25294 Sat Aug 09 16:25:40 -0700 2003 24 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 100809 Does anyone know where to get good beef jerky, preferably in the South Bay? Not the mass-market packaged kind, but something better than that. Cosentino's Market used to sell pretty good beef jerky at their meat counter, but alas, no more. (I know how to make beef jerky, and it isn't hard, but I am too lazy these days) Sat Aug 09 16:25:40 -0700 2003 0 Tristan Colson 1 100812 Chinese groceries carry beef jerky in a variety of flavors. There used to be a jerky place on Franklin St in Oakland Chinatown (just above 7th street) but I don't know if it's still there; they made all sorts of jerky (beef, duck liver, pork, beef tendon etc). Tasty but chewy, some of it spiced red-hot, some sweet and mild. Upscale Chinese groceries sell expensive packages of attractively aranged jerky, apparently to be given as gifts. I'm sure there are Chinese groceries in your area that carry beef jerky of all kinds. However, that leads to my question: Is jerky a traditional Chinese thing? or is it an adaptation of a Native American (= American "Indian") food, transmitted through 7-11 culture, now taken up by local Chinese? Sat Aug 09 17:11:01 -0700 2003 100809 0 Joel Teller 2 100814 I was recently in South China, where I found dried meat like jerky readily available, and very tasty. My guess is it's native to the region. Sat Aug 09 17:55:54 -0700 2003 100812 0 Michael Rodriguez 3 100821 I especially love the moister and not completely dried style with sweet sticky marinades. Sat Aug 09 19:00:34 -0700 2003 100814 0 Melanie Wong 2 100825 Drying and smoking meat is common to many cultures, going back millenia. It's one of the ways we, as a species, first learned to preserve and take food with us as we hunted and gathered. Genghis Khan and his horde probably had saddlebags stuffed with jerky to wash down with large quantities of kumiss... Sat Aug 09 19:54:48 -0700 2003 100812 0 Captain Jack 3 100829 We recently had a discussion of kefir (kumiss but made from cow's milk) on the General Topics board. I was fascinated to learn that the alcoholic content is higher when made in an enclosed camel pouch and agitated during fermentation. Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/293644#1607752 Sat Aug 09 20:02:42 -0700 2003 100825 0 Melanie Wong 4 100832 Okay, but I reeeeeeally don't wanna know why! Sat Aug 09 20:14:03 -0700 2003 100829 0 MobyRichard 2 100828 Drying and smoking meat is common to many cultures, going back millenia. It's one of the ways we, as a species, first learned to preserve and take food with us as we hunted and gathered. Genghis Khan and his horde probably had saddlebags stuffed with jerky to wash down with large quantities of kumiss... Sat Aug 09 20:01:05 -0700 2003 100812 0 Captain Jack 1 100820 We're lucky to have a master jerky maker, Angelo, nearby. He had a booth at this weekend's Gravenstein Apple Fair. Not in the South Bay, but North, with stores in Sonoma and Petaluma. Here's a link to a thread extolling the jerky from customers who mailorder. You can order online at www.angelossmokehouse.com. Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/16976#48751 Sat Aug 09 18:58:25 -0700 2003 100809 0 Melanie Wong 2 100861 i second that. easily the best i've ever had. Sun Aug 10 18:01:08 -0700 2003 100820 0 brad kaplan 3 100897 Here's Angelo's booth at the fair. It was a lovely Saturday under the oaks. Area code 707 for the number displayed. Link: http://chowingwiththehounds.com/picnic/upcoming/ Image: http://home.earthlink.net/~melainewong/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/angelos.jpg Mon Aug 11 06:31:47 -0700 2003 100861 0 Melanie Wong 4 101049 Melanie, To think, this place is just across town from me, and this is the first I've heard of it. So I got myself over there and tried the jerky. It's fantastic! Normally the teriaki style is a bit too sweet for me, but this stuff doesn't seem sweet at all. I was also wondering if I'd like the moisture content. I don't really like the wet sticky stuff they sell at Chinese stores. But this is just right -- on the dry side, but not dessicated-cardboard. It's definitely the best jerky I've ever had, and a pound of the teriaki version is sitting in my cupboard. I'm already wishing I'd gotten some of the black pepper, too (those are the two they had). What about the rest of the stuff? Have you tried the sausage (including venison!), bacon, ham etc? -- Bryan Tue Aug 12 17:33:20 -0700 2003 100897 0 Bryan Loofbourrow 5 101054 Don't recall the venison sausage, but I've probably tried just about every sausage Angelo makes over the years and have settled on the North Country as my favorite of his. Also like the Hawaiian. His cure tends to the sweet side - the North Country is the least sweet and in the case of the Hawaiian, the sweetness fits the type. I don't think I've had the ham or bacon. I like the smoked chicken and the smoked duck (duck is special order, I think), again a little bit sweet. You might want to try a Willie Bird's smoked chicken for comparison. Another home town product you'll want to try is the potato salad from Pedroni's. Don't be afraid, it's not gloppy, cleanest finish I've ever tasted. Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/24325#94738 Tue Aug 12 18:08:02 -0700 2003 101049 0 Melanie Wong 6 101132 Yep, I've tried Pedroni's Potato Salad. They sell it here at the Petaluma Market, and at Lombardi's (Petaluma Blvd and Skillman). I like to go to Lombardi's, because of those wonderful barbecue drums that seem to be constantly going in the summer, turning out terrific chickens and ribs. Haven't tried the barbecued oysters yet. I went with my dog once, and he started whining at the aroma whole I was still a few hundred feet away. I might quibble and say I wish that the potatoes were cooked just a little bit less, so that there would be less fragmentation, but basically it's an excellent potato salad, and what sets it apart is the (reputedly homemade) mayonnaise. Much subtler and more ethereal than the normal commercial stuff. Wed Aug 13 15:11:25 -0700 2003 101054 0 Bryan Loofbourrow 7 101263 Yes, all those drums lined up in the parking lot are a sight to behold. Would love to hear what you think of the barbecued oysters - I haven't tried them yet either at Lombardi's. Then you'll need to try them from the places along the road from Petaluma out to the coast, a summertime tradition. When you have a chance, maybe you can post something about the sushi place you like in Petaluma. Another friend has told me how special it is. Thu Aug 14 21:23:25 -0700 2003 101132 0 Melanie Wong 7 2993545 A quick update. While I still do not have the custom-made pots for cooking the potatoes, we have been able to make significant progress in the potato cooking aspect and you will find the potatoes holding up as slices better now. The flavor has always been right, and now we're getting the right consistency on the potatoes. Oh...BTW..did anyone catch the report on Pedroni's potato salad on Eye on the Bay? Here's a link in case you missed it: http://cbs5.com/eotbshows/local_story_124124400.html (I can't figure out why the first paragraph has been repeated below...sorry!)) Mon Oct 01 13:21:31 -0700 2007 2532998 95480 Paul Pedroni 1 100833 For some elitist jerky try Cafe Rouge in Berkeley. Made from hot tubbing cows that didn't do time on a feed lot. Actually it's worth the price, but with the emperor's new clothes angle on the issue it may be subject to further scrutiny. I know it's far from the South Bay but throw in a trip to Berkeley Bowl, Cheese Board, and lunch at Chez Panisse and you've spent next month's paycheck. Make it a Tuesday or Saturday and hit the farmer's market for some Pastificio danish or olive bread and some Blue Bottle Coffee. Pastificio is actually open for lunch and far cheaper than Chez. Their greens salad would cost $34.00 up the street. Sat Aug 09 20:15:17 -0700 2003 100809 0 k. gerstenberger 1 100860 Martindale's Meats in Windsor/Sonoma County makes an excellent beef jerky. 