Last week I got a little delivery of some beef jerky, made by the people who contacted me. It was a gift and didn’t have to post it. But damn, the stuff is good and well worth the post. Plus the pictures came out really well, I thought.
If you take a look at the Green Light Jerky Company and what they have to offer, you’ll see it’s different from what many other companies deliver. First off, they make it. They use local ingredients and attempt to make it as organic and natural as they can. There’s no nitrates, no msg, no thickening agents, No food colorings. This is real beef jerky. I was sent their #18 Jamaican Jerk flavor, but they have a handful of others to try.
This version was of a medium thickness, on the dry and chewy side. Maybe 1″ wide and 6″ long. Once it hit the palate, the spices and herbs began to fly. Since it’s “home made” one piece may have some different flavors from the others, and that’s a good thing. On a finish, it was rich, nice and the habanero came in to play (heat).
If you’re not going to make your own, then then these guys have it covered. I’m impressed, it’s good jerky!
Biggles
Category Archives: REVIEWS
Buffalo Bill’s Beef Jerky – Black Pepper – A jerky review
Editor’s Note (that’s me, eh): There’s going to be a few of these jerky reviews and am going to use the intro from the first one, for all. So, if the first part seems a little redundant, it’s because it is, foo.
A few weeks ago the fine people at Jerky.com sent Meathenge Labs a load of jerky for our consideration. MmMmmm, Review Jerky! I smell a party comin’.
A meeting of the minds were scheduled for a mid Saturday get together. These would be, Cookie & Cranky of I’m Mad and I Eat, Chilebrown and Ms. Goofy of Mad Meat Genius, Zoomie of Zoomie Station, Sourdough Monkey Wrangler & his monkeys (even if for a few moments to share some home brew) and a good friend.
If you so choose, please visit for a few snapshots of the afternoon.
Here’s the new stuff, you knob.
This jerky comes to us in a thin, dry form that takes quite a bit of pull. And I believe I’ve figured this Western Cut thing out, huge pieces! What I wasn’t expecting right off the top was a warm, rich beef meat flavor. I don’t know if you can see it in the picture, but one can actually see the fat between the meat there, this my good people is a flavor delivery system. It says it has some teriyaki & brown sugar in there, and it does. But there’s also wine, which cuts the sweet to some degree so it doesn’t go too far. The black pepper is a warm peppery ride that takes a little while to finish. Since it is quite dry and has fat in there, the flavors mingle for quite some time as you chew along.
I like the fact that the meat flavor is given a chance to play, it’s a good thing. So far, this jerky brings more to the table than most. An excellent performer and there’s plenty in the bag for everyone.
Thank you so much Jerky.com for your care package, we enjoyed the afternoon greatly.
Biggles
PS – My new glasses won’t arrive to next week or the one after. I’m using an old pair from years ago and working on the computer or any reading is quite difficult and makes my head hurt. Not sure what the next few weeks will look like, here.
Umpqua Indian Foods Premium Steak Jerky – Jalapeno (roll the “n”)
Editor’s Note (that’s me, eh): There’s going to be a few of these jerky reviews and am going to use the intro from the first one, for all. So, if the first part seems a little redundant, it’s because it is, foo.
A few weeks ago the fine people at Jerky.com sent Meathenge Labs a load of jerky for our consideration. MmMmmm, Review Jerky! I smell a party comin’.
A meeting of the minds were scheduled for a mid Saturday get together. These would be, Cookie & Cranky of I’m Mad and I Eat, Chilebrown and Ms. Goofy of Mad Meat Genius, Zoomie of Zoomie Station, Sourdough Monkey Wrangler & his monkeys (even if for a few moments to share some home brew) and a good friend.
If you so choose, please visit for a few snapshots of the afternoon.
Here’s the new stuff, you knob.
This is a handmade product from the Oregon Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians. Hmm, band of Indians? Okay.
At the start of this jerky taste off, I wanted to make sure each one was tasted and reviewed on its own merits. Not to compare it to others, or what-have-you. It had to stand on its own, by itself. To be honest, I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, it’s more of a meat tooth. Just in case you haven’t guessed that already. Not that I didn’t enjoy the others, but I like this one a lot. For my own personal tastes, this one hit the spot.
