Hi Mountain Seasonings is well known for their jerky kits. All the seasoning and cure is included in the kit and there are very detailed instructions that are easy to follow. It’s not difficult to make your own jerky. Brian says when it comes to the tenderness of whole muscle jerky, you need to think about the cuts you choose. Scraps are fine, but they will often result in very chewy and tough jerky. Brian suggests using roasts for whole muscle jerky. Take whole roasts, cut them down into steaks and then strip the steaks out in jerky size pieces. In order to get more uniform cuts in size and thickness, the Hi Mountain Ultimate Cutting Board can be a big help. It has different depths on each side of the board, ¼” and ⅜”, depending on the thickness you prefer. To use the Ultimate Cutting Board, you press the meat down against the board and then run the blade flush across the top and that will produce the same thickness every time. There are several different options when it comes to the preparation of jerky – whole muscle jerky isn’t where the line stops. Ground jerky and snackin’ sticks are really popular and Hi Mountain Seasonings also has kits that cater to ground jerky products. Brian says that he has become slightly more partial to ground jerky over time because of the variety of things you can do with it. Not only are there endless flavor options, but you can add in other items like high temperature cheeses. Brian says he really likes the combination of Jalapeno flavored snackin’ sticks or ground jerky with cheese mixed in. The options are really endless with flavor combinations and they are also incredibly tender.
Add bacon to the list of things you don’t have to have to buy at the store anymore. Like jerky, a lot of people are finding out that DIY bacon making isn’t that difficult. Brian says that Hi Mountain Seasonings has offered bacon cure kits for a long time, but more recently they added a new flavor – Black Pepper Brown Sugar. This new kit makes traditional bacon from pork belly whereas their Buckboard Bacon Cure uses Boston Butt roast, pork loin or wild game cuts. Brian says bacon making is as simple as weighing out your meat, measuring the seasoning/cure based on the weight, rubbing the mixture on both sides and putting it in a container for seven days. After that, the meat is removed from the container, soaked in water, pat dried and then put in the smoker and cooked until it reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees. Brian says the process itself is not difficult at all. The hardest part of the bacon making process is waiting the seven days while the meat sits and cures. A Hi Mountain Seasonings bacon kit with all the included ingredients, enough to cure 25 pounds of meat, as well as detailed instructions is less than $10. Not only is it fun to be able to make your own, but you’ll end up saving a boatload at the grocery store.
Finally, kicking off the Christmas shopping season, Hi Mountain Seasonings has “10 Days of Savings” going through December 4th where customers have the opportunity to cash in on new deals every day. Brian says each day there will be a new special so shoppers will have to go to www.HiMtnJerky.com to find out what they are. If you’re looking for a gift for someone who likes to cook, but you don’t know what to get, Brian says bundles are a great way to go. The Outdoorsman Bundle has items geared toward wild game eaters, the Western Grill Bundle offers a great selection of seasonings that taste fantastic on any protein of your choice flamed grilled to perfection, and the Western Kitchen Bundle offers a versatile selection of seasonings that elevate the flavor of about any dish you will cook. When you’re shopping for your family and friends this holiday season, definitely consider their appetite and Hi Mountain Seasonings.
Tasty table fare,
Trav