You should know the difference
between a good and a cheap jerky.
Does it contain preservatives?
Instead of chemicals vacuum
packaging and oxygen absorbers are used in jerky co-packing increase the jerky
storage life along with saving the customers from being subjected to the
harmful ingredients.
Does it taste like real meat?
Jerky of most of the brands
have so much of sugar, tenderizers and preservatives that the real taste of
meat is gone. You can experience that biting a chunk of jerky and see whether
you get a flavor of beef as you get in a chunk of grilled steak or roast
tri-tip or not.
Does it require heavy machinery to chew?
Earlier tough jerky was in
demand but now gourmet brands make simple, all natural, beef jerky in a tender,
moist chew that still retains the chewing texture of a grilled steak.
Does it chew like real meat?
Few brands of jerky packed by jerky
packer either are too sweet that you feel like chewing a fruit gum or
are so much cooked that it becomes crumbly. Many often the jerky is added with
meat tenderizers making it mushy. When you eat a good jerky you will feel like
having a real piece of a soft mass in your mouth.
Does it live up to its advertised flavor?
A jerky package should be
barely hot, not medium or just hot but simply hot. Miring wine and ginger makes
good teriyaki.
What's that stringy stuff?
Mass produced jerky utilizes
low grades of beef filled with stringy sinews, rubbery gristle, and not
chewable tissues. At the same time good jerky must be lean that is practically
pure. Take care that you don’t add too much of fat as excess fat can cause the
meat taste rancid.
You might have noticed most of
the times same two or three brands of jerky in the stores and groceries. In
reality there are numerous brands of jerky sold after jerky co-packing across
the country. Some of them are expensive and some of them are cheap. It is
important to determine whether you are getting your money’s worth for an
expensive brand of jerky.
