The next review for House of Jerky will focus on a 1.75 ounce/50 gram bag of their black pepper flavored buffalo 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), Teriyaki Sauce (Soy Sauce [Water, Wheat, Soybeans, Salt], Wine, Sugar, Water, Vinegar, Salt, Spices, Onion Powder, Succinic Acid, Garlic Powder), Brown Sugar, Pineapple Juice, Liquid Smoke, Black Pepper, Garlic, White Pepper, Allergen Warnings: Soy, Wheat
In general, buffalo meat is leaner compared to beef. It is higher in minerals such as iron. Buffalo are ethically raised, meaning not administered growth hormones. The buffalo also have some free range access to roam about.
The liquid marinade is comprised of water, a decent soy sauce, a decent teriyaki sauce, pineapple juice, and liquid smoke. Pineapples are loaded with the antioxidant bromelain, which is widely used as a natural meat tenderizer in the food industry.
There are healthy ingredients used such as black pepper, garlic, and white pepper. Both white and black pepper are considered extremely healthy, and offer many different health benefits.
The sugar level is respectable at 3 grams of sugar per 28 grams of jerky. The salt level is also respectable 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.
Excellent (10/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
These jerky strips are mostly large in size, and are sliced to a medium thickness. The texture is sort of soft and tender, but not quite, which results in jerky that is relatively easy to chew. There are no visible signs of fat, and handling this jerky leaves no oily residue on your fingers.
The first taste detected is a moderate soy flavor. This buffalo meat is stronger tasting than beef, but only slightly gamey tasting. There is a light garlic level, and also a light pineapple flavor. Both the salt and sugar levels are at mild levels.
As for the peppered level, it is at a mild level. It is certainly noticeable, but not quite high enough for a peppered based flavor. Overall, this is a juicy and pleasurable tasting flavor.
On the House of Jerky web site, 7 ounces sells for $29.99, which includes shipping. That works out to $4.28 an ounce, which rates as an expensive price. Buffalo jerky is certainly more expensive than beef, where this flavor is recommended for buffalo lovers that only want a mild peppered level.
Very Good (9/10) – 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 on 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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