Challenge Accepted!

Last week, I posted a lengthy rant about my personal aversion to jerky. Yes, as in dried meat. You wouldn't think that I'd have so much to say about a simple snack, but I'm a redhead and that means I come with opinions.


The folks over at Perky Jerky found my blog post, and bet me that they could change my stubborn mind.

{via Wallpaper Stock}

Perky Jerky is a jerky company that seems like it was created to disprove every preconceived notion I had about jerky. In reality (no, the world does not revolve around me), they created their product on a fluke when two dudes accidentally spilled some energy drink on their jerky while skiing (sounds like something some of my friends would do), hence the name "perky" jerky.


My first gripe about jerky was that it has the potential to be a healthy, high-protein, low-carb snack, but most brands load their snack full of unnatural preservatives. Perky Jerky shut down this theory pretty quickly. Their jerky only has eight ingredients:

• meat (beef or turkey, depending on which you buy)
• soy sauce (unfortunately, this means that the jerky isn't gluten-free)
• brown sugar
• lemon juice
• garlic
• pepper
• guarana (oh hey there, caffeine)
• organic Worcestershire sauce

I'm a sucker for simple, natural ingredients. But how did it measure up in terms of calories and good fat vs. bad fat? See for yourself:

The calories and the fat numbers look great, and the turkey jerky is low in sodium, too.

My second complaint was that jerky packaging is marketed almost exclusively towards men. Not only is Perky Jerky's look gender-neutral, I think it's actually kind of stylish:

My next issue with jerky was that I've always thought of it as a redneck snack. And that's not to say that I think those of you who do enjoy jerky are rednecks! That marketing strategy makes sense - jerky was first created by rural settlers who didn't have access to fresh meat. Jerky was a strategy used to help people get protein in a safe manner. When jerky companies market their product towards this population, they're staying true to their roots and I respect that. Still, it makes me feel like it's not meant for snobby urban people like me (hey, at least I admit it). Perky Jerky feeds into this stereotype with a NASCAR sponsorship...

{via Perky Jerky}

...but they also sponsor the PGA tour, so now I'm just receiving conflicting messages.

{via Perky Jerky}

Then, I learned that Perky Jerky sponsors something even more interesting than golf:

{via Perky Jerky}

A portion of Perky Jerky's proceeds benefit several foundations for Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy and Down Syndrome. A snack with a cause is definitely something I can get behind.

Finally, and probably most importantly, I just didn't find jerky appealing or appetizing. This complaint wasn't entirely fair, as I had never really tried jerky before. I opened up the packages that Perky Jerky sent me to find an appearance that I had expected, but I was pleasantly surprised by the mouth-watering teriyaki smell. Upon closer inspection, I noticed specks of cracked peppercorn on the turkey jerky. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

So what did I think of the taste? Well, in order to fully convey my genuine response to first trying jerky, I decided to record some video. Enjoy!

I'm still not convinced that jerky is my thing. The taste was better than I thought it would be, but the texture may take some getting used to! Perhaps jerky is an acquired taste. Over all, I truly feel that Perky Jerky proved most of my preconceived notions to be incorrect. Thanks for calling me on my shallowness, Perky Jerky, and thanks for introducing me to a new product!

Have any of you tried Perky Jerky? How does it compare to other brands that you've tried?

Disclaimer: Perky Jerky offered me complimentary jerky samples in return for editorial consideration, but everything in this review is my own unbiased opinion.

Judging a Book By Its Cover

My husband and I were grocery shopping today when a certain snack sparked an interesting debate. Before I get into it, allow me to give you a little background information. You see, I'm a firm believer in the "girls need protein too" philosophy. Protein is necessary to build muscle, and muscle is good. I cringe every time I hear a woman say that she doesn't want to lift weights because weightlifting will "make my arms too big." False. You're not going to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger circa 1992 from doing a few skull crushers. Exercise is good for you. Trust me - I've taken MANY classes on exercise physiology.

