The next review for Day Drinkin’ Jerky will be on a 3 ounce/85 gram bag of their Tequila Chili Lime flavored beef jerky. It is described as a Tex Mex blend of mild chili spice, blended with a refreshing lime and Tequila finish. This bag was graciously submitted for review by the owner, John Day. The Day Drinkin’ Jerky name come from 2 facts: 1) John’s last name is Day, 2) All marinades have an alcohol as a primary ingredient.
This Day Drinkin’ Jerky brand is distributed by Day Drinkin’ Jerky Co. They are located in Topeka, Kansas, and this jerky brand was launched in 2015. John had been making jerky for family and friends. Having a love of fine bourbon, he joined both hobbies together. Their slogan is “Always smoked, never dried”. The jerky is proudly advertised to be smoked in a smoker with hickory wood, where no dehydrator is used here. Always produced in small batches, it’s marinated, and slow smoked with hickory wood.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Beef, Tequila, Organic Lime Juice, Soy Sauce (Water, Wheat, Soybeans, Salt), Olive Oil, Brown Sugar, Honey, Chili Powder (Chili Pepper, Salt, Garlic Powder), Red Pepper, Kosher Salt, Lime Peel Powder, Oregano, Cilantro, Chipotle Powder, Paprika, Cumin. 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.
This interesting liquid marinade consists of tequila, a decent soy sauce, organic lime juice, a very good extra virgin olive oil, and a healthy local honey. If tequila is made of 100% agave, as is the case here, it offers multiple benefits if consumed in moderation. The jerky drying process removes all of the alcohol content.
In addition to organic lime juice, there is also lime peel powder used. Limes are quite healthy with a compound named limonoids, which are known to be anti-carcinogenic. Healthy spices such as garlic powder, oregano, cilantro, paprika, and cumin are used.
The heat is achieved from using red peppers, chili peppers, and chipotle powder. Hot peppers are healthy if eaten in moderation.
There is no nutrition facts table provided. As a result, the exact sugar and salt levels are unknown. This jerky is advertised to be low in sugar and salt.
This jerky does qualify to have no sodium nitrite, or any other similar unhealthy preservatives. Instead, the main preservative used is kosher salt, which is somewhat less processed compared to table salt. Commendably, there is no MSG added.
Good (8/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
These strips of jerky are mostly large in size, and sliced thin. It has a fairly dry texture, but it is reasonably easy to chew because the strips are sliced thin. There are no signs of fat, and handling this jerky leaves no oily residue on your fingers.
It does not take long for a well-defined lime flavor to take shape at a mild level. There is a mild level of soy, and the oregano/cilantro are at light levels. The cumin is noticeable at first, but tends to get drowned in the flavor as you consume more strips. With little sweetness, there is a good amount of natural beef flavor.
As for the heat, it would rate about a 2 out of 5 on the heat scale. As for the tequila flavor, unfortunately, we were not able to detect any. Overall, this is an interesting complex blend of flavors, which achieves the refreshing lime flavor.
A 3 ounce/85 gram bag sells online for $9.99. That works out to $3.33 an ounce, which rates as an expensive price. If you buy four or more bags, the shipping is free. This jerky is recommended from taste and ingredient perspectives to people who would enjoy a great lime based flavor with a little bit of spiciness.
Very Good (9/10) – Taste Rating
Bag Review
This large, resealable bag has labels affixed to the front and back. The front label is actually the shape of Kansas.
The slogan printed on the bag is “Small Batch, Always Smoked……….Never Dried!”.
Most of the important bag categories are covered here. Some missing categories are a nutrition facts table, jerky weight stated in grams and ounces, bar code, soy/wheat allergen alerts, and a best before date. There is a batch number printed that could translate to a best before date.
Order their jerky online: www.daydrinkinjerky.com
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