292982 Thu May 29 23:28:43 -0700 2003 30 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1601194 Whenever my husband and I road trip (which is very, very often) we always pick up a bag of jerky in whatever roadside convenience store we stop at. It's a great snack while driving. We keep trying different brands, but I don't have a real favorite yet. Usually we get peppered or hickory smoked. He likes it hot so we try the hot ones too. Here are my opinions so far: Oberto - Pretty good, but it can be kind of salty and harsh esp. their Teriyaki flavor SMC (Stafford Meat Company) - I tried a bag of their Honey Glazed and thought I'd found my jerky heaven. It was sweet and had a great flavor and it was TENDER. Unfortunately my first bag seemed to be a fluke. The next two bags I bought had a weird flavor (almost fishy) and the jerky was so tough it was like shoe leather. I was severely bummed out. Pemmican - Our current favorite, but I think we can do better Golden Valley - Peppered style was pretty good. I also bought a small bag of their Buffalo meat jerky. Texture was good, but I don't think I like Buffalo jerky Tillamook - Haven't bought this recently; that probably means I wasn't impressed I forget the brand, but we recently tried one that seems new in the stores out here (San Francisco Bay Area). It's a Jalapeno jerky. It's really spicy, but tasty, fresh and tender. So what should I be trying? I still haven't found an all-time favorite. Thu May 29 23:28:43 -0700 2003 0 babyfork 1 1601225 Go online and order some jerky from Robertson's. It's kind of expensive but it's amazing!! Link: http://www.robertsonshams.com/index.htm Fri May 30 10:27:22 -0700 2003 1601194 0 DeeS. 1 1601262 I would second the Robertson's jerky. They have it all the Love's Country Stores (travel stops) mostly in Oklahoma and Texas. I used to work there and it was amazing how many times a package would just break open all by itself and have to placed on the waste sheet and eaten by employees. The best I have ever had is kinda out of the way. Home made at the M-35 convience store. Just south of Escanaba, MI in the U.P. on M-35 Ben Fri May 30 13:54:16 -0700 2003 1601194 0 Ben D 1 1601296 We LOVE the peppered turkey jerky from the New Braunfels Smokehouse. They also have many other "flavors". you can order from them on line. Here's their website: http://www.nbsmokehouse.com also - if you are ever swinging through New York City, we're very lucky to have several places in Chinatown that make their own homemade jerky - below is a link to a recent post with a list... and thanks for postin' - picked up some good tips form you and the other replies :-) Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/201215#1073052 Fri May 30 16:48:59 -0700 2003 1601194 0 elvislives 1 1601311 Does anyone remember the beef jerky made by Hickory Farms of Ohio? It was long and gnarly. They had no flavors, only what companies now would call "regular." Hickory Farms no longer carries this jerky; I have confirmed this with the company. So, the question is: which jerky most closely approaches the HF version? Any suggestions? TIA. Fri May 30 17:55:22 -0700 2003 1601194 0 TomSwift 2 1603876 I believe that is our jerky you tried at Hickory Farms. We made long sticks of beef jerky for Hickory Farms a few years ago. We cut them from whole muscle top rounds, so they are the long sticks you are speaking of. We still make them, using beef, Certified Angus Beef (r), Buffalo, Elk and Turkey. Paul Murdoch Link: http://www.garywest.com Wed May 19 18:36:08 -0700 2004 1601311 0 Paul Murdoch 3 2787154 I'll give a big thumbs-up to Gary West's jerky. Their Cajun jerky is to DIE for--my lips were burning from the peppers, but I couldn't put it down! Thu Jul 26 15:38:40 -0700 2007 1603876 27327 MsMaryMc 2 2784658 That was my favorite jerky of all time. When I started making our flavors I always had that Hickory farms jerky in mind. Did the stuff you remember have a 'snap' to it? I have a couple flavors that are really