I discovered Ajay’s Montana Bananas beef jerky at a market just outside of South Lake Tahoe. As you may know, I am despondent about what has transpired in the beef jerky industry of late. (fyi…there’s no way you would know this.)Like a lot of other industries, the recent recession has sent a lot of small beef jerky companies out of business and the big companies have gobbled up shelf space. The result is most of the beef jerky you find on a road trip, at gas stations, truck stops, and convenience stores, is crap.
That’s why I do these reviews. Good beef jerky is hard to find and its existence needs to be rewarded.
Montana Bananas come in several varieties, but I opted for Original Peppered “Cowboy Dry”. I suppose that means something. Cowboy Dry. Not just regular dry, but Cowboy dry. I suppose they have cowboys on staff to give the all important affirmative nod when the jerky gets to their specific dryness.
This is the kind of jerky you have to work at. Not as hard as some, it’s nevertheless not as moist as some of the chemically treated mass brands you’ll find out there. That’s because It’s real! I had a couple of other types of beef jerky with me, but I kept finding myself coming back to this one on my trip. It’s smoky without being chemically smoky, with a delightful amount of pepper.
If I were a cowboy, this is the kind of beef jerky I would keep in my saddlebag.
To find out where you can get it, or purchase it online, go here.
