I’ll be honest with you: I’m a beef jerky snob. I can’t stand a lot of gas station jerkies on the market place, all of which boast easily-replaceable flavors. Teriyaki. Sweet and spicy. Garlic. YAWN.
The jerky game, however, is evolving in a few major ways. There’s a huge emphasis on small batch-jerkies made with TLC, not just big beef throwing it’s leftover sirloin into an industrial-size dehydrator and throwing some cheap spices in the mix.
Brands like Country Archer Jerky Co. are creating handcrafted jerkies that are delicious and nutritious from grassfed beef and getting major distribution deals in places like Costco. Their value-prop in the marketplace is unique: Beef that’s tender and savory, not a dry piece of protein that’s one step up from a dog chew toy. The spicy Sweet Jalapeño and Mango Habanero flavors will send a capsaicin aficionado into pure bliss.On the other side of the coin, jerky is evolving away from beef. Turkey jerky, pork jerky, buffalo jerky, and alligator jerky displays have popped up all across roadside America in recent years, demanding more gas station shelf space, squeezing into a kingdom once dominated by Jack Links and Slim Jim.
