Mouthpiece

Eat, Drink And Be indie: Tasty Recipes, Inspiring Maker Stories & Exclusives

Two Words: Bacon. Jerky.

Yes, you read that right. Bacon jerky. 

The geniuses at Chef’s Cut Real Jerky, one Blair Swiler and his golf buddy Dennis Riedel, teamed up in 2009 to start a handmade jerky business out of Naples, Florida. First, it was premium cuts of steak, tender chicken or turkey breast, all hand-cut and smoked. But, soon enough, they could hear the call of the hog-wild. So as if their juicy, low-fat, high-protein snack bags of deliciousness weren’t enough, they set their sights on bacon.

We know what you’re probably thinking: “Bacon jerky? Sure, when pigs fly!” Yes, bacon is inherently salty and greasy – that’s what makes it so hard to resist! Any attempt at jerky-ing would likely end up soggy and fatty, right? The total opposite of what you’d want.

Well, Blair and Dennis have managed to find the way to pig heaven. They start with thin-cut, nitrite-free, uncured bacon and dunk it in juicy marinades, then slow-smoke each strip until it reaches juicy crispness. Not greasy. Not soggy. Just porkalicious.

We’re flipping for the sweet-savory Applewood Bacon Jerky, infused with apple juice and maple syrup, spicy black pepper and applewood smoke. One of our favorite on-the-go power breakfasts: Sandwiching a few slices between hot-outta-the-toaster waffles!

The hotter heads at Mouth HQ reach for Sriracha Bacon Jerky, basted with the fiery chili condiment, umami-packed soy sauce, honey and red wine vinegar. Just keep some napkins handy at snack time – these are some seriously saucy slices!

At 6g of protein per serving, and 100% gluten-free, they both make pretty hog-worthy desk drawer snacks for any bacon-obsessed Mouth.

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