Ah, portable meat. While we’re all for carrying around a rib eye to snack on, that’s not really a socially acceptable action. So, for beef on the go, there’s jerky. And if all you’ve ever had is the rock-hard garbage you can find at a gas station, you’re doing yourself and your road trip a huge disservice. So put down the store-brand and invest in something better, something like one of these artisanal offerings.
Three Jerks Jerky
$14.99/2.5oz BAG
The filet mignon is sort of a status symbol steak. It’s shrouded in elegance and caviar dreams. Three Jerks Jerky out in Venice, California craft their jerky using filet mignon to bring the fancy-pants steak to the snack game. The lean cut makes from some tremendous jerky you can pick up in flavors like Chipotle Adobo and Memphis BBQ. Link
Perky Jerky
$4.99/2.2oz BAG
You may have once hurt your teeth on a piece of beef jerky, but that jerky was definitely not from Perky Jerky. If you’re in the market for tender strips, the Colorado-based company’s jerky is hard to beat. The meat gets marinated overnight with a mixture of natural ingredients including guarana to craft a jerky that’s ultra-tender and energy-boosting. Link
Brooklyn Biltong
$9.49/4oz BAG
If beef jerky and thinly sliced prosciutto had a baby, it would be biltong. Brooklyn Biltong makes a delicious version of the tender meat snack. You can even snag a free sample bag to try it out. Link
Field Trip
$6/2.2oz BAG
Seeing as how jerky is basically your wingman on a road trip along with a good mixtape (or Spotify playlist, since this is 2014), we kinda dig the name of this little NYC jerky startup. The all natural jerky was inspired by the offerings at little mom and pop shops in Vermont, and comes in a few different flavors which are all tremendous. Link
Sweet Meat Jerky
$8.99/3oz BAG
Jerky gets an unhealthy rap since most of the stuff you find on supermarket shelves is a mixture of odd meats, ingredients you can’t pronounce, and excessive amounts of sodium. Sweet Meat Jerky is one of the companies trying to show you that jerky can be extremely healthy. Sweet Meat Jerky tastes great and is perfect for some energy on the trail. Link
The Blue Ox Jerky Company
$7.25/4oz BAG
The Blue Ox Jerky Co. offers beef, buffalo, elk, turkey, and venison jerky so you can have a bit of a variety when it comes to your meaty snacking. The Michigan-based company wants to put an end to the “dog meat” sold in gas station shops, and is offering a ton of smokier and tastier alternatives that can be shipped right to your door. Link
Chef’s Cut Real Jerky
$27.96/FOUR 2.5oz BAGS
Chef Blair Swiler set out to make a sort of “filet in a bag,” something that tasted like it came from the butcher shop. That’s how Chef’s Cut Real Jerky got started, and the guys are now churning out a protein-packed snack in flavors like Chipotle Cracked Pepper and Honey Barbecue. Link
House of Jerky
$22/8oz BAG”
In Evansville, Indiana, there’s a little shop that could be considered holy ground for jerky lovers. The store is House of Jerky, and now you’re lucky enough to be able to have their killer jerky shipped right to you. Load up on oddities like Bacon Jerky and Kangaroo with Black Pepper so you can give your taste buds a new experience. They’ve been doing it since 1993, and have jerky down pat. Link
