I like beef jerky, do you like beef jerky? How do you like your jerky? Favorite name brand?
I’m a fan of wild bills as far as common brands go. I don’t like teriyaki flavor all that much, I’m more of a purist when it comes to that- hickory smoked is all I need. But, I’ll go for the peppered once in a while if the mood strikes me. I don’t really like jack links, it’s too sweet and not salty enough for me. I also think its a bit too tender, I generally gravitate more towards the dryer, tougher jerkies.
What about you? Lets talk about beef jerky.
get the mild, it has the best flavor. Done.
I seem to remember a previous beef jerky thread…
— Alan
Homemade is so much infinitely better than commercial brands, it’s like a completely different state of matter.
I tend to prefer the sausage stick types rather then the traditional dry and tough stuff. I’ve gotten in a habit lately of eating turkey jerky bites as my meal at work lately.
What a coincidence that I just finished having a small bag of beef jerky. I’ll definitely be investigating the homemade solution in a couple of months so I can enjoy the awesomeness of beef jerky with less sodium.
Beef jerky is awesome.
As far as big names go, I tend to prefer jack links, mostly because it doesn’t taste of artificial smoke flavor to me. However I prefer to sample local brands, and I’m rarely disappointed. I always go for peppered if it’s an option. Hunter’s sausage as mentioned above can also be anywhere from fantastic to sub-Slim Jim. There’s a place near me that sells dried hot links that are divine.
Also in the meat snacks family, I love pork cracklings. The kind with a layer of fried-out fat still attached.
I love any and all beef and yet do not like jerky. I love the concept of it and am tempted to try it again but for some reason it doesn’t click with me. I think I need to find a flavor that resonates with me. Not a fan of the ones I’ve tried so far. Is there anything that is seasoned like a regular steak to ease me in to the jerky? I don’t remember which favors I’ve tried but I’ve tried jerky twice in my life. I know I don’t like teriyaki so that is out of the question. Smoked hickory is usually hit or miss with me.
I really want to like jerky. It seems like the perfect snack to get me through my 7-10 night classes.
http://www.striplings.com/butcher-shop/jerky.html
These folks make it themselves in a small shop in the middle of Georgia. Absolutely delicious and worth an order to try if you like jerky that’s tender and has a bite to it.
I love beef jerky. Sadly, it’s fairly hard to come by in Sweden. Even the larger supermarkets only occasionally carry it, and when they do it’s ridicoulosly costly compared to the US.
But we’re going to San Francisco this fall. Where would I find the best selection of Jerky in SF?
There is a monstrous difference between store-bought beef jerky and natural beef jerky. Store products are usually kippered or what the hell ever gives them that nasty rubber texture. It’s expensive, but if you love beef then you need to try the Mingua I linked. It’s a thin slice of pure beef, a marinade, and nothing else. You’ll taste the cow, in other words.
I’d like to make my own. Any good recipes?
My uncle occasionally makes it with a drying rack in the oven, set to warm. It tends to be a lot drier than the store-bought, as Houngan referenced above, and can even be kind of crunchy. It should be marinated overnight beforehand, and basically whatever kind of marinade you like should be good. I find teriyaki, Worcestershire, and/or pineapple juice to be good bases, plus whatever spices you prefer. I don’t know specifics (such as how long you dry it) but there should be some guides online.
Mingua is like a very thin piece of leather that was damp a few hours ago. A delicious piece of leather, but it tears with fibers and takes some chewing.
I love beef jerky. and Turkey jerky. It would be my primary snack if I weren’t afraid that it’s possibly super bad for you? Is that true? If it is, are there healthier options of it?
Beef jerky isn’t bad for you. It does typically have a pretty high sodium content due to the nature of curing, so if you’re watching your sodium intake there’s that (it varies by brand though, so shop around), but besides that it’s usually low in saturated fat and cholesterol and high in protein.
As far as one being better than the other, I think it’s largely similar nutritionally regardless of animal. Fish jerky will be higher in unsaturated fats, but that’s about it.
I have yet to eat turkey jerky that was any better than chewing leather. I’m obviously not buying the right brand.
What Penny said. While it’s obviously worse for you than, say, celery it’s better for you than damned near any other form of meat. Enjoy responsibly.