As a fitness junkie and health food fanatic, I’m always looking to maximize my snacking. Sure, you can’t go wrong with a handful of nuts… but I’ve never been able to keep it to one handful, have you? And of course I munch on fruits and veggies all day, but those aren’t quite fueling my muscle growth now are they? And protein shakes, god love em, but a liquid snack just doesn’t satisfy me… no matter how many calories I cram into the glass. Which brings me to my crown jewel in snacking, jerky.
A typical serving of jerky delivers close to 10 grams of protein for 120 calories, which is a pretty kick ass ratio when your goal is building lean muscle and losing excess fat. Not to mention the satiety factor. Nibbling on some jerky quells my rumbling stomach a lot better than a few carrot sticks dipped in hummus. But I’m not alone in my jerky love affair. Actually, quite the opposite… jerky is even, dare I say it, trending.
Slim jims and beef jerky laden with preservatives, chemicals and artificial flavors still exist in gas stations across America. But they are in stark competition with the hundreds of healthy alternatives and innovative flavors flying off the shelves. There are some amazing brands on the market today, but for me, the beauty of jerky lies in the ‘underground society‘ of jerky making. It’s the same infatuation I have with microbrews and locally produced cheeses. I’m a sucker for the kind of jerky you pull over on a road trip to get a bag of… and then turn around 5 miles out to go buy more. An ostrich jerky at the farmers market or a pork variety in Hawaii. I like meating (see what I did there) the proud jerky chefs and hearing their stories of trials and tribulations on the road to perfecting their product. For the best jerky is the kind made in small batches… and tasted for excellence, not the mass produced and packaged varieties.
Finding the right jerky is a personal preference… and involves a number of factors. I want a jerky that’s slightly tender but tough enough to make me slow down and enjoy it. I want it to have a real kick. Not be too sweet, and not painfully salty, but flavorful nonetheless. And maybe most importantly, I want a face to the jerky, I want the backstory.
Boston Jerky Company. The habanero will leave you nearly in tears… but still longing for another bite. The teriyaki has a peppery kick and the sweet and spicy is just perfect. Great flavor and texture, but wonderful story. A kid with a dream of making a jerky that paralleled the heart and integrity of the city he named it after, which just happens to be the greatest city in the world, Boston. Excited for you Mike Tryba, can’t wait to watch you take the jerky world by storm.
Boston Jerky Company, Mike Tryba: bostonjerky@gmail.com