It’s fairly thick, medium dry with a good solid chew factor. The fat and the chile pepper quickly send a green spike throughout your mouth. Not too complicated and finishes cleanly. The ingredients list some teriyaki & maple sugar, but they are very subtle. Jalapeno comes in #3 on the list and it shows. I like this jerky and it likes me, I can tell.
Thank you so much Jerky.com for your care package, we enjoyed the afternoon greatly.
Biggles
Hawaiian Jerky Co. – Pineapple / A Review!
Editor’s Note (that’s me, eh): There’s going to be a few of these jerky reviews and am going to use the intro from the first one, for all. So, if the first part seems a little redundant, it’s because it is, foo.
A few weeks ago the fine people at Jerky.com sent Meathenge Labs a load of jerky for our consideration. MmMmmm, Review Jerky! I smell a party comin’.
A meeting of the minds were scheduled for a mid Saturday get together. These would be, Cookie & Cranky of I’m Mad and I Eat, Chilebrown and Ms. Goofy of Mad Meat Genius, Zoomie of Zoomie Station, Sourdough Monkey Wrangler & his monkeys (even if for a few moments to share some home brew) and a good friend.
If you so choose, please visit for a few snapshots of the afternoon.
Here’s the new stuff, you knob.
Here’s a jerky I wasn’t expecting, a fruit. Hmm, okay, sure I’ll bite. And we did!
This jerky is individually wrapped, very thinly sliced, as you can probably see. Tell you whut, it’s huge in flavor. I’ve never been to The Islands and have always heard that the pineapple served there is by far the best you can get. And in these slices deliver. It’s dried, but after a moment it rehydrates and sends a smooth, rich pineapple sensation throughout. I don’t detect any smoke flavor, the package lists the ingredients as pineapple & honey. That’s it. And brother, it’s a winner. We all enjoyed this treat immensely and would most certainly recommend it to anyone, jerky lover or no.
Thank you so much Jerky.com for your care package, we enjoyed the afternoon greatly.
Biggles
Why cry for a soul set free?
The good Doctor Reverend Biggles raises his hands, bends his head towards the heavens and draws forth the roast’s true form!
Praise thine meat! Look what you’ve done for us! Time for 24 hours of marination oh heavenly body.
Bless you my child!
When you are tired and hollow of tummy
Go to the beef roasts we know
And bury your sorrows in eating well.
Dr. Reverend Biggles
Jerky Review – Garden Valley’s Natural Beef Jerkey – Original
Editor’s Note (that’s me, eh): There’s going to be a few of these jerky reviews and am going to use the intro from the first one, for all. So, if the first part seems a little redundant, it’s because it is, foo.
A few weeks ago the fine people at Jerky.com sent Meathenge Labs a load of jerky for our consideration. MmMmmm, Review Jerky! I smell a party comin’.
A meeting of the minds were scheduled for a mid Saturday get together. These would be, Cookie & Cranky of I’m Mad and I Eat, Chilebrown and Ms. Goofy of Mad Meat Genius, Zoomie of Zoomie Station, Sourdough Monkey Wrangler & his monkeys (even if for a few moments to share some home brew) and a good friend.
If you so choose, please visit for a few snapshots of the afternoon.
Here’s the new stuff, you knob.
This jerky shows up about twice as thick as the last batch and not quite as dry (this is neither good nor bad, just different). The meat can be cut with your teeth fairly easily. As you can see the texture is quite smooth compared to the last one. It’s a very subtle, meaty little jerky, sweet with a little smoky and finishes fairly clean. The ingredient list is quite short and doesn’t include all kinds of wacky language or preservatives (read here: I knew what was in there). Chomp!
Thank you so much Jerky.com for your care package, we enjoyed the afternoon greatly.
