The F&S Beef Jerky Blind Taste Test
In the interest of science (and as an excuse to eat some delicious food), the Field & Stream edit staff...
CJ Lotz
**_ Hits: Really liked the smokey flavor… Good flavor, but fades… Misses: Terrible texture, really bad… Dry and brittle. No taste but pepper…**
** Score__ (out of 50 possible points in each category) Texture: 13 Quality of Meat: 15 Taste: 17 Votes for Overall Favorite Jerky: Zero Total Score: 45 CJ Lotz
**_ Hits:_ Good, but the slices are too thin… Nice spice…
_ Misses: Like eating a peppery leather saddle… Tastes like a piece of plastic bacon… Score (out of 50 possible points in each category) Texture: 16 Quality of Meat: 21 Taste: 21 Votes for Overall Favorite Jerky: Zero Total Score: 58 CJ Lotz
**_ Hits:_ Nice straight-up jerky. Fits the craving…
_ Misses: Tough, dry, weak flavor… Score (out of 50 possible points in each category) Texture: 25 Quality of Meat: 24 Taste: 29 Votes for Overall Favorite Jerky: Zero Total Score: 78 CJ Lotz
**_ Hits:_ Beefy, peppery…_ (Those were the nicest words said about this one.) Misses: Far too dry and a bit too much like artificial smoke… Tastes like a shoe… Score (out of 50 possible points in each category) Texture: 27 Quality of Meat: 26 Taste: 27 Votes for Overall Favorite Jerky: Zero Total Score: 80 CJ Lotz
**_ Hits:_ Spicy like a BBQ dry rub. Good, but must want that BBQ flavor… Good seasoning…
_ Misses: Dry as dust… Tastes fatty. Middle of the road… Score (out of 50 possible points in each category) Texture: 29 Quality of Meat: 28 Taste: 30 Votes for Overall Favorite Jerky: Zero Total Score: 87 CJ Lotz
**_ Hits:_ Most excellent all around…
_ Misses: Kind of gummy… Soft, like a gobbler dropping… The similarity to animal dropping just isn’t appealing… Score (out of 50 possible points in each category) Texture: 23 Quality of Meat: 27 Taste: 27 Votes for Overall Favorite Jerky: 1 (10 bonus points) Total Score: 87 CJ Lotz
**_ Hits:_ Good campfire jerky… Dry but not overly tough… Beefy. Your classic jerky…
_ Misses: Not a big fan of the aftertaste… SO dry.. _Score (out of 50 possible points in each category)
_ Texture: 24 Quality of Meat: 25 Taste: 29 Votes for Overall Favorite Jerky: 1 (10 bonus points) Total Score: 88 CJ Lotz
**_ Hits:_ Strange texture. Too sweet. Not my thing… No, just not happening…
_ Misses: Really sweet, unique flavor. Never tasted jerky like this before… Score (out of 50 possible points in each category) Texture: 28 Quality of Meat: 30 Taste: 27 Votes for Overall Favorite Jerky: 2 (20 bonus points) Total Score: 105 CJ Lotz
**_ Hits:_ Beefy flavor with a nice balance of sweet, salt, and spice… Nice texture…
_ Misses: Sweet. Very sweet… Too dry… _Score (out of 50 possible points in each category)
_ Texture: 27 Quality of Meat: 31 Taste: 33 Votes for Overall Favorite Jerky: 2 (20 bonus points) Total Score: 111 CJ Lotz
**_ Hits:_ Excellent. Good snap and taste… Felt like I could eat the most of this one…
_ Misses: Too fatty. Tastes a little too much like pork… _Score (out of 50 possible points in each category)
_ Texture: 37 Quality of Meat: 39 Taste: 37 Votes for Overall Favorite Jerky: 1 (10 bonus points) Total Score: 123 CJ Lotz
**_ Hits:_ Good balance of salty and sweet… Excellent. Perfect pitch… Best all around…
_ Misses: Great, except it could have had a bit more flavor… _Score (out of 50 possible points in each category)
_ Texture: 39 Quality of Meat: 40 Taste: 37 Votes for Overall Favorite Jerky: 2 (20 bonus points) Total Score: 136 CJ Lotz
In the interest of science (and as an excuse to eat some delicious food), the Field & Stream edit staff held a beef jerky taste test in the office. Here are the results, starting with the last-place jerky. To learn more about the taste test, you can read about it here on our Wild Chef blog.
