The next review for Jerkface will focus on a 2 ounce/56 gram bag of their Maple Jalapeno flavored beef jerky. This flavor is described as having a little seasonal sweet, and a little heat, made in DC! The jerky was kindly submitted for review by the owner, Eric Judycki.
This Jerkface brand name is located in Washington, DC, and is distributed under the name of Jerkface Jerky. After Eric received his first dehydrator from his girlfriend, he exceeded her expectations. Eric continued to test out new flavors, using his friends as “flavor guinea pigs”. With Eric’s connections to the DC craft beer community, and active imagination, he decided to launch the Jerkface brand name in 2013. The Jerkface name is an homage to a close friend that passed away, whose favorite loving salutation was yelling “Jerkface!” whenever happily greeting a pal. Only high quality lean flank steak is used, which is known for its great texture.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Beef Flank Steak, Pure Organic Maple Syrup, Soy Sauce, Jalapeno Powder, Spices. Allergen Warnings: Soy, Wheat
The flank steak 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 an impressive pure organic maple syrup and soy sauce. Maple syrup is the only food in our diet coming directly from a plant’s sap, which contains over 65 antioxidants. Being a natural sweetener, maple syrup should be consumed in moderation.
The heat is achieved from the jalapeno powder. Hot peppers are healthy if consumed in moderation.
Healthy spices are also added, which probably includes black pepper, garlic powder, and possibly onion powder.
The sugar level is respectable for a sweet based flavor at 3 gram of sugar per 28 grams of jerky. The salt level is fairly low at 220mg 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 no MSG added.
Good (8/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
These strips of jerky are mostly medium in size, and they are sliced to a medium thickness. The flank steak texture is dry, but it is generally easy to chew. There are some visible signs of fat, which accentuates the natural beef flavor. Handling this jerky leaves a tiny bit of oily residue on your fingers.
The first taste detected is a world class tasting maple flavor. While sweet tasting, the sweetness is within reason. As expected, the sweetness does dull the natural beef flavor to a certain extent.
Chewing more does bring on the spiciness from the Jalapeno peppers. On a heat scale, the spiciness levels off at about a 2 out of 4. Light levels of salt, garlic, soy, and black pepper blend in well, and possibly onion. Overall, this flavor absolutely delivers on the maple flavor especially, which is a great variation on a sweet & spicy based flavor.
A 2 ounce/57 gram bag sells online for $8.50. That works out to $4.25 an ounce, which rates as an expensive price, albeit flank steak is used. This jerky is highly recommended for any fan of maple syrup and jalapeno peppers.
Excellent (10/10) – Taste Rating
Bag Review
This small, resealable plastic bag has labels affixed to both the front and back. The Jerkface logo is a bull’s head with horns.
Their slogan is “Artisanal Beef Jerky”.
Some bag categories missing are a soy allergen alert, jerky weight not stated in grams, USDA inspected logo, and a blurb about this jerky or flavor. The @jerkfacedc Twitter and Instagram handles are provided. An email address is displayed for customer inquiries.
Order their jerky online: www.jerkfacejerky.com
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