A lot of my friends are following the Paleo Diet, which gives me hope that protein is trending upward. The Paleo Diet basically encourages eating like a caveman: more meat, more produce, less modern crap. It makes sense; these foods provide the basic nutrients our bodies have needed since the dawn of time. I like this diet because, contrary to most diets, it encourages fat. After all, fat is important! Saturated fats can improve lung function, omega 3s improve brain function, and they help your body absorb other nutrients. I can get behind this because it's about being healthy, not just being skinny. That's not to say that I'm a Paleo follower. I enjoy the occasional processed food, and I really like baking. But I have a lot of respect for people who are following this plan, and I've been trying to eat more protein myself.

When I'm at work, I really try to stay away from carbs, especially gluten. I work 10-hour days at a very physically demanding job, and I need protein to fuel me through the day. If I have too many carbs at lunch, I just want to take a nap, which is not exactly conducive to a productive afternoon full of effective treatment. This brings me to our grocery store debate.

I was gathering ingredients to make an awesome trail mix to get me through my work day: walnuts, almonds, dried cranberries, chocolate chips (What?! I said I wasn't doing Paleo!)...then my husband suggested that I just buy jerky instead.

I didn't respond verbally, but my face said, "Excuse me, but I do not eat jerky."

"What!" he exclaimed. "It's high in protein, low in carbs and calories, and it's nearly fat-free. It's like the perfect snack."

"That may be," I answered. "But I'm a girl."

"Girls can eat jerky too!" my husband argued.

"Right..." I said skeptically. "But I'm not a redneck."

Okay, so maybe those comments were a little judgmental. But can you blame me? Jerky is marketed almost exclusively to men. If any other product followed jerky's lead with a similar ad campaign, I'm sure it would be horribly offensive to women.

{I love you, Dr. Pepper. Why you gotta hate? / via Jezebel}

How am I supposed to be interested in jerky when Bulk Beef Jerky markets for their sampler pack with ads like this?

{via Bulk Beef Jerky}

I don't like seeing the faces of things I'm eating, I hate that font choice, and I'm certainly not an alpha male. And as for my redneck theory? Well...

{via Judged By Its Cover}

...I rest my case. I mean, jerky comes in tins that look like chewing tobacco. Seriously.

{via Snacks2Food}

I've never considered jerky as nutritious, or even as appetizing or edible for that matter, because it's simply never appealed to me. And I don't think it's intended to. I'm not a man, and I don't live on a farm or a prairie, so why would I eat it? I don't think I've ever tried jerky, but the thought of eating it just sounded gross. I just don't think I'd enjoy that texture on any meat unless it was bacon. Whenever I think about girls eating jerky, the only person who comes to mind is one of my best friends. She's raved about jerky for as long as I can remember. Maybe she's a lot less impressionable than I am, and more of an independent thinker. But she's also a physician and an awesome blogger mom, so maybe I should follow some of her independent thoughts?

Okay, so I accept that I happen to be easily swayed by product imaging. What, then, if jerky was portrayed in a different light? Here's the packaging that Jerky.com uses:

{via Moment of Failure}

It's neutral. It's rustic, but appropriately so. Ooo and it's burlap. I do love burlap. But does jerky always have to present as rustic? Could it be, dare I say, pretty?

{via Health-Bent}

That photo is of homemade corned beef brisket, published by a Paleo blog. The recipe looks easy and, as you can see, the results look impressive. Perhaps if I made my own jerky I'd be more inclined to try it?

This final photo definitely sparked my interest. What if jerky was incorporated into other recipes as an ingredient? I can't think of a better example than this:

{via Baker Bettie}

I can't imagine a better cure for a hangover than a bloody mary with some protein. Maybe I've been missing out. Maybe I am just judging a book by its cover.

Have any of you ladies out there tried jerky? Are any of you fans of jerky? What do you think - should I try it?!