The next review for House of Jerky will focus on a 3.5 ounce/99 gram bag of their Sweet & Spicy flavored beef brisket jerky. Brisket is a specific cut of beef that has a more soft and tender texture, plus brisket is known to absorb a marinade better. 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. House of Jerky started business way back in 1993 by husband and wife Ron Hargett and Janie Honeycutt. They were pioneers in the jerky industry, and perhaps the first commercially sold jerky that did not use MSG, fillers, or other unhealthy preservatives. In 1996, the first House of Jerky opened in Temecula, California, earning the distinction of being the first jerky store. 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: Beef (Brisket), Water, Brown Sugar, Honey, Seasonings (Salt, Sugar, Garlic, Black Pepper, Soy Sauce (Water, Wheat, Soybeans, Salt), Pineapple Juice, Tabasco Sauce (Vinegar, Red Pepper, Salt), Cayenne Pepper, Liquid Smoke, Black Pepper, Garlic, White 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 water, healthy honey, a decent soy sauce, healthy pineapple juice, liquid smoke, and respectable Tabasco hot sauce. Honey has antibacterial properties, and offers a wide variety of health benefits.
Healthy garlic is used, as is black pepper. The heat is achieved from the Tabasco hot sauce, cayenne pepper, and to a lesser extent white pepper.
For a sweet based flavor, the sugar level is acceptable at 5 grams of sugar per 28 grams of jerky. The salt level is a little high at 380mg 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. Admirably, there is also no MSG added.
Good (8/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
These strips of jerky are medium in size, and sliced to a medium thickness. The texture of this brisket is near soft and tender, making the strips easy to chew. There are no signs of fat, and handling this jerky leaves a slight oily residue on your fingers.
The first taste detected is a good level of sweetness between the brown sugar and honey. A mild level of garlic fits in well, as does a light level of black pepper. The pineapple juice helps counteract the spiciness to a certain degree. In the background is a light smoked flavor.
The spiciness starts off light, and increases as you consume more strips. On a heat scale, it would register around a 2 out of 4, or a 2 out of 5. Overall, a great consistent balance of sweet and spicy that certainly delivers on both counts.
On the House of Jerky web site, 8 ounces sells for $22.99, which includes shipping. That works out to $2.87 an ounce, which rates as an expensive price. You cannot go wrong here if you enjoy a sweet & spicy based flavor.
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 another label 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. Facts stated on this bag are “Natural Smoke Flavoring Added” and “No Preservatives”.
There are some bag categories missing such as a bar code, 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
Leave a Comment