Jeff was just a hungry teenager in the 1970’s when he realized his favorite on-the-go snack had the potential to be so much better. That summer, he bought a dehydrator from the county fair and he was fascinated with the process of how the flavors intensified by using flavorful marinades during the dehydration process. Over the years he spent thousands of hours experimenting with recipes, intent on making beef jerky the way that he envisioned it could be… intensely full of flavor, soft and tender with the taste and texture of a fine steak but without the chemical preservatives.
Jeff’s relentless quest for culinary flavor perfection kept him researching different cultural influences and refining and innovating new fusion recipes for more than three decades before he ever offered his jerky for sale to the public in 2010. Soon people from all over the world were enjoying jerky perfection and Jeff’s Famous legacy continues today.
Jeff lives in the pristine, four-season, mountain community of Big Bear Lake, California with his loving vibrant wife, energetic toddler son, and two spoiled cats. He enjoys cooking and great food and quality time with family.
Jeff’s Famous Jerky brand is distributed under the name of Jeff’s Famous Foods, Inc., and they are located in Big Bear Lake, California.
The next review on Jeff’s Famous Jerky will focus on a 7 ounce/192 gram bag of their Sweet & Spicy flavored beef jerky. This flavor as described as sweet and medium hot, gluten-free, soft and tender mouth-watering brisket beef deliciousness that is 100% all natural introduced this Fall. The bag was kindly submitted for review by owner Jeff Richards.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Beef, Gluten Free Reduced Tamari Soy Sauce (Water, Soybeans, Salt, Alcohol), Brown Sugar, Cayenne Pepper Sauce (Aged Cayenne Red Peppers, Vinegar, Water, Salt, Garlic Powder), Lemon Juice, Black Pepper, Granulated Garlic, Jalapeno Powder (Diced Jalapeno Peppers). Allergen Warnings: Soy
The beef used here is guaranteed to be ethically raised 98% of the time, meaning free of growth hormones or additional antibiotics. There is no 100% guarantee because sometimes the beef used cannot keep up with the demand. These cattle are not guaranteed to have at least partial free range access to roam about. As a result, the highest ingredient rating that can be awarded is a Very Good (9/10) rating.
This liquid marinade used here is comprised of a well-respected brand of gluten free reduced tamari soy sauce, a well-respected brand of cayenne pepper sauce, and healthy lemon juice.
There are healthy ingredients added, such as granulated garlic and black pepper. The heat is achieved from jalapeno powder, which is healthy if eaten in moderation.
The sugar level is high at 7 gram of sugar per 28 grams of jerky to lose a rating. Our preference for a sweet based flavor is 5 grams of sugar or less. The salt level is 360mg of salt per 28 grams of jerky to lose another rating. Our preference is 350mg of salt or less per 28 grams of jerky, just missing the cut here.
This jerky does qualify to have no sodium nitrite or any other similar unhealthy preservatives. Admirably, this jerky qualifies to have no MSG added.
Decent (7/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
JEFF’S FAMOUS JERKY – SWEET & SPICY BEEF JERKY
When I open up the bag, I catch a pleasant fragrance. These strips of jerky are medium to small in size and sliced to a mixture of thin and medium thickness. The texture is quite soft and tender, where jerky does not get any moister than this except for the odd strip. Handling these jerky strips leaves almost no oily residue on your fingers.
The first flavors I detect are a medium to strong sweetness immediately, juiciness, mild to medium level of saltiness, light garlic, a hint of black pepper, and a rich soy flavor. After chewing more, the spiciness begins to take notice. The sweetness is arguably at too high of a level, which tends to drown out the spiciness to a certain extent. On a heat scale, the spiciness barely reaches a 2 out of 5.
This is a well-rounded taste profile except for the sweetness, arguably being too dominant. While the heat level is at a passable level, I would have loved to see a little more kick present. I am wavering between a Good (8/10) and a Very Good (9/10) taste rating.
Here is Paul’s review: “When I open the bag, I smell sweet and soy. The pieces are rather small, and they are sliced thin. The jerky is soft and a bit moist, enough to leave a slightly oily residue on your fingers.”
“The first flavors I encounter are salt, sweet, maybe a bit too sweet for me, garlic, onion, and some mild heat in the background. There is a natural beef flavor milling about as well, and the heat is intensifying as you consume more. I love the fact that they included fat in the picture because that’s where the real intense flavors hide.”
“I really can’t think of any real issues with this jerky, maybe a tad too sweet, perhaps a tad not hot enough. I think an 8+ or a 9-/10 would suffice.
This 7 ounce/198 gram bag costs $13.95. That works out to $1.99 an ounce, which rates at an average price. Free shipping is offered on orders over $50.
Very Good (9/10) – Taste Rating
Bag Review
This gold-colored resealable plastic bag has a label affixed to the front and nothing on the back.
There are no slogans printed on this bag. Some facts printed on this bag are “Gluten Free”, “All Natural”, and “Medium Hot”.
The only bag category missing is a blurb printed about Jeff’s Famous Jerky, and this Sweet & Spicy flavor. To the credit of Jeff’s Famous Jerky, there is a toll-free phone number provided for customer inquiries.
Order their jerky online: www.jeffsfamousjerky.com
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