The next review for Smoky Mountain Trail Grub will be on a 3 ounce/85 gram bag of their cherry moonshine flavored beef jerky. Their jerky is described as from an old fashioned smoky mountain smoke house in the valley of smoky’s. This bag was kindly submitted for review by the owner, Lawrence Wittmer.
This Smoky Mountain Trail Grub brand is distributed by Jerky Snack Shack. After retiring in 2008, Lawrence moved to Florida and noticed that there were no jerky makers at a local flea market. His jerky caught on, and in 2013 he moved to Northern Georgia. By 2015, the Smoky Mountain Trail Grub was launched in Helen, Georgia. It is only a few miles away from the Appalachian Trail, where their jerky is a big hit for the hikers.
Ingredient Review
Ingredients: Top Round Beef, Teriyaki Sauce (Soy Sauce {Water, Wheat, Soybeans, Salt}, Water, Vinegar, Sugar, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Ginger Powder), Brown Sugar (Sugar Molasses), Honey, Cherries (High Fructose Corn Syrup, Water, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Artificial Flavor, FD&C Red #40, Sulfor Dioxide), Liquid Smoke, Granulated Garlic, Granulated Onion, Black Pepper, Ginger, Rock Bottom Heirloom Moonshine. Allergen Warnings: Soy, Wheat
The beef used is guaranteed to be ethically raised, meaning free of growth hormones or additional antibiotics. Also, as a big plus, the cattle have a considerable amount of free range access to graze on grass, and roam about.
The liquid marinade is comprised of a good teriyaki sauce, healthy honey, a not so healthy cherry syrup, natural hickory liquid smoke, and Rock Bottom Heirloom Moonshine. It is disappointing to see that the cherries use high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), artificial flavor, and the artificial food coloring FD&C red #40. The jerky drying process removes all of the alcohol content.
This flavor reaches the vegetable trifecta of using granulated garlic, granulated onion, and ginger. Healthy black pepper is used, which some people call the King of Spices.
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, and to a lesser degree vinegar. Admirably, there is also no MSG added.
Alright (6/10) – Ingredient Rating
Taste Review
These strips are a mixture of medium and small in size. The jerky strips are sliced to a medium thickness, almost borderline thin. The texture is not overly dry, and it is reasonably easy to chew. There are a little bit of visible signs of fat, and handling this jerky leaves no oily residue on your fingers.
The first flavor detected is a moderate level of teriyaki, which is largely dominated by the soy flavor. A mild level of cherry flavor develops quickly. The cherry flavor is more sugary as in a cherry flavored candy, rather than the sweetness from an actual cherry.
As for the moonshine, it is challenging to detect. If anything, it may resemble a red wine type of flavor. All at light levels are garlic, salt, and black pepper. Overall, you would enjoy this cherry moonshine flavor if you enjoy a sweet teriyaki based flavor, topped off with a sweet cherry taste.
A 3 ounce/85 gram bag sells online for $7.99. That works out to $2.66 an ounce, which rates as a somewhat expensive price. If you enjoy cherry candies, you will likely enjoy this flavor.
Bag Review
This is a standard resealable plastic bag, with a label affixed on the front, and nothing on the back. The label depicts a picture of a wooden shack with a “Smoke House” sign, and a mountain landscape in the background.
The slogans are “Mountain Man” and “Ou-Wee White Lightnin”. Some facts displayed on the bag are “No Nitrates”, “No MSG Added”, “High Protein”, “Low Fat”, “Old Fashion Recipe”, and “Made in the U.S.A.”.
The majority of bag categories are covered here. Missing categories are a best before date, the jerky weight not stated in grams, no web site provided, a nutrition facts table, and no blurb printed about the jerky or flavor. There is a batch number printed that could translate to a best before date. Admirably, an email address is provided for customer inquiries.
Order their jerky online: www.jerkysnackshack.net
Leave a Comment