Biggles
Book Review: The Best Barbecue on Earth by Rick Browne
Some things set me off more than others, elderly drivers being cautious does not set me off. Meandering motorists with cell phones glued to the side of their heads sends me in to a fury. Oh and don’t even remotely attempt to say anything about that hands-free crap. It isn’t the fact that you’re holding your hand to your head that distracts you, it’s the damned conversation. Moron. I’ve been reading studies for years about hands-free versus hand-held. The studies have been done from the Federal level, state level, universities and even The Myth Busters. Ah heck, the state of New York went hands-free years ago and they showed no drop in cell phone related collisions. Get it?
Here’s another little tidbit you’re not going to like, Americans are not the originators of Barbecue. OoOoOoOoOo, there, I said it. Ain’t you fuming now?
Rick Browne has sent forth this small tome to take us in to Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, England, France (yeah right), Germany, Guadeloupe, Hong Kong, Ireland, Jamaica, Japan, Korea, Mexico (oh yeah baby), Morocco, Portugal, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Tahiti & Figi, Thailand, Turkey, United States and Uruguay. Phew!
Ten Speed Press published it so you know the layout, photographs, text is all superb. I like this book and hopefully some day real soon I’ll get to cook something from it, oh yeah.
So, to sum it all up, this is a good read and a solid performer for recipes from all over the world. I like the book and would be happy if I found it as a gift for this holiday season coming up. Take care and happy fire making,
Biggles
Jerky Review – Buffalo Bill’s Western Cut Beef Jerky
A few weeks ago the fine people at Jerky.com sent Meathenge Labs a load of jerky for our consideration. MmMmmm, Review Jerky! I smell a party comin’.
A meeting of the minds were scheduled for a mid Saturday get together. These would be, Cookie & Cranky of I’m Mad and I Eat, Chilebrown and Ms. Goofy of Mad Meat Genius, Zoomie of Zoomie Station, Sourdough Monkey Wrangler & his monkeys (even if for a few moments to share some home brew) and a good friend.
If you so choose, please visit for a few snapshots of the afternoon.
This jerky is quite thin & chewy, broad pieces that can be easily torn for a mowful. The pepper is clearly visible and is the second flavor that rolls in. The first is the sweetness from the brown sugar, the pepper gets brighter and lingers for a while. The meat flavor is quite light and the chew is of an appropriate length, not going on for minutes nor does it disappear quickly. If you’re a fan of some sweet with a back of pepper, this is for you!
Thank you so much Jerky.com for your care package, we enjoyed the afternoon greatly.
Biggles
Fatted Calf – The Store
Over a year ago I stopped posting the weekly Fatted Calf Newsletter. If you ain’t hip to their newsletter, it’s a weekly note to let everyone know what’s going on in their world and the upcoming menu for the Berkeley & Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Markets. It was something I did out of inspiration, love and devotion. But it was time to move on, times change. The only thing that didn’t change is their love & devotion for all things meat.
If you’ve been lucky enough to sample any of their meaty gifts, you know of what I speak. I fondly remember showing up each Saturday in Berkeley to see what was new, rely on what’s a family standard and to enjoy the market in general. Nearly each week Taylor and/or Toponia had cooked up something special for all, like a kid in a candy store I was! I thought I’d seen just about everything they had to offer over the years. And speaking of years, I triple dog dare you to use the search function here at Meathenge and type in newsletter. There’s about 4.5 years worth of posts, pretty crazy.
Earlier this year Fatted Calf opened up their new shop at the new Oxbow Market in Napa. I’ve been more than a few times and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Again, I thought I’d seen it all.
Jlee and I sped up early this last Saturday morning for another visit and to check out a small gun shop, just for fun. I found a cool wrist-rocket I knew the boys would enjoy, but guess what I found at the fancy charcuterie masters shop? That’s right, hands down the most badass salumi sammich of all time! Nabbed that one big time! I don’t know how many different kinds of hand-made pieces of meat were in there, but it was tremendous. The depth of flavor all delivered with a fresh made tapanade with a little more extra virgin all nestled in a wonderfully toothsome sammich roll. Luckily, Toponia was there and we got to hang out a bit and talk about stuff. The weather was cool, overcast with a chance of rain. Her eyes lit up and she reached behind the counter and produced a gratin! A hot, beautiful, steaming gratin that is! As with many items they have for sale, tasting each thing is a huge part of the experience. Floopf the spoon heavily laden with gratin went in to my mowf (I still have the spoon in my pocket, use it for flinging coffee beans at employees). A rich blend of delicious, gooey cheese, finished with some bright tangy version to finish. There’s pasta in there! There’s onions in there! “I’ll take 1 pound please.”
