Product Review: Jerky From House of Jerky!
Anyone that knows me knows that I love to eat. Yes, I have been known to pack some food away from time to time. There is so much variety in food and I just want to try it all. One such morsel I love to eat, especially on backcountry hunts is beef jerky. Why? Well, it’s easy to pack, won’t spoil in the California heat and is great way to get some protein! I just love the stuff!
Janie Honeycutt, over at House of Jerky, sent me a nice little package to try out. I had been hearing great things and wanted to see what all of the hype was about. I figured jerky is jerky, right? Wrong! The package came in the mail at the perfect time. My buddy Michael and I were headed out for a backcountry hog hunt / scouting trip and the jerky would be a perfect addition to my pack. I decided to pack three kinds (I was sent five). The hot, the sweet & spicy and the black pepper.
The packages I was given were 2oz, vacuum-packed and then tightly sealed. They fit so well in my pack that I forgot they were in there all morning! After we hiked around 3 miles, we stopped for a break and I decided to break out a sample for us to try out. Both of us needed a snack and the jerky was a perfect solution, but which one should we choose?
We started off with the Sweet & Spicy. Wow! Packed with awesome flavor and very tangy – something I did not expect from jerky. The pineapple juice gave it a really great flavor. I thought the flavor was incredible and it about melted in your mouth. My only issue is that it was sticky. When you are out in the field, surrounded by ants, bringing a tangy, sticky sweet snack is not the best option. It tasted great, but next time I won’t bring it in the woods, I’ll eat it at home with the convenience of soap and water.
Two more miles of mountainous climbing later, we found a nice spot of shade under a nice oak tree. What time was it? Time for more jerky! We decided to eat the Hot Beef Jerky. Michael and I both like hot, spicy food so this was a good test. It was excellent. Just enough heat to make you reach for some water, but not enough to grab a fire extinguisher. Both of us commented how we really enjoyed it. The great thing about the heat is that you don’t chow it down as fast (at least we didn’t) as the Sweet & Spicy. We savored this one and took our time emptying out the bag.
We didn’t want to have to wait to eat some more, so I tore open the last pack I had – the Black Pepper Jerky. We saved the best for last! This was by far the best of the five I tried (all were very good, but this one was superb). The jerky was moist, perfectly chewy and packed the most flavor our of any jerky I have ever tried. Trust me, I have had my share of jerky (and yours, and hers, and his)! I almost didn’t want to share this one. Even after the last morsel was devoured Michael caught me licking the remnants from the inside of the plastic bag. Come on, it was good!
You know how you can get some jerky and it will taste kind of raw inside? Not with any of the jerky from House of Jerky. This was all top notch, perfectly dehydrated and flavorful. I would recommend their products to anyone, especially outdoors men and women. Why? Beside the fact that it tastes great and is good for you, it packs extremely well and is a nice lightweight snack. My only advice to you guys is to Go Get Some! The recommended serving size is one ounce. I think that should be changed to “Serving Size: One Bag.” I know that I will be ordering some more soon and I might even try a few of the exotic meats. Have you tried them out? What are your favorites?
A big thank you goes out to Janie for the care package and awesome customer service. Thank you, Janie!
I L-O-V-E Janie's jerky!
My personal fav is the natural style. Hands down the best jerky that has ever touched my lips! (and a yummy, healthy snack for my whole family!)
Man, I guess it's about time I try Janie's jerky….I make my own beef and deer jerky but curiosity is going to kill me. All I hear about is how awesome it is. Guess ordering some is going on this weeks to do list!
Albert- thanks for the review, man! I got a little shipment here too and my review pretty much lines up with yours, with some variation!
HLYH