The next review for Smoky Mountain Trail Grub will focus on a 3 ounce/85 gram bag of their natural flavored beef jerky. Their jerky is described as from an old fashioned smoky mountain smoke house in the valley of smoky’s. This bag was graciously submitted for review by the owner, Lawrence Wittmer.
This Smoky Mountain Trail Grub brand is distributed by Jerky Snack Shack. After retiring in 2008, Lawrence moved to Florida and noticed that there were no jerky makers at a local flea market. His jerky caught on, and in 2013 he moved to Northern Georgia. By 2015, the Smoky Mountain Trail Grub was launched in Helen, Georgia. It is only a few miles away from the Appalachian Trail, where their jerky is a big hit for the hikers.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Top Round Beef, Soy Sauce (Water, Wheat, Soybeans, Salt), Teriyaki Sauce (Soy Sauce {Water, Wheat, Soybeans, Salt}, Water, Vinegar, Sugar, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Ginger Powder), Brown Sugar, Pineapple Juice, Hickory Liquid Smoke, Black Pepper, Vinegar, Garlic Powder, White Pepper. Allergen Warnings: Soy, Wheat
The beef used is guaranteed to be ethically raised, meaning free of growth hormones or additional antibiotics. Also, as a big plus, the cattle have a considerable amount of free range access to graze on grass, and roam about.
The liquid marinade is comprised of a decent soy sauce, a decent teriyaki sauce, natural hickory liquid smoke, a good pineapple juice, and healthy vinegar. Pineapples have an enzyme named bromelain, which acts as a natural meat tenderizer.
There are healthy spices added such as garlic powder, black pepper, and white pepper, which is a bit hotter tasting compared to black pepper.
The sugar level is high at 6 grams of sugar per 28 grams of jerky. Our preference is 3 grams of sugar or less per 28 grams of jerky. The salt level is somewhat high at 410mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky. Our preference is 350mg of salt or less 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, and to a lesser degree vinegar. Admirably, there is also no MSG added.
Decent (7/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
These strips are a mixture of medium and small in size. The jerky strips are sliced to a medium thickness, almost borderline thin. The texture is not overly dry, and reasonably easy to chew. There are a little bit of visible signs of fat, and handling this jerky leaves no oily residue on your fingers.
The first flavor detected is a moderately strong level of soy. Each bite has a mild to moderate level of salt, which is within reason. A light level of garlic is always welcome.
A moderate level of sugar is present, which may be a bit too sweet tasting. For an original based flavor, there is some natural beef flavor, but the sweetness/soy/saltiness compete with the natural flavor of the beef. Overall, a bold flavor profile, which is closer to a teriyaki flavor.
A 3 ounce/85 gram bag sells online for $7.99. That works out to $2.66 an ounce, which rates as a somewhat expensive price. This jerky is quite flavorful, and recommended if you enjoy a sweet and salty flavor.
Bag Review
This is a standard resealable plastic bag, with a label affixed on the front, and nothing on the back. The label depicts a picture of a wooden shack with a “Smoke House” sign, and a mountain landscape in the background.
The slogan is “Mountain Man”. Some facts displayed on the bag are “No Nitrates”, “No MSG Added”, “High Protein”, “Low Fat”, “Old Fashion Recipe”, and “Made in the U.S.A.”.
The majority of bag categories are covered here. Missing categories are a best before date, the jerky weight not stated in grams, no web site provided, and no blurb printed about the jerky or flavor. There is a batch number printed that could translate to a best before date. Admirably, an email address is provided for customer inquiries.
Order their jerky online: www.jerkysnackshack.net
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