5280 Aero Dr. at the corner of Old Redwood Hwy and Airport Dr. Sun Aug 10 17:21:53 -0700 2003 100809 0 Cynthia 1 2534863 You can try the Cattaeno Bros. jerky which is available at the Garlic Shop on 101 in Gilroy- Wed May 02 11:29:48 -0700 2007 100809 49277 jimtak 2 2539241 Going back to the Chinese beef jerkey, if you can get to a very busy chinese market, try Hsing Tung Yang brand. It comes vaccuum sealed in a red box. There are many varieties. I am not a huge fan of the sweet, sticky also, but the curry flavor is delicious. And if you get it from a busy market, it will be nice and fresh, not stale. You can also venture into pork jerky from the same company. It is sweet, sticky, but for some reason I like it. Thu May 03 14:46:36 -0700 2007 2534863 96080 homerandsatchi 1 2777434 If you want some awesome jerky in the south bay...I know that the Jerky Guy jerky is carried by Zanotto's (its where I get it) and I think Constantino's carries it too. I have posted here before about how incredible it tastes. Just my two cents work... Don Mon Jul 23 23:13:08 -0700 2007 100809 93534 adamhenry05 2 2778206 It is not the South Bay, but if you can get to Redwood City, Green Light Jerky will start selling at the Kiwanis farmers market on Sat. Aug 18th according to their newsletter. They sell currently online I haven't tried it yet, but it is high on my to-try list. In addition to regular flavors they have some interesting flavors like ginger cilantro, vodka onion, prime rib dinner (with horseradish) and root beer fire. And the BEST part ... no preservatives or junk in it. They plan to introduce some organic jerky in the future. They use local products from vendors like the Perfect Puree of Napa Valley and George Chiala Farms in Morgan Hill. This has been one of the most interesting product developments I've seen in a long time. The owner, Matthew Klapper, started selling his product through a hip hop forum. Reading that thread has been a lot of fun. It was pure and honest food love with Matthew doing a back and forth on how each batch was going and the revisions based on feedback ... what's the perfect root beer, what's the best horseradish. It was also interesting in watching the steps a company needs to go through in terms of starting up. What was interesting about this was it wasn't food forum people chatting it up about the next great find. So it was kind of pure. People who just fell in love with the jerky and I caught the enthusiasm and really am looking forward to trying it. There was a wide variety of comments including this one guy called Archer who I WiSH would participate on Chowhound because I loved his comments and he was honest when something didn't work ... one Archer comment ... "Ginger Cilantro and Garlic Parmesan. Both are superb. The Ginger Cilantro is my fave so far - both ingredients shine while not overpowering each other. The flavor of the beef comes through at a perfect level as well. It has a really nice earthy green flavor to it. Hard to describe. The Garlic Parmesan also kicks! Subtle hints of cheese throughout with nice salty garlic overtone " There were a lot of funny, raw comments from the hip hop community ... "I unassumingly unleash the Vodka Onion & JJS on our hosts ... "fellas, try this and tell me what you think.. and be F#####G honest". Like a pack of wild hogs, they tore the bag TO SHREDS in minutes.. they couldn't get enough of it " Again, what was cool was that even though the owner (who worked a few years in a professional kitchen ) was a community member ... KlappDOgg ... people didn't hold back when something didn't work ... and he listened and tweaked the product till it was perfect. The name came from one of KlappDOgg's favorite songs called “Green Light Now Begin” from Blackaliciuos, a local hip hop group. Anyway, as mentioned ... can be ordered online. Has anyone tried it yet? http://www.greenlightjerky.com/ Tue Jul 24 08:32:49 -0700 2007 2777434 10264 rworange 3 2778483 I have tried it. I stumbeld upon it over at the message boards at solesides.com and ordered it from their website. I can say that it is some of the best jerky I have had. For me the best part is the different flavors? I know I had never seen Prime Rib beef jerky before. I would also suggest the Garlic Parmesan! Tue Jul 24 09:38:38 -0700 2007 2778206 114036 deaninsanfran 1 2785422 I haven't tried the jerky yet but have enjoyed some of their other products. http://www.fattedcalf.com/omg.php They have a stand at the Saturday market at the SF Ferry Building (on this side towards Sur la Table).0 Thu Jul 26 09:10:06 -0700 2007 100809 84820 nerdigrrl 1 2785821 The New York Times just did a feature on Beef Jerky in yesterdays dining section. Specifically focusing on production in California. Check it: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/25/dining/25jerk.html?em&ex=1185595200&en=68f6e0006b365567&ei=5087%0A Thu Jul 26 10:49:54 -0700 2007 100809 15782 aperitif