Good day, y’all!
Our snack of the day is a gift from Doug L., a true friend of Jerkyology: Stemmler’s Honey Beef Jerky, from Stemmler’s Meats in Ontario, Canada.
This isn’t a big brand jerky. This is the small batch stuff that can sometimes be among the real gems of Jerkyology. With Stemmler’s award-winning reputation for quality meats you can’t help but wonder how their jerky stands up. So, let’s see what you get with this one:
Taste (A-): The Stemmler’s folks clearly love meat. This is a wonderfully sweet jerky with a simple, but elegant mix of honey and brown sugar and a slightly savory undertone that combines just about perfectly. The balance of it all is simply expert and the taste of it is just a real joy.
Texture (B): This jerky is thoroughly dry and only slightly pliable. It’s a bit tough to tear off a bite, but once you do it’s pretty easy-going. The meat is cut across the grain and is slices very thin. All told, it’s nicely done.
Smell (B-): You won’t detect much of an aroma from this thoroughly dry jerky. The smells are subtle, almost difficult to discern, and it you have to really get close to get a good whiff Still, when you do you get a smell hint of the flavors to come, sweet and tasty.
Appearance (A-): The jerky has a delicious meaty appearance with a slightly glossy sheen. The meat is cut against the grain and is cut thin and in natural-style pieces. It has a deep, rich brown look with small reddish highlights. It looks as good as it tastes!
Consistency (A): Again, the Stemmler’s folks clearly love meat and this is expertly made stuff. The meat is sliced deli-style thin and is thoroughly dried, bite-for-bite. The jerky is also flavored with great care and every bite is as tasty to the last.
Overall Impression (B+): What a treat this jerky is! This is one of the best sweet jerkys we’ve seen and the quality and care that obviously went into making it clearly comes through. If you’re ever in Heidelberg, Ontario you should drop by Stemmler’s and treat yourself to something good!