The next review for House of Jerky will focus on a 2 ounce/57 gram bag of their black pepper flavored beef jerky. This bag was kindly submitted for review by Lesley from House of Jerky.
This House of Jerky brand is distributed by House of Jerky Inc., based out of Evansville, Indiana. It all started in 1993, selling their jerky on the side of the road. In 1996, they had an idea to sell their jerky inside a store. It started out with leasing a 100 square foot store. Before the year ended, they opened up an 800 square foot jerky store in Temecula, California, which still holds the distinction of being the very first jerky store in the world. Today, they have approximately 25 House of Jerky stores located across the U.S.A, where new business opportunities are always welcome.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Top Round Beef, Salt, Water, Soy Sauce (Water, Wheat, Soybeans, Salt), Water, Pineapple Juice, Liquid Smoke, Garlic, Black Pepper. Allergen Warnings: Soy, Wheat
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 is comprised of a decent soy sauce, pineapple juice, and liquid smoke. Pineapples have a natural enzyme named bromelain that acts as natural meat tenderizer.
Many people refer to black pepper as the king of spices, which offers multiple health benefits. Super healthy garlic from the allium family is used, which interestingly aids people differently depending on the individual body’s needs.
The sugar level is very respectable at only 1 gram of sugar per 28 grams of jerky. The salt level is reasonable at 310mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky.
This jerky does qualify to have no sodium nitrite, or any other similar unhealthy preservatives. Instead, the main preservative used is salt. Admirably, there is also no MSG added.
Good (8/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
These jerky strips are mostly large in size, and are sliced thin. The texture is dry, but still easy to chew because the strips are so thin. There are no visible signs of fat, and handling this jerky leaves no oily residue on your fingers.
The first flavor detected is the black pepper at a fairly high level. Apart from a moderate salt level, the peppered flavor dominates here. There is a good mild level of garlic, and a mild soy flavor. Both the smoked and soy level seem light. There is almost no sweetness that should allow the natural beef flavor to be apparent, but the black pepper flavor overwhelms. Overall, a big treat for any fan of black pepper.
On the House of Jerky web site, 8 ounces sells for $22.00, which includes shipping. That works out to $2.75 an ounce, which rates as an expensive price. This jerky is certainly recommended as worth your money for people who enjoy a strong peppered flavored jerky.
Excellent (10/10) – Taste Rating
Bag Review
This is a standard, clear, non-resealable sized plastic bag. Worth noting is that this bag is vacuum sealed, the best way to keep jerky fresh. There is one label affixed to the front, and nothing of the back. The House of Jerky logo is of a man tapping a triangle, signaling that it is time to eat.
There are no slogans printed on this bag. The only fact stated on the bag is “Natural Smoke Flavoring Added”.
There are some bag categories missing such as a nutrition facts table, a bar code, allergen alerts, and a blurb about this jerky and flavor. To the credit of House of Jerky, a toll free phone number is provided for customer inquiries.
Order their jerky online: www.houseofjerky.net
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