juice. There is a natural enzyme named bromelain in pineapples that acts as a natural meat tenderizer. Garlic juice and onion juice are very healthy.
The sugar level is a bit high at around 4.5 grams per 28 grams of jerky. Our preference is 3 grams of sugar or less. The salt level is high at around 410mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky, where the preference is 350mg of salt or less.
This jerky does qualify to have no sodium nitrite, or any other similar unhealthy preservatives. Also, as a plus, this jerky qualifies to have no MSG added.
Decent (7/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
The strips are medium to small in size, and sliced to a medium thickness. This texture is dry, but not overly dry. While not common, these strips are sliced against the grain, instead of with the grain. There are visible signs of fat that enhance the flavor, and this jerky is relatively chewy. Handling this jerky leaves a little bit of oily residue on your fingers.
The first taste detected is the natural beef flavor, with a smoked flavor in the background. As with most Mountain Man flavors, the onion taste is noticeable. To a lesser extent the garlic taste is noticeable also.
There is a mild tanginess from the pineapple juice. The salt level is mild, and the sweetness is moderate. This jerky is quite juicy tasting. Overall, this is a great combination of flavors.
A 1.8 ounce/50 gram bag of this jerky sells for $5.00. That equates to $2.78 an ounce, which classifies as an expensive price. Given that a healthy ingredient is used, plus this jerky tastes great, which makes this jerky worth your money.
Excellent (10/10) – Taste Rating
Bag Review
This is not your typical jerky bag. Mainly because the label is printed lengthwise instead of heightwise. The label on the front covers the entire bag, and there is nothing on the back. Best of all, this jerky is vacuum sealed, the best way to help preserve the jerky.
On the label there is a picture of Robert Lahue with a mountain in the background, where British Columbia has many mountains. The Mountain Man brand name curves along the mountain peak. The slogan is “The Best in the West”. Facts printed on the bag are “no nitrates”, “no msg”, “no gluten”, “no soy”, and “no preservatives”.
Another interesting fact stated on the bag is “Did you know: It takes 1/2 pound of fresh meat to make this pack”. While there is no Canadian Department of Agriculture or British Columbia Department of Agriculture stamp printed anywhere, it does explicitly state on the bag itself that this jerky was made and packaged in a commercially licensed facility.
All important bag categories are covered here. To the credit of Robert, he supplies an email address, and a phone number for customer inquiries. As per Canadian law, there are French translations provided.
The original flavored 1.8 ounce/50 gram bag listed at the bottom was part of an online purchase in 2012. The ingredient list has since been slightly tweaked.
Check out their web site: www.mountainmanbeefjerky.com
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