This summer, the A-J review team wanted a food review they could really sink their teeth into, which inspired them to round up local jerky businesses. Typically a great snack for summer travel, the team hit the road to find the best jerky in the Lubbock area.
Jerky shops qualified if they have a physical location and could be purchased within an hour’s drive of Lubbock. That resulted in four businesses chosen: All Hale Meats, Buck’s Beef Jerky, Jackson Brothers Meat Locker and Raider Red Meats. Judging 2-3 options from each location, the review team crowned one overall best, along with four other category awards.
The review team consisted of Alana Edgin, A-J business reporter; Mateo Rosiles, Texas Connect USA TODAY; and Sofia Bueno, A-J summer intern. Together, they tried 11 jerky and snack products across four local shops in one afternoon. Here’s what the Summer Jerky Review Team had to say.
All Hale Meats in Wolfforth
All Hale Meats is a third-generation family business that started in 1949 as Hale’s Meat Market. Based at 930 W. 5th St. in Wolfforth, the business offers sausage, beef, chicken, exotic game, custom processing and slaughter, and, of course, jerky. All Hale Meats averages about 1,600 pounds of jerky a day, with shipments going to supermarkets and convenience stores across the country.
The review team sampled the Mild, Peppered and Cajun jerky flavors. Here are their thoughts.
Alana Edgin: Out of the three, the one I liked the most was the Mild. It was tender, smoky without being overpowering and just classic. The Peppered, in my opinion, didn’t have enough pepper and had a sweeter profile than the mild. As for the Cajun, it reminded me of most ‘Cajun’ restaurants. By this, I mean that a lot of people use Cajun without understanding it should mean low country flavor that makes you crave a trip to Louisiana. AHM’s Cajun had no seasoning or flavor, and the heat took a few minutes to kick in, then lingered.
Still, I’d go for All Hale Meats over the Raider Red jerky. The two brands cost the same $10 a bag at Market Street, but AHM has 4 oz, while RR has 3.4 oz.
Honestly, if I go to All Hale Meats, I go for the bacon or sausage over the jerky. It’s not bad, it’s just not my favorite out of everything we tried.
Mateo Rosiles: I liked it but it was underwhelming to me. I will say they could amp up their flavor game as it reminded me of a La Criox, the flavors and ideas sound amazing but the follow through missed. I loved the mild flavor but that about it. I will say, the convenience factor does play into picking up this.
You can easily pick this up at a grocery or convenience store and grab this over Slim Jims. I still have my favorites but this is a good one to grab if you just need to curb the craving.
Affordability wise, it comes to $2.50 per ounces, which isn’t the cheapest but also isn’t the most expensive — so a happy medium.
Sofia Bueno: The mild was my favorite out of the three flavors we tried. It had an authentic, classic jerky flavor and felt like a choice a consumer couldn’t go wrong with purchasing.
The peppered flavor was disappointing. Aside from a few visible pepper flakes on the outside, it lacked the bold pepper flavor I expected when I bit into it. It was tasty, but the mild and peppered flavors didn’t distinguish themselves enough to justify having to buy separate jerky.
The Cajun flavor was by far the biggest letdown. It did not deliver a true Cajun seasoning profile; it only left a lingering heat a couple of minutes after eating it. The jerky tasted good, but didn’t have the savory spices and flavor that typically define Cajun seasoning.
I would choose All Hale Meats over Red Raider Meats as I enjoyed their jerky more, and their products offer more ounces for the price. However, my biggest criticism is that the flavors are not distinct enough from one another. While the jerky is enjoyable, each product could benefit from a stronger flavor profile to differentiate the varieties in their selection.
Buck’s Beef Jerky
Walkup’s Point, 419 E. Main St. in Post, offers custom quilting, engraving, and so many other creative projects, including Buck’s Beef Jerky. Terri Walkup started smoking jerky about 4 years ago and named the business after his father, E.W. “Buck” Buckner.
With 14 flavors, including three different sodas (Dr Pepper, Mountain Dew and Big Red), honey jalapeno, and green chili, Buck’s has become known as a master of smoke and variety.
The review team tried Black Pepper, Original and Dew Mee (Mountain Dew flavored). Through this selection, Buck’s won two of the five awards from the team. Dew Mee earned the Best Sweet award, and the entire Buck’s brand won the Best Smoke category.
