In my earlier blog entries, you might recall that in the mid 80’s is where my beef jerky business started. Back then, you had two types of beef jerky. Wrapped, pieces of jerky individually wrapped for freshness and sanitary distribution and handling. And, unwrapped jars of beef jerky or beef sticks exposed in a glass jar or plastic container. Now lets compare the two, as stated above for the reasons of freshness and sanitary concerns wrapped beef jerky was in a league of its own. As opposed to unwrapped beef jerky where you can taste the jerky by just looking at it, and selling the jerky and was only a touch away. But which one sold better? Always without doubt the winner back then was the unwrapped Jerky, why? I think it goes to looking at a fresh baked cookies, or donuts. Who would prefer donuts in a sealed plastic bag not really knowing how long it has been on a shelf, or donuts in a glass case for everyone to see. My point exactly, but dispensing beef jerky in this kind of environment did not come without challenges. Drying beef jerky was always a problem, especially in the southwest. Nobody liked a shriveled dryer than usual jerky, also on beef sticks you would notice salt migrating to the surface, like white dots if it sat too long. Or the opposite of dried moist, too moist, yes moldy. Not very appetizing! I am glad to report most jerky today is sold commercially speaking in a vacuumed sealed bag or with little to no air in the packaging process. But the good old days, a lot could be said about unwrapped product. Yes it had its problems, but to smell a freshly displayed product, the aroma would fill the air, a paradise of spices and smoked flavor. Thinking back to the days of jerky in a jar, you could see the holes punched into the meat as this was the way volumes of beef were smoked on a string or wire in the smoke house. Flavors like teriyaki; peppered and natural style was always something I never tired of smelling. Just a trip into yesterday, by the Beef Jerky Dude! Glad you came along.

Jed