Big John's Beef Jerky

Based in York, PA, Big John's Beef Jerky has been a regular on the Beef Jerky of the Month Club rotation for many years and is a personal favorite of mine. Big John is just a guy who knows how to make great tasting jerky. It was his daughter Renee and her husband Bill Lenzer that made it a business in the summer of 2000. Big John's job is product development and (of course) quality control while Renee and Bill run the business end of things.

All of their Beef Jerky is made in small batches by hand using Big John’s time-tested method -- without the use of big processing machines. They use only lean, top round beef that is hand sliced and marinated all day in a secret blend of spices. After making sure every piece is seasoned just right, they slow smoke it with real Hickory -- not liquid smoke or artificial flavors. It is then cut into easy to eat strips - something that makes them different from other jerkys we have tried - most make the cuts before they smoke rather then after - this seems to preserve the true meat/smoke flavor that tends to get covered up by the marinade or glaze in other jerkys.

They have four varieties: Original, Teriyaki, BBQ and Fiery Hot. I have tried them all and think they are all great - I like the spicy because it is a really nice heat - not too hot like some others on the market that drown the meat in spice so much that you can't even appreciate the meat.