Edgin: If you love smoky jerky, Buck’s should 100% be on your radar. When I say smoke, I mean you will be transported to a classic backyard barbecue both in scent and taste. That wood-smoke flavor permeates every one of the 14 flavors. It could be overpowering if you aren’t expecting it, so keep that in mind.
The Original is a solid baseline for what to expect from a bag of Buck’s Jerky. The pieces have a medium thickness, almost like a beef snack stick, a slight hickory-like sweetness without being too much, and a smoky flavor that takes me right back to summer nights by a campfire. Dew Mee is a sweeter version that is less smoky, a good balance for a sweet tooth who need protein. The Black Pepper, in my opinion, was good, but could have benefitted from more pepper.
However, my favorite from Buck’s is one we did not try: The Habanero. That heat gets you from the first bite and stays while still having enough flavor to make you want to eat a whole bag in one sitting.
Rosiles: Unlike All Hale Meats, this one had flavor — smoky flavor at least. I honestly didn’t mind this jerky but it is definitely unique. I see people who like sample flights to gravitate toward this since they have some very unique flavors based off of Big Red, Mountain Dew and Dr Pepper. But it is a heavy investment due to the drive and it costs $4 per ounce. Worth it for the fun experience.
Bueno: Across all of Buck’s jerky flavors we tried, the most noticeable characteristic throughout was the smokiness. The smoked barbecue flavor came through in each variety, and all of the jerky flavors were very well-seasoned.
The Black Pepper was my favorite of the three. It had a strong pepper flavor that stood out and complemented the smokiness well, making it the most flavorful option and one I would ordinarily reach for.
I also enjoyed the Original flavor, although I was surprised by its slight sweetness. It had a distinct hickory taste that I would not typically choose, but still found enjoyable.
While I’m not much of a soda drinker, I could appreciate Dew Mee for its clever name and the niche audience the product serves. However, the flavor didn’t stand out to me or offer anything particularly memorable. It tasted like a regular piece of jerky, but a bit sweeter.
Overall, I enjoyed Buck’s jerky because each flavor was bold and well-seasoned. Even if some varieties didn’t match my personal preferences, they were thoughtfully crafted, which I can appreciate.
This article continues after the photo gallery.
Jackson Brothers Meat Locker in Post
Jackson Brothers Meat Locker, 121 S. Avenue H in Post, boasts having “world famous jerky.” Originally opened in the 1960s by Jim and Bo Jackson, two brothers, handed the business down to David Hernandez and Jose Rodriguez, cousins mentored by the brothers, and now their families run the place. They kept the name Jackson Brothers to honor the men who took them in, and are continuing their legacy. While they do meat processing and sell an array of items, their jerky is what pulls people off of U.S. 84.
Now, before any jerky purists get mad, Jackson Brothers will be the first to tell you theirs are technically dried and smoked beef strips. They go under the same process as jerky, but retains the moisture.
If you are going to claim to have the best, of course the review team has to test it out. Jackson Brothers only offers two flavors, Peppered and Plain, but they excelled and earned three of the five awards from this review, including the crown.
Awards: Best Original, Best Peppered, and Best Overall.
Edgin: During the tour and interview with Jamie Hernandez, manager of Jackson Brothers, I was in awe of the size of their jerky and the care that went into it. I also had the opportunity to have a piece freshly off the racks, and had a sense it would earn at least one award in the review, pending my colleagues’ thoughts.
My favorite was (and still is) the Peppered. Seasoned in the smoker, that pepper is baked in and that flavor seeped into every bite. I would not recommend eating it in the car, as some of that pepper may decide to season the seats, but it is a peppery, smoky, incredible treat. The Plain is also excellent, slightly sweet and smoky without being overpowering.
Another draw for me is, surprisingly, the price. While I did spend $25 a pound, that only calculates to $1.56 an ounce, which is by far the cheapest per ounce. Sized like a meal, delicious as a perfect steak, and priced better than any restaurant I’ve been to in years, Jackson Brothers’ jerky is a must-try. As the owners say, one bite and you’ll be hooked.