close. That stuff was good. Paul you said a few years ago? The stuff Im thinking of was many years ago, more than 18 years I would say. Got it from the Hickory Farms store at Hillsdale mall back in the day. Thu Jul 26 05:33:47 -0700 2007 1601311 107230 GreenLightJerky 3 2807389 It was about 12-15 years ago that we stopped making it for Hickory Farms. We had made it for 4-5 years before that. Thu Aug 02 10:59:47 -0700 2007 2784658 116269 pmurdoch 2 4879839 TomSwift i know what you are talking about go to SMOKEDMEATS.COM you liked the kind i did it is called INDIAN JERKY no tast but you just could't stop eating it. Tough to bit you had to tear or cut to eat.I promise this is IT!!!!!!!!!! Wed Jul 22 04:47:37 -0700 2009 1601311 1095757 mikeandeb 1 1601342 Not the conventional answers, but try some Vietnamese beef jerky. You can find it at any Vietnamese grocery store. Sweet, fairly tender, and nice n' spicy. Also if you are in San Fran or LA some Vietnamese groceries carry deer jerky which is FANTASTIC if you toast it up a little. Fri May 30 23:53:37 -0700 2003 1601194 0 elyhtak 1 1601430 When I drive up from LA to Mammoth Mt (CA), I stop in Bishop at the Mahogany Smoked Meats to load up on jerky. Their website is below. The jerky page has photos of the different offerings. My favorite is the cowboy jerky. It's an extra thick disc of flank steak smoked until it's nearly dry. It's too thick to gnaw on - you'll have to slice or tear off thinner pieces off to chew it. Pretend you're on horseback in the Eastern Sierras while the meaty smoke flavor permeates every chew : ) There is no comparison to commercial stuff, and the variety offered here is staggering. Link: http://www.smokedmeats.com/ Sun Jun 01 14:41:25 -0700 2003 1601194 0 Professor Salt 2 4670177 Mahogany smoked meats black pepper. Great real jerky flavor. One of the best in this jerky hound's opinion. I have not tried all of their brands, but I will be. Sun May 10 00:17:49 -0700 2009 1601430 291458 ShipM8 1 1603859 Have any of you been to the House of Jerky? They have stores all over, and this has got to be the best jerky by far! They have every kind imaginable. They have all different flavors of Beef and Turkey. They also have game meats and they have sugar free too. It dosn't have preservatives or anything in it either. It's the best I've ever had! Link: http://www.houseofjerky.net Thu Oct 30 06:37:33 -0800 2003 1601194 0 Debbie 2 1603860 Unfortunately none of those stores are anywhere near NYC but there were some earlier threads about good jerky in Chinatown (another comment in this thread mentions one of them but has a dead link.) beef jerky http://www.chowhound.com/boards/thebest/messages/5184.html Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/201215#1073031 Thu Oct 30 10:56:46 -0800 2003 1603859 0 hilldweller 2 2785719 Is the jerky tough or chewy? I like it when it has some substance and girth, so it is easy to chew on. Thu Jul 26 10:29:25 -0700 2007 1603859 80937 danhole 1 1603861 You might want to widen your search to Latin groceries and look for "carne seca". Its very, very good. Its dried beef slices in chile sauce. Thu Oct 30 15:55:13 -0800 2003 1601194 0 Pssst 2 1603862 How is it packaged and what aisle would it be located in? There are Latin groceries near me and I'd like to find some and try it. Thanks! BTW, I did a Google search and didn't come up with an answer to the above question but this was the first hit for "carne seca": Link: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00000628.htm Fri Oct 31 11:50:56 -0800 2003 1603861 0 hilldweller 3 1603863 "Preparation of the carne seca involved slicing partially thawed beef and then drying the beef in a passive solar drying room for 2-3 days. Before drying, some of the beef was marinated with a red or green chile marinade for 24 hours." Sounds about right. I was served some of the best carne seca I've ever had last week (at a luncheon in Mexico) and I asked my hosts how they had made it. The cook said "well, we slice