The next review on Mountain Man will focus on a 1.8 ounce/50 gram bag of their rocket fuel flavored beef jerky. Of the six types of hot flavors that Mountain Man offers, this rocket fuel flavor is the third hottest flavor. This bag was kindly submitted for review by the founder of Mountain Man, Robert Lahue.
The Mountain Man brand of jerky is distributed under the name of its founder, Robert Lahue. Bob is located in Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada. If you were to see Revelstoke on a map, you would understand where the Mountain Man brand name came from. Revelstoke and the surrounding area is mountain after mountain. Bob, a self-described fabricator, knows what he is doing when it comes to jerky.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Beef Slices, Chile Pepper Juice, Pineapple Juice, Brown Sugar, Serrano Pepper Juice, Liquid Hickory Smoke, Onion Juice, Garlic Juice, Vinegar, Salt, 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.
We have an interesting liquid marinade used here consisting of chile pepper juice, serrano pepper juice, pineapple juice, vinegar, liquid hickory smoke, 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. Chile pepper juice and serrano pepper juice are healthy if eaten in moderation.
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 no oily residue on your fingers.
The first taste detected is a moderate combination of onion and garlic. It does not take long at all for the spiciness to kick in. On a heat scale, it would rate about a 4 out of 5.
There is a mild level of pineapple that helps offset the heat to a certain extent. The sweetness is at a mild level, which allows some of the natural beef flavor to come through. There is a moderate level of saltiness, and a light smoked taste in the background. Overall, a great combination of tastes that certainly delivers in bringing on the heat.
A 1.8 ounce/50 gram bag of this jerky sells for $5.00. That equates to $2.78 an ounce, which is classified as an expensive price. This jerky is recommended as worth your money for people who enjoy hot based flavors.
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 Rocket Fuel II flavored 1.8 ounce/50 gram bag listed at the bottom was part of an online purchase in 2012, where I ordered 13 of their flavors. The ingredient list has since been slightly tweaked.
Check out their web site: www.mountainmanbeefjerky.com
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