The Sierra Madre Provision Co. jerky brand name is distributed and manufactured by Sierra Madre Provisions. They are located in Sierra Madre, California, which is in the foothill of the San Gabriel Mountains. They have been in business for over 30 years selling wholesale and retail, using ranch raised cattle. Their meat is hand sliced, and Sierra Madre Provision Co. recently introduced a totally revamped web site.
The next review on Sierra Madre Provision Co. will focus on a 3.25 ounce/92 gram bag of their carne asada beef jerky flavor. This flavor is described as south of the border inspired recipe. The jerky was kindly submitted by the creator of this Sierra Madre Provision Co. jerky brand, James Schaft (a.k.a. – Jimmy the Jerky Man).
Ingredients: Beef, Orange Juice, Paprika, Lemon Juice, Salt, Onion Powder, Vinegar, Granulated Garlic, Cayenne Pepper, Cure Mix (Salt, Sodium Nitrite). Allergen Warnings: May Contain: Soy or Wheat
Sierra Madre Provision Co. uses ranch raised beef, which means the cattle have free range access to graze on grass. The cattle are also ethically raised, meaning that the cows received no growth hormones or additional antibiotics. As a result, the highest jerky ingredient rating that can be awarded is a Very Good (9/10).
The liquid marinade here consists of somewhat healthy orange juice/lemon juice, and healthy vinegar.
Some healthy ingredients are added such as paprika, granulated garlic, cayenne pepper, and onion powder.
There is no nutrition facts table provided. As a result, the exact sugar and salt levels are unknown, but the sugar level is almost for sure under 2 grams of sugar per 28 grams of jerky.
This flavor does not qualify to be sodium nitrite free, as sodium nitrite itself is used as a preservative to lose a rating. Admirably, this flavor does qualify to have no MSG added.
Good (8/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
The slices of jerky are large to medium in size, and sliced to an almost thin thickness. This texture is rather dry, a good old fashioned type of dryness, but does require effort to chew.
A number of flavors jump out at first, but not one of them being overly dominant. These flavors include saltiness, slight sourness from the vinegar, and light levels of garlic/onion. In the background is a pleasant fruity flavor. There is no sweetness present whatsoever, and as a result, there is good deal of natural beef flavor.
The spices starts off quickly, and builds to a 2 out of 5 on the heat scale. This is likely the spiciest carne asada flavor that we have reviewed to date.
Paul loved the flavor with this to say: “The jerky is cut rather thin, and it is dry and chewy, just like our forefathers intended it. I’m not a fan of soft and moist. The first flavors I encounter are salt, pepper, garlic, a juice (not sure which one), onion, vinegar, and a very mild but extremely pleasing kick. This kick is a unique kick, in that I can usually compare it to a spice out there, such as sriracha, Cajun, Frank’s Red Hot or habanero or scotch bonnet peppers. But not this spice. Maybe it is the indigenous carne asada spice, I’m not sure, but I’m sure that I love this kick. It is maybe a 2 out of 5 on the heat scale at best, but d*mn, is it tasty.”
“This has been quite the enjoyable jerky tasting experience for me, definitely worth a 10/10 taste rating. Sierra Madre Provision Co., take a bow, you’ve hit this one out of the park. It’s a two-out, bottom-of-the-ninth, pinch hit walk-off home run…”
While Stephane and I both very much enjoyed this carne asada flavor also, we both felt that something was missing. Here is what Stephane had to say: “This Sierra Madre Provision Co. Carne Asada Beef Jerky has a pleasant and fragrant aroma. Although this jerky is sliced very thinly and it is really dry, it still carries some natural beef flavor. The added citrus does accentuate the taste and adds some interesting notes to the experience. The sweetness of the meat with some slight spiciness deliver a well-rounded flavor profile. As mentioned, this jerky is quite dry and a lot of chewing is required to extract adequate flavor from it.”
“I do enjoy the taste of this jerky and I still consider the texture to be fine, I do however find there is definitely room for improvement. I also find this jerky to be somewhat uninteresting as it lacks the addictive factor. I believe it holds great potential and the addition of some fat and/or moisture would properly develop and carry these flavors throughout the meat. This in turn would certainly add richness and decadence to this promising meat snack. I am still giving Sierra Madre Provision Co. Carne Asada Beef Jerky a 9/10 taste rating.”
So, it’s unanimous that we all very much enjoyed this carne asada, which manages to capture the essence of this complicated and wonderful Mexican based flavor. The majority will rule here, and we are awarding a Very Good (9/10) taste rating.
This 3.25 ounce/92 gram bag sells for $6.99, which works out to $2.15 an ounce. That rates as a cheap price.
Very Good (9/10) – Taste Rating
Bag Review
This is a fairly tall bag. The front is gold colored, and the back is silver colored with nothing on the back. There is a label affixed to the front, plus a separate sticker that states “Sweet n’ Spicy”. The scenic picture on this bag depicts mountains, including a few California palm trees.
There are no slogans printed on this bag. The only fact printed on this bag is “Liquid Smoke Flavoring Added”.
There are a few bag categories missing, such as a blurb about Sierra Madre Provision Co. and a nutrition facts table. Kudos to Sierra Madre Provision Co., where they provide a toll free phone number for customer inquiries.
The bag listed at the bottom as purchased back in 2011 for $5.99. The ingredient list and bag design has since been tweaked.
Order their jerky online: www.sierramadreprovision.com
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