the beef, pour chile water on it and put it on the roof for 3 days". At that event, it was served with the appetizers on a plate with sliced white onions, cilantro and a drizzle red sauce. I would look for it in two places - in the packaged snack section and in the meat section. If you can find a good latin butcher shop, they will probably have a better quality version. Fri Oct 31 13:41:53 -0800 2003 1603862 0 Pssst 4 1603864 Thanks! Would it be in a plastc pack like jerky, or would it be in a can? Fri Oct 31 13:45:38 -0800 2003 1603863 0 hilldweller 5 1603865 I've only seen in it plastic packs like jerky, I've never seen it in cans. Fri Oct 31 17:28:05 -0800 2003 1603864 0 Pssst 6 2784660 Here's jerky in a jar http://www.chipperjerky.com/ . Thu Jul 26 05:36:59 -0700 2007 1603865 107230 GreenLightJerky 1 2786485 I was just on a road trip through Alberta and Sask., to try and keep it more interesting I set off to find the best jerky I could. Searching for local products mostly but I picked up any that were regional from larger operations too for comparison purposes. The best of the mass produced was McSweeneys, naturally random shaped pieces, not all chopped and pressed, I like the black pepper one -- but it still didn't compare to the smaller operations products. I have a fridge full of random ones still, ranging from really tough to thick and almost moist. Some with lots of intense salty steak flavor while some were bland and disappointing. Ultimately, I like one I got unlabled in bulk from a hotel tray in a gas station or a vacuum packed one from a steer farms' butcher. As per usual the indie producer seems to be doing it with more care & quality, ultimately creating a better product...has anyone tried making their with one of those dehydrators or other device? Thu Jul 26 12:53:30 -0700 2007 1601194 114516 Recyclor 1 2789279 You might be able to find Chinese dried 'lamp shadow' beef in a Chinese market. (Lamp shadow because of its thinness.) Very spicy, tender, sometimes with sesame seeds. Fri Jul 27 10:39:40 -0700 2007 1601194 15802 pepper_mil 1 2815839 This is a great thread topic, I remember the fabulous selection of beef jerkies in stores along the highways out west and I've enjoyed many of them driving about. Now I'm in NE/MA and there just isn't any serious jerky here. Sun Aug 05 14:43:09 -0700 2007 1601194 18264 steinpilz 2 4880971 If you're ever in Vancouver BC try Bee Kim Heng. I love this stuff so much I've been known to give it as presents... Wed Jul 22 10:17:56 -0700 2009 2815839 169233 grayelf 1 4884775 I get my fix of jerky 3 times a year from a place called the jerky hut http://www.jerkyhut.com/ They come to the 3 boat shows I go to in south florida I like the habenaro jerky stay away from the salmon jerky it's like smelling bait taste good but the smell is tough enjoy guys Thu Jul 23 13:07:39 -0700 2009 1601194 274698 pikiliz 1 4888414 Nobody mentioned Big Johns eh? That is the most popular one on Canadian forums (probably because they ship to Canada as well). Free shipping in the US... http://www.bigjohnsbeefjerky.com/about/index.php Fri Jul 24 16:09:51 -0700 2009 1601194 115105 duckdown 1 4888475 2 places- Gary West, out of Jacksonville, OR, and Mahogony Smoked Meats, Bishop, CA. Love Gary's teriyaki, and Mohagonys honey turkey jerky. Like candy. Have some Gary West cajun beef jerky in my cupboard right now, but I'm kind of scared-I don't do too well with spice. If you are ever in Southern Oregon, go to Gary West's Tasting Room-all beef jerky, wine, mustards and jams. And across the street, at the Pony Espresso, they have fabulous tomato bisque. Fri Jul 24 16:34:45 -0700 2009 1601194 212582 schrutefarms 2 4907529 My favorite: http://www.alienfreshjerky.com/3420special.html Fri Jul 31 15:23:05 -0700 2009 4888475 13745 LesThePress 3 4907997 In Baker, CA? I usually stop there on the way to Vegas (which isn't often since I loathe Vegas) and grab a bag. It is good stuff.. Fri Jul 31 19:19:13 -0700 2009 4907529 212582 schrutefarms