Greetings!
Following a recent trip to Canada we’re enjoying a bag of West Coast Select Beef Jerky picked up at the airport duty free shop in Calgary, Alberta.
West Cost Select Beef Jerky
We’re all about exploring the local flavors so this little bag of jerky was a welcome find. West Coast Select is the beef jerky brand of Sundance Seafood Ltd. in Surrey, British Columbia. They offer an interesting range of salmon – smoked, canned, frozen, etc. – as well as a pair of beef jerky flavors. With their focus on fish, does their cow-based snack do the job? Let’s see what you get with this one:
Taste (B): This is a really salty jerky. It’s good and really brings out the flavor of the beef, but it is still quite potent. There’s a complementary sweetness in the mix, too; some sugar and molasses that blend well and help to take a bit of the edge off of the saltiness. A bit of smoke flavor rounds it all out and, in the end, it tastes pretty good! It’s not a particularly complex flavor all told. If you’re into salty you’ll really take to this one.
Texture (B+): A dry but pliable jerky, the pieces are cut along the grain and tear easily either by hand or teeth. It’s easy to chew and the meat has a quality feel to it. Your mouth will like it.
Smell (B): With a smoky scent that’s both simple and mild, this jerky smells nice. That’s about it though.
Appearance (B+): The pieces are generally small with straight-edge cuts and have a medium color with slight red highlights here and there. They look every bit the quick and tempting snack bites they are. This jerky looks nice and appetizing.
Consistency (A-): Bite for bite this jerky is quite well made. The moisture is consistent, and the salty and slightly smoky-sweet flavor holds true throughout the bag. The pieces are uniformly thick and the meat is well trimmed. The Sundance folks make a quality product with clear attention to ensuring that every bite is a good one. Well done!
Overall Impression (B): This is a solidly tasty jerky from our friends in BC. The jerky is wildly salty in a delicious way and is made with the sort of attention to quality that really makes eating it quite a joy. It’s nothing fancy, just a straightforwardly tasty treat. So if you find yourself in the Great White North and run across a bag feel confident in picking up a bag and digging in. It’s a good eat. Enjoy!