Howdy!
Today we’re dipping into a bag of Cherry Maple Beef Jerky from the hallowed aisles of Buc-ee’s.
This is a selection from the ever-impressive Buc-ee’s “Wall of Jerky”, easily one of the most impressive assortments of Jerky you can find. With more than a dozen flavors to choose from it’s helpful if you know your favorites, and it’s not uncommon to see people standing before the towering wall agonizing over their selection. A worthy struggle, for sure. So how does the Cherry Maple stack up? Let’s see what you get with this one:
Taste (A-): This jerky’s first name should be “Sweet”. From the first note you’ll get a mouthful of the brown sugar and maple flavors along with a general sugary sweetness. It’s definitely pronounced, but it’s not at all too much. The cherry flavor slides in a few moments later and gives that sweetness a bit of personality while the trailing salty and savoriness follows along nicely. The overall effect is just solidly enjoyable.
Texture (B+): This jerky is tender, but not soft, and is on the slightly-dryer side of moist. Pieces are cut against the grain and tend to tear easily for that perfectly sized bite. If there’s any criticism to level, it’s that there’s a bit more fat in the various pieces that we’d expect or prefer. While none of it is distasteful, it can detract from the overall enjoyability.
Smell (A): The aroma of cherry is outstanding from this jerky. It’s assertive, but not pungent, and invites you to venture into what it has to offer. There are some subtleties to it, too. Perhaps the interplay of tart cherry juice and some artificial cherry syrup is at work. Regardless, it’s a delight for your nose and a great complement to the taste.
Appearance (B+): This jerky looks solidly appetizing, with a dark brown appearance and pervasive red undertones, likely thanks to the incorporated cherry juice (and apparently a bit of FD&C Red No. 40). The pieces tend toward the smaller sizes and generally range from bite-sized to grab-a-few-for-a-bite-sized. The surface is rough, as are the edges, but you see lots of lines showing you that against-the-grain cut. Very appetizing.
Consistency (B): Some pieces can be a bit fatty, not unexpected with Jerky made with real pieces of beef. Still, there’s a bit more in the mix than you might anticipate, and while not a substantial thing, it does take you out of the moment more often than you’d like. The flavor bite-to-bite is good but not great, with most bites delivering that sweetness aplenty while others’ intensity seems dialed back a meaningful amount. Even these less flavorful bites are delicious, but once you’ve had the full-on deliciousness this jerky offers these blander pieces under-deliver: good, but not AS good. With all that, this is still clearly an expertly made jerky with unmistakable quality throughout.
Overall Impression (A-): This is a very tasty, and very enjoyable jerky. The flavor is a real standout and the overall experience it offers is delightful. Bucc-ee’s is widely known for its exceptional jerky and this clearly deserves its place on the Wall of Jerky. If you’re lucky enough to swing by a Buc-ee’s you’d do well to give this jerky strong consideration. Better yet, go to the jerky counter and ask for a complementary sample piece! That’s right, they have samples. Go forth and enjoy! And, of course, Eat Well!