The next review on Mountain Man will focus on at 1.8 ounce/50 gram bag of their Inferno II flavour beef jerky. This jerky was kindly submitted for review by Robert Lahue, the owner of Mountain Man beef jerky.
The Mountain Man brand of jerky is distributed under the name of its founder, Robert Lahue. Bob is located in Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada. If you were to see Revelstoke on a map, you would understand where the Mountain Man brand name came from. Revelstoke and the surrounding area is mountain after mountain. Bob, a self-described fabricator, knows what he is doing when it comes to jerky.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Beef Slices, Habanero Peppers, Pineapple Juice, Brown Sugar, Liquid Hickory Smoke, Sherry, Onion Juice, Vinegar, Salt, Garlic Juice, Molasses, Spices.
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.
We have the usual interesting liquid marinade here with pineapple juice, liquid hickory smoke, garlic juice, sherry, onion juice, and vinegar. Pineapple juice is a good choice, where it has a natural enzyme named bromelain that is widely used in the food industry as a meat tenderizer.
As a general rule, eating hot peppers are healthy if done in moderation. While not the hottest pepper in the world anymore, habanero peppers still pack quite a punch on the heat scale (100,000 – 350,000 scoville units).
The sugar level is somewhat on the high side at 5 grams of sugar per 30 grams of jerky. Our preference is 3 grams or under. The salt level is very high at 440mg of salt per 30 grams of jerky. Our preference is 350mg of salt or less.
This jerky does qualify to have no sodium nitrite, or any other similar unhealthy preservatives. As a plus, this jerky also qualifies to have no MSG added.
Decent (7/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
These jerky strips are small to medium in size, with a medium thickness. While not right or wrong, this jerky is cut against the grain, where normally jerky is sliced with the grain. The texture is fairly dry, but not overly dry. There are some visible signs of fat that add to the overall taste. Handling this jerky leaves no oily residue on your fingers.
The first taste detected is a mild pineapple flavor. It does not take long for the spiciness to kick in. This inferno II flavour is the hottest flavor available from multiple other hot based flavors, and does not disappoint. It would rate a 5 out of 5 on the heat scale, but still enjoyable to eat for those people who enjoy very hot based foods. The pineapple juice counteracts the spiciness to a certain degree.
The garlic and onion levels are at a mild level. Another trademark for Mountain Man is a mild hickory smoked flavor in the background. There is a fair amount of natural beef flavor present, especially with the fat. While always a mainstay in all of the flavors available, the cooking wine sherry is at a light level. Overall, a great snack that delivers with the heat.
This 1.8 ounce/50 gram bag of jerky retails for $5.00. That works out to $2.78 an ounce, which would rate as an expensive price. This jerky is a good buy for people who enjoy a very hot based flavor without going overboard.
Excellent (10/10) – Taste Rating
Bag Review
This is not your typical jerky bag. Mainly because the label is printed lengthwise instead of heightwise. The label on the front covers the entire bag, and there is nothing on the back. This bag is not resealable, but that should be expected for a quantity of jerky two ounces and under. Best of all, this jerky is vacuum sealed, the best way to help preserve the jerky.
On the label there is a picture of Robert Lahue with a mountain in the background, where British Columbia has many mountains. The Mountain Man brand name curves along the mountain peak. The slogan is “The Best in the West”. Facts printed on the bag are “no nitrates”, “no msg”, “no gluten”, “no soy”, and “no preservatives”.
Another interesting fact stated on the bag is “Did you know: It takes 1/2 pound of fresh meat to make this pack”. While there is no Canadian Department of Agriculture or British Columbia Department of Agriculture stamp printed anywhere, it does explicitly state on the bag itself that this jerky was made in a commercially licensed facility.
All important bag categories are covered here. To the credit of Robert, he supplies an email address, and a phone number for customer inquiries. As per Canadian law, there are French translations provided.
The Inferno II flavored 1.8 ounce/50 gram bag listed at the bottom was part of an online purchase in 2012. The ingredient list has since been slightly tweaked.
Check out their web site: www.mountainmanbeefjerky.com
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