These are two things you cannot get at the markets, you have to visit their locale in Napa. You’ll probably have to drive, but go. Now. It’s worth it, every minute you spend behind the wheel embiggening your carbon footprint is worth it. I have no idea what it cost me, I don’t care. I’m going again and again.
Biggles
ps – Check out the pork belly roulade, the gratin and the sandwiches there, see?
House of Beef – Oakdale California | Pork Belly Bacon !!!
Sunday morning, cool & overcast. Slight ocean breezes bring a brief respite from the hellish, smoky airs. A very low rumble begins from down the street, Thor Sr. approaches. He creeps ever so gently to Meathenge Labs, like only thunder can. This Thor Sr. is our neighbor, Mad Meat Genius. A bacon delivery is in progress, oh yes.
Tofu Yu – Deli / Cafe – Organic & Vegetarian – El Cerrito California
Whoa, whoa whoa, hold on there Tex. I’m a complex man and I got my reasons for posting this. Just hang on a moment and give me a chance. Besides, the damned place ain’t even open yet.
Some of you may or may not know, it could very possibly be, a vegetarian dish could be worth eating. Even enjoying, no really. Remember, a large percentage of the world’s population eat vegetarian. The deal is tho’, they have many dishes per meal, not just one plate o’ shrimp.
Crawdad Boil – Meathenge cooks mudbugs! – a review
On March 25th CajunGrocer.com contacted me and asked if I’d like 10 pounds of mudbugs for ‘review’. Oh, let me think, YES. Remember them? They were the ones that sent Meathenge Labs a Turducken, yeah that’s them.
The little guys come delivered to your door alive, moving, and making this clicking sound like rice crispies in milk. The party wasn’t until Saturday, said crawdads arrived on Friday, not a problem. Hose them down, toss into cooler with a bag of ice (drain open), easy enough. But it didn’t say whether to leave them all tied up in their sack or not, I decided to let them out in to the cooler. Free range crawdads … dumb Californian. Wanna come see how it turned out?
Catahoula Coffee Roasters – Richmond, California
Yeah, you heard it right folks. Richmond has its very own coffee roaster and place to drink said coffee beverages. I’m impressed and very thankful that Timber decided to pick our fine city for his place of business. Come inside for some pretty pictures, sorry I don’t have any aromas for you!
Fatted Calf at Oxbow Market in Napa Valley – Dreams do come true
Especially when you spend nearly every waking moment working your ass off.
It’s no secret, Fatted Calf had secured themselves a space at the brandspanking new Oxbow Market up in Napa mumfs ago. So, while keeping their amazing charcuterie running, they were also building a fancy upscale kitchen & butcher shop with retail space from an old tire putter-onner-store. Architects, contractors, inspectors, oh my! Then? Take your entire operation, load it up and move to new an hour north. Do you have any idea what it takes to make a dream like this a reality? Brett does, but that’s another story entirely.
Come along with Jlee and myself and see what Fatted Calf is up to at their Grand Opening.
Aquasana Drinking Water System – A Review
You wanna start a fight? Get the conversation pointed towards bottled vs. filtered vs. tap. Go ahead, I triple-dog dare you.
I buy bottled water from time to time for the convenience only. Good for hiking, driving or whatever. The tap water we receive from EBMUD flat out rules. I’ve never even remotely considered blowing my hard earned cash on any filtration system. Okay, well I did buy one years ago. You know the ones? Those bulbous things that hangs off your faucet? Yeah, it made me shake and scream. TOSS.
Aquasana wasn’t going to have it easy.