`
Tired of paying high prices for marginal jerky products, Chef Pierre Mesa started refining his technique and jerky recipes. A local hardware store asked him to sell his jerky, eventually leading to Chef Pierre building a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) production kitchen. Vermont’s Farmhouse Jerky was launched in 2013.
Chef Pierre’s culinary journey began in his childhood in Telluride, Colorado, and was influenced by his French Canadian and Colombian heritage. He pursued formal culinary education, graduating from the Culinary Institute of America and working with renowned chefs nationwide. His passion for American cuisine, particularly BBQ and jerky, was inspired by his father’s traditional BBQ techniques using natural wood.
Vermont’s Farmhouse Jerky uses high-quality, humanely-raised beef, hand-cuts the meat, and marinates it for no less than 24 hours with organic ingredients like Tamari soy sauce and Worcestershire. Their jerky is soy and gluten-free, with no artificial additives, MSG, or nitrates. The company also offers custom jerky processing for game meats. Chef Pierre and his devoted wife Laura remain committed to quality and continue to be hands-on in their family’s business. This Vermont’s Farmhouse Jerky brand is distributed under the same name as Vermont’s Farmhouse Jerky, and it is located in Essex Junction, Vermont.
The next review on Vermont’s Farmhouse Jerky will focus on a 1.5 ounce/42 gram bag of their Carolina Reaper flavored beef jerky. This flavor is described as having Extreme HEAT!!! – sweat, smoky, slight BBQ flavor, and not for the timid! The jerky was graciously submitted for review by Owner/Chef/CEO Chef Pierra Mesa.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Beef, Natural Liquid Smoke added (Water, Natural Liquid Smoke), Maple Syrup, Tamari, Water, Soy Beans, Salt, Sugar, Pineapple Juice, Vitamin C, Ascorbic Acids, House Made Worcestershire Sauce, Garlic, Apple Cider Vinegar, Honey, Molasses, Tamarind Paste, Carolina Reaper Pepper, Onion Powders, Brown Sugar, Cumin, Coriander, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Spices. Allergen Warnings: Soy
This beef is ethically raised, meaning it is guaranteed to be free of growth hormones and additional antibiotics. The cattle are guaranteed to have some free range access to roam about and graze on grass the way nature intended. Chef Pierre personally inspects all facilities and checks every eye-round for quality and marbling. As a result, the highest ingredient rating that can be awarded is a Very Good (9/10) rating.
The liquid marinade used here is comprised of natural liquid smoke, a respected brand of tamari soy sauce, healthy apple cider vinegar, a local maple syrup brand named LaFountain Family Maple, healthy pineapple juice, and an awesome, unique homemade Worcestershire sauce.
Some healthy ingredients added are garlic powder, onion powder, garlic, cumin, coriander, and spices. The heat is achieved from the world’s hottest pepper, the Carolina Reaper Pepper, which is healthy if eaten in moderation, as it helps flush toxins out of the body.
There is no nutrition facts table provided. As a result, the exact sugar and salt levels are unknown.
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.
Very Good (9/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
VERMONT’S FARMHOUSE JERKY – CAROLINA REAPER BEEF JERKY
Written by guest jerky reviewer Paul Rekker
When I open the bag I smell nothing more than natural beef. The strips are medium in size, and they are sliced medium in thickness. They are skinny strips. The jerky is rigid enough to please our forefathers, and there is a slight oily residue on your fingers.
When I bite into the jerky I am hit, almost immediately, slammed like an anvil, actually, by the supremely intense Carolina Reaper HEAT!! It grabs you by the cojones immediately and keeps squeezing. I also taste salt at a decent level, with next to no sweetness, which is also a good thing, along with mild pepper, mild garlic, and crazy intense burn my flippin’ tongue off, causing me to sweat bullets heat from the reaper. It’s crazy hot and incredibly delicious!! This jerky is NOT for the squeamish. But for heat fans, it is DA BOMB!!
In my humble opinion, a no-brainer 10/10!!
Here is what Mark had to say about this Carolina Reaper beef jerky flavor from Vermont’s Farmhouse Jerky: “Thanks Paul for the accurate taste review. Kudos to Vermont’s Farmhouse Jerky for not wimping out on this Carolina Reaper beef jerky flavor. The Carolina Reaper peppers are plentiful and certainly do not disappoint in terms of heat. The heat rates an easy 5 out of 5 on the heat scale.”
“The heat is so intense that it is challenging to pick up the other flavors. The sweetness is at a mild level, which helps dial down the heat a little bit. An interesting blend of spices is mixed in along with a light smokiness in the background. There is no sign whatsoever of the beef tasting processed. My tongue is also burning as I write this review, where this Carolina Reaper flavor is not for the timid, as advertised. A unanimous slam dunk Excellent (10/10) will be awarded. Two thumbs way up!!👍👍
This 1.5 ounce/42 gram bag of jerky sells online for $7.00. That works out to $4.67 an ounce, which rates as an expensive price.
Excellent (10/10) – Taste Rating
Bag Review
This clear, non-resealable plastic bag has a label affixed to the front and nothing on the back. Comically, there are three illustrations of the poison image with a skull and bones. The top of the bag has what looks like blood streaking down. This bag is vacuum sealed, the best way to keep jerky fresh tasting.
There are no slogans printed on this bag. Some facts printed on this bag are “Natural Smoke Flavor Added”, “Warning!”, “Hand Cut”, “Since 2013”, “Chef Love”, “Driven by Passion”, and “Minimally Processed”.
Some missing bag categories are a best before date, an establishment number, a soy allergen alert, a nutrition facts table, the jerky weight stated in grams, and no blurb is printed about Vermont’s Farmhouse Jerky or this flavor. A lot number is provided, which could translate to a best before date. To the credit of Vermont’s Farmhouse Jerky, a phone number and email address are provided for customer inquiries.
Order their jerky online: www.vtjerky.co
Leave a Comment