Rosiles: I like to think I am jerky purist in that I love dry beef that has flavor that I can chew on during a roadtrip. But hear me out, this is worth it. The flavor is there, and the price point is, too. Sitting at a $1.56 per ounce, it is worth the trip.
When Alana told me that one of the jerkies had to be refrigerated, I was highly skeptical and more so hesitant. But my mind was quickly changed (and I almost wanted to run out of the room with the pound bag) because it was that good.
Now, word of caution, if you don’t like a lot of pepper — the peppered one may not be for you unless you are willing to dust some of the coating off, but I loved it. Might have to make this a stop when I am traveling back and forth from Austin.
Bueno: Jackson Brother’s was by far my favorite jerky we tried in this review. The first flavor I sampled was the Original, and it was honestly love at first bite. I had never tried refrigerated jerky before, but after tasting it, I don’t think I’m going back. It reminded me of grabbing a cold slice of pizza late at night when you want something small but satisfying. It was flavorful, reasonably priced and exceeded my expectations.
My first impression of the Peppered flavor was its appearance. It was coated with an impressive amount of black pepper. Once I took a bite, the pepper flavor came through immediately. It packed a bold punch without overpowering the meat, yet I found myself wanting another bite each time. While I would still reach for the Original first, the Peppered variety is an excellent choice for anyone who enjoys a bolder flavor.
Raider Red Meats in Lubbock
Inside the Texas Tech University’s Animal and Food Sciences building, 1308 Indiana Ave., is Raider Red Meats, a shop and program that helps Meat Science program students get experience and raises funds for scholarships. People can also find their jerky, seasonings and other meat products at area grocery stores.
The review team tried the Original, Sweet & Spicy, and the Spicy Snack Sticks.
Edgin: I’m going to start off by saying I love that students get experience and that this helps students. If you ever have free time to get lunch at the shop, you definitely should. The sandwiches are hearty and delicious. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for the products we tried for this review.
The Original was thin, crispy, and a solid standard as far as jerky goes. The Sweet & Spicy was a bit too chewy and tasted more like a faint teriyaki. There was no heat. The Spicy Snack Sticks had a minimally lingering heat but biting into it was like oatmeal. It was far too mushy, and at $6 for three sticks, you are better off finding a different snack.
Rosiles: I love the Raider Red Meats brand and what they teach students. Heck, I will say that they have some of the best cuts of meat in West Texas and I will be asking my parents to send me their steak seasoning when I run out in Austin. But this missed the mark for me.
The original I can recommend as a solid choice if you want to start exploring the world of jerky, but that’s about it. It comes in at $3.08 per ounce. I will say that part of the proceeds support scholarships for students in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at Texas Tech. So while expensive, you are helping a good cause.
In all honesty, I would recommend this and and All Hale Meats for host gifts, care packages or West Texas holiday themed baskets as they can be easily snagged at a grocery store and the flavors are just there. Those who aren’t die-hard jerky lovers would enjoy them.
Bueno: Out of all of the flavors, Original was my favorite. It felt like a very generic piece of jerky with good chewiness and a light flavor, which you can’t necessarily go wrong with. While I wish it had a bit more seasoning, there wasn’t anything particularly off-putting about it.
For the Sweet & Spicy flavor, I struggled to find any spice within the jerky. The jerky was incredibly sweet with light teriyaki. Since I’m not a fan of sweeter jerky, it wasn’t my favorite, but if you enjoy sweeter flavors and want a quick snack between classes, this would be a solid option to fulfill the craving.
The biggest disappointment was the Spicy Snack Sticks. They were far too soft and lacked the texture expected from jerky, making them feel more like a heavily processed meat stick rather than a traditional jerky product.
With Red Raider Meats, there’s nothing specifically special about their jerky products. They are convenient and reasonably priced, but they don’t stand out from the competition across town.
Alana Edgin writes about business for the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Got a news tip? Contact her via email at aedgin@lubbockonline.com.
Mateo Rosiles is the Texas Connect reporter for USA TODAY and its regional papers in Texas. Got a news tip for him? Email him at mrosiles@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Which Lubbock area jerky is the best? A-J review team crowns #1
Reporting by Alana Edgin, Mateo Rosiles and Sofia Bueno, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Alana Edgin, Mateo Rosiles and Sofia Bueno, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal | USA TODAY Network
